Why Is the 21st Century Considered to Start in 2001 Instead of 2000?
Discover why the 21st century officially begins in 2001 and not 2000, based on how centuries are counted.
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The 21st century represents the years 2001 to 2100. The first century covered the years 1 to 100, the second century 101 to 200, and so on. Therefore, the 21st century starts with 2001, following the completion of the 20th century from 1901 to 2000.
FAQs & Answers
- Why does the 21st century start in 2001, not 2000? Because the first century started at year 1, centuries count in full blocks of 100 years, making 2001 the start of the 21st century after 2000 completes the 20th.
- When does a century officially begin and end? A century begins with a year ending in 1 and ends with a year ending in 00. For example, the 20th century was from 1901 to 2000.
- Why is the year 2000 often confused as the start of the 21st century? The year 2000 is often mistakenly seen as the start of the 21st century because it is a 'round' number, but technically it is the last year of the 20th century.