Timeline of Yangon

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Yangon, Myanmar.

Prior to 19th century

6th century CE - Dagon village founded by the Mon people.
7th century - Town conquered by King Punnarika of Pegu, renamed "Aramana."
1362 - Binnya U raised the height of Shwedagon Pagoda
1364 - Mon Princess Maha Dewi, a sister of King Binnya U became Governor of Dagon.
1413 - Town occupied by Burmans.
1415 - Mon Prince Binnya Set became Governor of Dagon.
1460 - Palace built by Mon Queen Shin Sawbu.
1484 - Great Bell of Dhammazedi presented.
1583 - Italian merchant, Gasparo Balbi visits.
1755 - Dagon captured by Burman King Alaungpaya and renamed "Yangon."
1756 - Between 1756 and 1759 Alaungpaya appointed Mon Governor of Yangon, Smim Noradecha joins Mon rebellion.
1768 - Earthquake.
1790 - The Mon people in power.
1790s - British East India Company factory in business.

19th century

1823
*Population: 30,000.
*Guanyin Gumiao Temple built
1824 - Battle of Rangoon
1825 - British in power.
1827 - British occupation ends per Treaty of Yandabo.
1841 - King Tharrawaddy in residence; city wall built.
1850 - Fire.
1852
* April: Second Anglo-Burmese War begins; British in power.
* City becomes capital of British Burma.
1853 - Port of Rangoon established.
1854 - Rangoon Chronicle begins publication.
1855
*A Mon noble named Maung Khaing becomes the first Magistrate of Yangon
*Maung Htaw Lay restores Shwedagon Pagoda
1857 - BI Steam Navigation Company starts Calcutta-Rangoon-Moulmein service.
1860 - St. Paul's English High School established.
1861 - Kheng Hock Keong built
1868 - Irrawaddy Flotilla Company starts Rangoon-Mandalay service.
1872
* Population: 98,745.
* Baptist College opens.
1874 - 31 July: Municipality constituted.
1875 - Fushan Temple built.
1876 - City area expanded.
1877
* Railway begins operating.
* Central Railway Station built.
*Long Shan Tang Temple built.
1878 - Rangoon College established.
1879 - City "separated from Hathawaddy District."
1881 - Population: 134,176.
1882 - Methodist Episcopal Girls School founded.
1883
* Inya Lake created.
* Twante Canal opens.
1887 - Dufferin Hospital opens
1888 - Income tax established.
1891 - Population: 181,210.
1893 - June: Riot.
1899
* General Hospital founded.
* Saint Mary's Cathedral built.

20th century

1901
*Strand Hotel opens.
*Population: 234,881.
1902 - Secretariat Building constructed.
1906 - Victoria Memorial Park and Zoological Gardens opens.
1907 - Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple built.
1911 - High Court building constructed.
1912 - Gymkhana Ground in use.
1913 - Burma Art Club founded.
1914 - Myanma Alin newspaper begins.
1915 - Lim Chin Tsong Palace built.
1920
* Myoma National High School founded.
* Governor's Residence built.
1921 - City boundaries expanded.
1922 - City incorporated.
1926 - Scott's Market built.
1927
* BOC College of Engineering and Mining established.
* Medical school building constructed.
1930
* Richard Rushall elected as mayor of Rangoon
* Race riots in Rangoon
* Earthquake kills over 550 people.
1931 - Population: 398,967.
1936 - Yangon City Hall built.
1937 - City becomes capital of Burma.
1938 - Race riots in Rangoon
1942 - Japanese occupation begins.
1943
* Biruma Shinbun newspaper begins publication.
* 8 November: Bombing destroys Botataung Pagoda.
* U Wisara Monument erected.
1945 - Japanese occupation ends.
1947 - Airport built.
1948 - 4 January: City becomes capital of the independent Union of Burma.
1952
* National Museum of the Union of Burma opens.
* Kaba Aye Pagoda built.
1953 - Population: 711,520.
1957 - Kyemon newspaper begins publication.
1958 - The Botataung newspaper begins publication.
1960
*Population: 1,284,642.
*Yangon Children's Hospital opens
1961
*May - South Okkalapa Maternal and Child Hospital opens
*December- 2nd South East Asian Games held
1962
* 7 July - Government guns down student protesters.
* Bogyoke Aung San Museum established.
1963 - Medical College 2 opens
1964 - Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) opens
1967 - 26 June: "Anti-Chinese riot."
1968 - Planetarium established.
1969 - 5th South East Asian Games
1972 - Karaweik built
1973 - Population: 2,055,365.
1974 - Government guns down student protesters following U Thant's death
1980 - Maha Wizaya Pagoda built.
1983
* 9 October: Bombing at Martyrs' Mausoleum.
* Population: 2,513,023.
1984 - New Yangon General Hospital opens
1985 - Thuwunna Stadium opens.
1988
* 8 August: 8888 Uprising.
* State Law and Order Restoration Council headquartered in city.
*Ko Lay becomes mayor.
1989 - City renamed "Yangon."
1990
*Yangon City Development Committee established.
*Bayinnaung Market established
1991 - National Theatre of Yangon opens.
1992 - Asia World Group conglomerate headquartered in city.
1993 - Dagon University opens
1994 - Thingangyun Sanpya Hospital opens
1996 - Myanmar Securities Exchange established.
1998 - Myanmar Motion Picture Museum established.
1999 - Sakura Tower opens.

21st century

2001 - Yangon City FM radio begins broadcasting.
2002 - Kyauktawgyi Buddha Temple (Yangon) opens.
*October 1: Birth of Steven Wai Yan
2005
*May: May 2005 Yangon bombings
*November: National capital relocated from Yangon to Naypyidaw.
2007
* September: Anti-government protests led by monks; crackdown.
* Yangon International Airport terminal built.
2008
* 2 May: Cyclone Nargis.
* September: Explosion near City Hall.
2009 - Yangon United Football Club formed.
2010
* 16 April: April 2010 Yangon Thingyan bombings
* Population: 4,348,000.
2011
*Hla Myint becomes mayor.
*2011 Yangon explosion
2012
*February: Shwedagon Pagoda Festival resumes.
*Yangon Heritage Trust begins
2013
* January: Marathon held.
* April: School fire.
* December: Some events of 27th Southeast Asian Games take place.
2014 - Population: 4,575,155 ; 5,211,431.
2015 - Yangon Stock Exchange begins
2017 - Yangon Bus Service begins
2020
*27 March: first COVID-19 case in Yangon