- Dec 2 The United Kingdom devolves political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive
- Dec 3 NASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere
- Dec 3 Worcester cold storage and warehouse fire in Worcester, Massachusetts claims lives of 6 firefighters
- Dec 3 Ottawa Senators' right wing Kevin Dineen becomes 5th player in NHL history to score 300 career goals and record 2,000 penalty minutes; picks up a misconduct penalty in 7-4 loss to NJ Devils
- Dec 4 8th SEC Championship Game: #7 Alabama beats #5 Florida, 34-7
- Dec 5 88th Davis Cup: Australia beats France in Nice (3-2)
- Dec 7 The RIAA files a lawsuit against the Napster file-sharing client, on charges of copyright infringement.
- Dec 13 65th Heisman Trophy Award: Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (RB)
- Dec 14 Flash floods in Venezuela after torrential rainfall results in the deaths of thousands of people and causes a total collapse in the state's infrastructure
- Dec 17 The United Nations General Assembly passes resolution 54/134 designating November 25 as the annual International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women
Event of Interest
Dec 17 Ray Bourque becomes just the 3rd player in NHL history to score 1,100 assists, and goaltender Byron Dafoe records his 100th NHL victory in Boston Bruin's 3-1 win over the Thrashers in Atlanta
Ray Bourque
- Dec 18 NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT.
- Dec 20 Portugal returns Macau to China
- Dec 21 The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid.
Football Awards
Dec 21 Ballon d'Or: FC Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Rivaldo is named best football player in Europe ahead of Manchester United midfielder David Beckham and Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko
David Beckham
- Dec 22 The Spanish Civil Guard finds near Calatayud (Zaragoza) another van loaded by ETA with 750 kg of explosives (see related event on December 21, 1999).
Event of Interest
Dec 24 Opening of St Peter's Holy Door by Pope John Paul II in approach of 3rd millennium
John Paul II
- Dec 25 Opening of doors of St. John Lateran Pope John Paul II
- Dec 26 Severe weather in France kills over 100 people and causes extensive damage to property, trees and the French national power grid (see Lothar).
Event of Interest
Dec 31 Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as acting President
Boris Yeltsin
Vladimir Putin