Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Timeline of Cotonou

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Timeline of Cotonou

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Cotonou, Benin.

Contents

Prior to 20th century

  • 1830 - Contonou 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.
  • 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 (musical group) 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.
  • 1982 - Stade de l'Amitié (stadium) opens.
  • 1988 - Musée olympique du Bénin opens.
  • 1986 - Sister city relationship established with Salvador, Brazil.
  • 1990 - February: Benin constitutional conference held.
  • 1995
  • Centre de conferences international opens.
  • Francophonie Summit Conference held.
  • 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 - Fondation Zinsou (museum) opens.
  • 2009 - Population: 815,041.
  • 2011 - Population: 924,000.

    • References

    Timeline of Cotonou Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA