(AFP) - From the huge rise in prices to widespread fires, through the reign of Queen Elizabeth II... the year 2022 is in ten records:

Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 caused a skyrocketing energy and food price. In March, the food price index of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reached an unprecedented level, similar to European gas prices.

This was reflected in an increase in the inflation rate throughout the year, with 10.6 percent in October over a year in the euro area, which is the largest rise since the adoption of this indicator in 1997.

The war in Ukraine led to the largest influx of refugees into Europe since the end of World War II. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated in May that more than six million people have gone to Ukraine's neighbors, while the number of internally displaced persons has reached eight million. At the global level, the number of refugees has crossed the 100 million mark for the first time.

During the year, records were recorded in terms of climate. Europe witnessed the hottest summer season, while fires destroyed more than 600,000 hectares, which is unprecedented. Worldwide, fossil-source carbon dioxide emissions are at record levels.

In response to the largest joint air exercises conducted by South Korea and the United States, North Korea launched a record number of missiles in the Sea of Japan in November, including 23 missiles within 24 hours on November 2nd.

Queen Elizabeth's reign spanned 70 years, seven years more than that of her cousin Victoria. The life of this queen, who died on the eighth of September at the age of 96, was out of the ordinary, as well as her funeral in London. Crowds of about 250,000 people came and stood in long lines to take a farewell look at her resting body in Westminster Cathedral in the British capital.

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, with a fortune estimated by Forbes magazine at more than $ 199 billion at the end of 2022, was known in 2022 to return from several decisions regarding the Twitter service that he eventually bought in October at a price of $ 44 billion and harsh measures, as he dismissed half of the network’s employees This social networking also witnessed a series of resignations.

The art collection owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold at auction in November for a record total of $1.62 billion, with paintings by artists such as Georges Seurat, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Gustav Klimt. In another indication of the vitality of the art market, a portrait of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol became in May the most expensive piece of art completed in the twentieth century, selling for $ 195 million.

By winning the French Open tennis tournament Roland Garros for the fourteenth time, Spaniard Rafael Nadal improved his record for the number of titles achieved by men in major tournaments with 22 Grand Slam tournaments, ahead of Serbian Novak Djokovic (21 titles) and Swiss Roger Federer (20 titles), who He retired from playing in September.
As for the American player Serena Williams, who also retired in September, she won 23 titles from the Grand Slam tournaments.

The release of American singer Taylor Swift's tenth album, "Midnights", in October caused disruptions to the streaming platform "Spotify" and broke the record for the most "listened to in one day" album. The American singer also won the title of "world's most polluting celebrity of the year" because of her many flights in a private jet, according to the "Yard" marketing agency.

The world's population exceeded eight billion in mid-November, according to what the United Nations said was "unprecedented growth," while the number was 2.5 billion in 1950.