2004 (MMIV)was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (dominical letter DC), the 2004th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 4th year of the 3rd millennium, the 4th year of the 21st century, and the 5th year of the 2000s decade.2004 was designated as:International Year of Rice (by the United Nations)International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO)2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization)