Timeline of Addis Ababa

The following is a historical events of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, including its formation prior to 20th century by chronology.

Prior to 20th century

 * 15th-century – "Barara" was identified as possible location of the city
 * 1450 – Italian cartographer, Fra Mauro depicted the city standing between Mounts Zikwala and Menegasha
 * 1529 — Ethiopian-Adal War, the Adal Sultanate entirely sacked the city under general Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.
 * 1884 – Mount Entoto was founded by Negus and later Emperor Menelik II
 * 1886 — The city's former name called Finfinne renamed "Addis Ababa" ("New Flower") by Taytu Betul, Empress Consort of the Ethiopian Empire.
 * 1889 — Population: 15,000 (estimate).
 * 1891 — Ethiopian Empire capital relocated to Addis Ababa from Entoto (approximate date).
 * 1896 — St. George's Cathedral built.
 * 1897
 * Harar-Addis telephone line constructed.
 * Hospital opens.

20th century

 * 1903 — Eucalyptus trees planted.
 * 1904
 * Mint established.
 * Asmara — Addis telephone line constructed.
 * 1906 — Telegraph office and Menelik II school established.
 * 1907
 * Ras Makonnen bridge constructed.
 * Itegue Taitu Hotel in business.
 * 1908 — Tefere Makonnen high school established.
 * 1913 — Courrier d'Ethiopie newspaper begins publication.
 * 1917 — Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway begins operating.
 * 1922
 * Nasibu Emmanual becomes mayor.
 * Leprosy hospital built.
 * 1924 — Medhane Alem school established.
 * 1928 — Empress Menen school established.

1930s–1940s

 * 1930
 * 2 November: Haile Sellasie crowned "King of Kings of Ethiopia."
 * Guenete Leul Palace built.
 * Population: 80,000 (estimate).
 * 1935 — Hager Fikir Association formed.
 * 1936
 * April: Aerial bombing by Italian forces.
 * 5 May: City taken by Italian forces.
 * City becomes capital of Italian East Africa.
 * Giuseppe Bottai becomes governor, succeeded by Alfredo Siniscalchi.
 * 1937
 * 19 February - Attempted assassination of Rodolfo Graziani at Viceregal Palace.
 * 19–20 February: Crackdown by Italian forces on Ethiopian population.
 * 1938 — Francesco Camero Medici becomes governor.
 * 1939 — Enrico Cerulli becomes governor, succeeded by Guglielmo Nasi.
 * 1940
 * Giuseppe Daodice becomes governor.
 * Hailé Sélassié Stadium opens.
 * 1941
 * Agenore Frangipani becomes governor.
 * 5 May: Haile Selassie returns.
 * Addis Zemen Amharic-language newspaper begins publication.
 * 1942 — Holy Trinity Cathedral built.
 * 1943 — Haile Selassie I school established.
 * 1944 — Public library inaugurated.
 * 1945 — Anbessa City Bus Service founded.
 * 1947 — Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce founded.

1950s–1960s

 * 1950 — University College of Addis Ababa established.
 * 1952 — Prince Makonnen school established.
 * 1955 — Jubilee Palace and Haile Sellasie I Theatre built.
 * 1958
 * Institute of Archaeology founded.
 * Economic Commission for Africa headquartered in city.
 * 1960
 * December: Coup attempt.
 * Koka Dam constructed.
 * 1961
 * Bole Airport established.
 * United Nations Economic Commission for Africa headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * 1963
 * Organization of African Unity headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * Orchestra Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Bank, and Addis Ababa University's Institute of Ethiopian Studies established.
 * 1965
 * Council of the Oriental Orthodox Churches held.
 * Population: 560,000.
 * 1966
 * Centre International de Developpement et de Recherche and Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * University Students' Union of Addis Ababa established.

1970s–1980s

 * 1974
 * February: Demonstrations.
 * Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in operation.
 * 1975
 * Population: 1,161,267.
 * Kebeles established.
 * 1977
 * February: Coup at Menelik Palace.
 * Alemu Abebe becomes mayor.
 * 1984
 * Addis Ababa Museum established.
 * Population: 1,412,575.
 * 1987 — City becomes capital of People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

1990s

 * 1991
 * Finfinne become the capital city of the Oromia Region.
 * City taken by Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front.
 * An ammunition warehouse explodes, killing 100
 * Ethiopian Economic Association headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * 1992 — Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * 1994
 * Theological College of the Holy Trinity re-opens.
 * Population: 2,112,737.
 * 1995
 * Addis Ababa "given the status of self-governed city."
 * The Reporter newspaper begins publication.
 * 1996
 * Addis Chamber International Trade Fair begins (approximate date).
 * Goshu Art Gallery and Asni Gallery founded.
 * 1998 — Addis Ababa Ring Road construction begins.
 * 1999
 * Mojo-Addis Ababa highway constructed.
 * Ethiopian National Archives and Library established.

2000s

 * 2000
 * City administrative areas reorganized into 10 sub-cities: Arada, Addis Ketema, Akaki Kalati, Bole, Cherkos, Gulele, Kolfe Keranio, Lideta, Nefas Silk, and Yeka.
 * Oromia's capital relocated from Finfinne to Adama.
 * Addis Ababa Women Entrepreneurs Association and Universal Arts and Crafts gallery established.
 * November: Burial of Haile Selassie.


 * 2001 — City plan adopted.
 * 2002
 * African Union headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * AIDS Resource Center launched.
 * Population: 2,646,000.
 * Bole Airport new terminal opens.
 * 2003 — Arkebe Oqubay becomes mayor.
 * 2004 — Ethiopian Orthodox Library-Museum inaugurated.
 * 2005
 * Oromia's capital restored to Addis Ababa
 * Election protest.
 * 2006
 * 12 May: Bombings.
 * Federation of African Societies of Chemistry headquartered in Addis Ababa.
 * 2007
 * Addis International Film Festival begins.
 * Dembel Mall built.
 * 2008
 * Addis Ababa Women’s Affairs Bureau established.
 * Kuma Demeksa becomes mayor.
 * April–May: African Championships in Athletics held.
 * 2009 — Cinema Yoftahe opens.

2010s

 * 2011 — Jazzamba Lounge (nightclub) in business.
 * 2012
 * Muslim protest.
 * African Union Conference Center inaugurated.
 * 2013 — 2 June: Anti-government protest.
 * 2017
 * Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway in operation.
 * The Koshe landfill collapses, burying stick and brick houses, killing many people.
 * Population: 4,215,965 (estimate).
 * 2018
 * Takele Uma Benti becomes mayor.

2020s

 * 2020
 * Adanech Abebe becomes a Deputy mayor, being the first female mayor to hold a position.
 * 2021
 * Adanech Abebe reelected as a mayor
 * United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces groups close in on Addis Ababa and threaten to take it.
 * Adanech Abebe reelected as a mayor
 * United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces groups close in on Addis Ababa and threaten to take it.