Timeline of Kinshasa

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

19th century

 * 14th -18th Century Kongo Kingdom reigned victorious throughout the land
 * 1881 - Léopoldville founded as a trading post by Henry Morton Stanley of the UK.
 * 1885 - Town becomes part of Congo Free State.
 * 1898 - Matadi–Kinshasa Railway built.

1900s-1950s

 * 1908 - Town becomes part of Belgian Congo.
 * 1909 - Banque du Congo Belge headquartered in Léopoldville (approximate date).
 * 1914 - Grand Hotel ABC built.
 * 1917 - Collège Saint-Joseph founded.
 * 1920 - Ligne Aérienne du Roi Albert (airline) begins operating.
 * 1923 - Capital of Belgian Congo relocated to Leopoldville from Boma.
 * 1928 -  newspaper begins publication.
 * 1935 - Association Sportive Vita Club formed.
 * 1936 - Daring Club Motema Pembe (football club) formed.
 * 1937
 * Stade Reine Astrid (stadium) opens.
 * Radio Leo begins broadcasting.
 * Hotel Memling built.
 * 1938 - Amicale Sportive Dragons football club formed.
 * 1939 - Albert I of Belgium monument inaugurated on Place de la Gare.
 * 1940 - Radio Congo Belge begins broadcasting.
 * 1940s - Ngoma recording studio in business.
 * 1943 - École Saint-Luc à Gombe Matadi founded.
 * 1952 - Stade Roi Baudouin (stadium) inaugurated.
 * 1953
 * N'djili Airport inaugurated.
 * African Jazz (musical group) formed.
 * 1954 - Lovanium University established.
 * 1955
 * Boulevard Albert I constructed.
 * Presbyterian Community in Kinshasa founded.
 * 1956
 * OK Jazz musical group formed.
 * Colonial Governor-General residence built.
 * 1957 - Académie des Beaux-Arts (school) active.
 * 1958
 * Trico Center for nuclear studies established.
 * Plantations Lever au Congo (part of Unilever) headquartered in city.
 * 1959
 * Anti-colonial riots led by the ABAKO political party.
 * L'independance newspaper begins publication.

1960s-1990s

 * 1960
 * City becomes capital of independent Republic of the Congo.
 * Joseph Kulumba becomes bourgmestre, succeeded by Daniel Kanza.
 * 1961 - American School founded.
 * 1962
 * National School of Law and Administration founded.
 * Revolutionary Government of Angola in Exile based in Léopoldville.
 * 1963
 * Boulevard Albert I renamed "Boulevard du 30 Juin".
 * Zoao Boniface becomes bourgmestre.
 * 1964
 * City becomes capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
 * Hotel Memling built.
 * Banque du Congo headquartered in city.
 * 1965 - Centre d'etudes pour l'action sociale established.
 * 1966 - Léopoldville renamed "Kinshasa."
 * 1967
 * September: Organisation of African Unity summit held.
 * National Conservatory of Music and Dramatic Art established.
 * 1969
 * Kinshasa International Fair begins.
 * Zaiko Langa Langa musical group formed.
 * 1971
 * City becomes capital of Republic of Zaire.
 * Office National des Transports headquartered in city.
 * Inter Continental hotel in business.
 * 1972 - École d'Informatique d'Électronique founded.
 * 1974
 * September: Zaire 74 music festival held.
 * 30 October: The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match held.
 * Population: 2,008,352.
 * 1975 - Sozacom building constructed.
 * 1976 - Voix du Zaire broadcasting complex and BCZ building constructed.
 * 1977 - Zekete-zekete musical style developed.
 * 1979 - Palais du Peuple built.
 * 1981 - University of Kinshasa established.
 * 1982 - Le Potentiel newspaper begins publication.
 * 1984 - Population: 2,664,309.
 * 1985 - Meeting of the Association Internationale des Maires Francophones held in city.
 * 1988 - Madiaba musical style developed.
 * 1989
 * Athletic Club Sodigraf formed.
 * La Référence Plus newspaper begins publication.
 * 1990 - Population: 3,564,000 (urban agglomeration).
 * 1991
 * Fundu Kota becomes governor.
 * September: "Riots...by unpaid soldiers."
 * October: Anti-Mobutu demonstrations.
 * 1992 - Kibabu Madiata Nzau becomes governor, succeeded by Bernardin Mungul Diaka.
 * 1994
 * Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste founded.
 * Kamanyola Stadium opens.
 * 1996
 * Mujinga Swana becomes governor, succeeded by Nkoy Mafuta.
 * L'Avenir (Newspaper) begins publication.
 * 8 January: Airplane crash.
 * 1997
 * Théophile Mbemba Fundu becomes governor.
 * April: General Gabriel Amela Lokima Bahati becomes governor.
 * May: City taken by anti-Mobutu forces led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila.
 * Central Bank of the Congo headquartered in city.
 * 1998
 * August: Second Congo War begins; rebel forces move toward city.
 * September: Food shortage.
 * 1999 - United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo headquartered in Kinshasa.
 * 2000 - Population: 5,611,000 (urban agglomeration).

21st century

 * 2001
 * Christophe Muzungu becomes governor, succeeded by Loka Ne Kongo.
 * January: President Laurent-Désiré Kabila assassinated.
 * 2002
 * David Nku Imbié becomes governor.
 * Lola ya Bonobo animal sanctuary located near city.
 * 2004
 * March: Coup attempt.
 * May: Jean Kimbunda becomes governor.
 * 2005
 * Kimbembe Mazunga becomes governor.
 * Population: 7,106,000 (urban agglomeration).
 * 2006
 * Post-election unrest.
 * Baudoin Liwanga becomes governor.
 * 2007
 * March: Conflict between Bemba supporters and government forces.
 * 16 March: André Kimbuta becomes governor.
 * City website online (approximate date).
 * 2010 - 2 June: Activist Floribert Chebeya killed.
 * 2011 - 27 February: Coup attempt.
 * 2012
 * October: Organisation internationale de la Francophonie summit held.
 * Population: 9,046,000.
 * 2013 - 30 December: December 2013 Kinshasa attacks by supporters of religious leader Mukungubila.
 * 2014
 * 11 May: Stade Tata Raphaël stampede.
 * (hospital) opens.
 * It's discovered that the origin of the HIV virus traces back to Léopoldville in the 1920s.
 * 2015 - January: 2015 Congolese protests.
 * 2023: The 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie.

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