The Human Genome Project was officially completed in 2003.
It began in 1990 as an international effort to determine the sequence of human DNA and identify the locations of genes. The project was completed ahead of its original 15-year schedule, with a publicly announced draft in 2001 and an essentially complete reference sequence reported in 2003.
The project did not produce a perfect sequence of every person's genome. It created a reference framework, and some repetitive or difficult regions remained unfinished. Later projects and improved sequencing technologies filled additional gaps and expanded knowledge of human genetic variation.
The project also helped establish standards for sharing sequence data and supported research into inherited disease, evolution and personalised medicine. A genome sequence is not the same as a diagnosis: interpreting variants requires biological and clinical evidence.