12: Number of years in a single Chinese New Year cycle, with each year represented by an animal.

4,000+: Number of times that the Chinese New Year has been celebrated. The year 2010 (Metal Tiger) is the 4707th Chinese year.

3rd: Rank in sequence of the Tiger in the cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

1998: Last celebration of the Year of the Tiger. According to the Chinese calendar, the next Year of the Tiger officially begins on Feb. 14, 2010.

1950: Last celebration of the Year of the Metal Tiger. It was last celebrated from Feb. 17, 1950 to Feb. 5, 1951.

25: Age of Elizabeth II when she was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom. She was born in the Year of the Tiger (1926).

2: Number of terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower as president of the United States. An esteemed soldier, he was active in both World War I and II. He was born in 1890, a Year of the Tiger.

10.7 million: Number of votes received by former president Joseph Estrada when he won the 1998 presidential election, the last election held during a Year of the Tiger

1986: Year of the first People Power Revolution, also a Year of the Tiger.

Compiled by Schatzi Quodala, Inquirer Research

Source: Inquirer Archives, chinesefortunecalendar.com, pinoybusiness.org, whitehouse.gov, royal.gov.uk