- January 1978 - Iranian Revolution begins, with the first major demonstrations against the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
- 22 January 1992 - Islam Karimov assumes office as President of Uzbekistan
- 27 January 2008 - Death of Suharto (pictured), the second President of Indonesia
- 30 January 2006 - Jyllands-Posten publishes letter on its website in response to Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy