1979 energy crisis

The 1979 energy crisis, sometimes called the second oil shock, was a sharp rise in oil prices and a shortage of fuel in many countries. It was triggered by the Iranian Revolution, which disrupted Iran's oil production and exports, and was made worse by panic buying and the policies of other producers. Petrol prices rose steeply, and in the United States, long queues formed at filling stations and some places introduced rationing by license plate. The crisis affected inflation and economic growth in the industrial world and was followed by a recession in the early 1980s. It increased interest in energy conservation, nuclear power and alternative energy sources, and it undermined the political standing of President Jimmy Carter.

Open on the timeline