As the year draws to an end, we've witnessed some incredible and truly powerful pictures during the last 12 months.
The Huffington Post's own picture editors have searched through thousands of images and we've hand-picked the 12 most defining pictures of 2013.
JANUARY
Fireworks over the London Eye, in central London, as part of the New Year celebrations.
FEBRUARY
Oscar Pistorius enters the court room during the second day of Oscar Pistorius bail application at Pretoria Magistrates Court, Pretoria, South Africa.
MARCH
Newly elected Pope Francis I appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Vatican. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th Pontiff and will lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
APRIL
Police officers with their guns drawn hear the second explosion down the street. The first explosion knocked down 78-year-old US marathon runner Bill Iffrig at the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon.
MAY
A woman carries a child through a field near the collapsed Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma. A tornado as much as half a mile wide with winds up to 200 mph roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighbourhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school.
JUNE
Britain's Andy Murray kisses the winner's trophy during the presentation after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the men's singles final on day thirteen of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Club in Wimbledon.
JULY
Prince William and Kate Middleton, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital with their new born baby boy, Paddington, London.
AUGUST
Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus perform at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
SEPTEMBER
This combination made on September 17, 2013 shows a file picture taken on June 23, 2012 showing the Costa Concordia near the harbour of Giglio Porto (top) and a picture of the Concordia after being pulled upright (bottom) in the biggest ever project of its kind on September 17, 2013.
OCTOBER
Brazilian surfer Carlos Burle rides a big wave at the Praia do Norte, north beach, outside the fishing village of Nazare in Portugal's Atlantic coast Monday, Oct. 28 2013. Surf media suggest it could be the biggest wave ever surfed.
NOVEMBER
Destroyed houses lie in Tacloban city, Leyte province, central Philippines. The city remains littered with debris from damaged homes as many complain of shortages of food and water and no electricity since Typhoon Haiyan slammed into their province. Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms on record, slammed into six central Philippine islands.
DECEMBER
President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron pose for a 'selfie' picture with Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt (C) next to US First Lady Michelle Obama (R) during the memorial service of South African former president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.