Timeline of Cotonou

Prior to 20th century

• 1830 - Cotonou founded as a "slaving port."
• 1878 - Cotonou "ceded to France."
• 1883 - French occupation.
• 1899 - Wharf built.

  20th century

• 1904 - Cotonou becomes part of colonial French Dahomey.
• 1908 - Deepwater harbor opens.
• 1912 - Cotonou becomes a "commune mixte."
• 1920s - Population: 8,500.
• 1928 - Ancien Pont built.
• 1955 - Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotonou established.
• 1957 - January: Pan-African General Union of Negro African Workers founded at a conference in Cotonou.
• 1960s - Tomety photo studio in operation.
• 1963
• * Dantokpa Market established.
• * Presidential Palace built.
• 1964
• * L'action populaire newspaper begins publication.
• * Nigerian Yoruba Community-Cotonou organization formed.
• 1965 - Port constructed.
• 1967 - Les Muses theatre troupe formed.
• 1968 - Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou and Société Béninoise de Textiles established in Cotonou.
• 1970 - Université du Dahomey founded.
• 1975 - City becomes part of the People's Republic of Benin.
• 1980 - Association des écrivains et critiques littéraires du Bénin founded.
• 1981 - Population: 383,250.
• 1982 - Stade de l'Amitié opens.
• 1988 - opens.
• 1986 - Sister city relationship established with Salvador, Brazil.
• 1990 - February: Benin constitutional conference held.
• 1992 - Population: 536,827.
• 1995
• * Centre de conferences international opens.
• * December: Meeting of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie held in city.
• 1996 - University of Science and Technology of Benin established.

  21st century

• 2001 - L'Informateur newspaper begins publication.
• 2002 - Maison des Médias du Bénin founded.
• 2003
• * 25 December: Airplane crash.
• * Nicéphore Soglo becomes mayor.
• 2005 - opens.
• 2009 - Population: 815,041.
• 2011 - Population: 924,000.
• 2013 - Population: 679,012.

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