Timeline of Cotonou

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

Prior to 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.