Timeline of Abidjan

The following is a of the history of the of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Prior to 20th century

• 1898 - Village of Abidjan founded.

20th century

• 1903 - Abidjan becomes a town.
• 1910 - Dimbokro-Abidjan railway constructed.
• 1920 - Population: 1,000.
• 1927 - Port-Bouët wharf commissioned.
• 1934
• French administrative capital relocated to Abidjan from Bingerville.
• Bobo-Dioulasso-Abidjan railway constructed.
• 1938 - Theatre Indigene formed.
• 1942 - Museum established.
• 1945 - City council election held.
• 1946 - Population: 48,000.
• 1948 - ASEC Mimosas football club formed.
• 1950 - Vridi Canal opens.
• 1951 - Autonomous Port of Abidjan in operation.
• 1952
• Bibliothèque municipale established.
• Stade Andre Geo opens.
• 1953 - Banco National Park and Stella Club d'Adjamé (football club) established.
• 1954 - Abidjan Matin newspaper begins publication.
• 1955
• Ouagadougou-Abidjan railway begins operating.
• Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan established.
• Population: 127,585.
• 1956
• Municipality established.
• Félix Houphouët-Boigny becomes mayor.
• City Hall built.
• 1958
• 1st bridge completed connecting the mainland to Petit-Bassam Island.
• 1960
• City becomes capital of independent Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.
• Antoine Konan Kanga becomes mayor.
• Abidjan Transport Company founded.
• 1961 - Centre d'Edition et de Diffusion Africaines established.
• 1962
• Presidential palace inaugurated.
• Institut Africain pour le Développement économique et Social headquartered in Abidjan.
• Centre Culturel Français active.
• 1963
• Radio Télévision Ivoirienne (television) begins broadcasting.
• Population: 246,700 urban agglomeration.
• 1964 - Fraternité Matin newspaper begins publication.
• 1965
• African Development Bank headquartered in Abidjan.
• Nour-al-Hayat Mall built.
• 1967
• Charles de Gaulle bridge built.
• Higher Institute of Religious Culture founded.
• 1968 - National Library of Ivory Coast established.
• 1969 - Ivoire InterContinental Abidjan Hotel built.
• 1971 - Abidjan Institute of Criminology established (approximate date).
• 1972 - International Community School of Abidjan founded.
• 1974 - Abidjan Stock Exchange established.
• 1975 - Population: 951,216.
• 1976 - Ivorian Society of Bank building and Department of Finances building constructed.
• 1978
• Palais des Sports de Treichville established.
• Population: 1,269,071.
• 1980
• City of Abidjan organized into ten communes: Abobo, Adjamé, Attécoubé, Cocody, Koumassi, Marcory, Plateau, Port-Bouët, Treichville, Yopougon.
• Emmanuel Dioulo becomes mayor.
• 1983 - Political capital of Ivory Coast relocated from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro.
• 1984
• March: 1984 African Cup of Nations held.
• Cité Administrative Tour C, D and E built.
• 1985
• St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan built.
• Ernest N’Koumo Mobio becomes mayor.
• Population: 1,716,000 (urban agglomeration).
• 1986 - Sister city relationship established with San Francisco, USA.
• 1988
• Maquis du Val eatery opens.
• Population: 1,934,342.
• 1990
• Demonstration against Houphouët-Boigny national regime.
• Population: 2,102,000 (urban agglomeration).
• 1992 - African Publishers Network headquartered in city.
• 1993 - Marche des Arts et du Spectacle Africains (festival) begins.
• 1994 - ' newspaper begins publication.
• 1995
• Abidjan-Ouagadougou railway concessioned.
• Population: 2,535,000 (urban agglomeration).
• 1996
• Université d'Abobo-Adjamé founded.
• Inades-Formation Côte d'Ivoire relocated to Abidjan.
• 1998
• West African regional Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (stock exchange) headquartered in Abidjan.
• Population: 2,877,948.
• 1999 - built.
• 2000
• Area of city: 627 square kilometers.
• Population: 3,028,000 (urban agglomeration).