# Timeline of Nouakchott

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania.

## 20th century

* 1903 - French military outpost built.
* 1908 - Military outpost abandoned.
* 1929 - French military outpost reactivated.
* 1952 - Rosso-Nouakchott highway constructed.
* 1958:
** Nouakchott site designated new capital of Mauritania; building of city begins.
** Radio de Mauritanie begins broadcasting.
* 1960:
** Capital of newly independent Mauritania moved to Nouakchott from Saint Louis.
** AS Garde Nationale (football club) formed.
** Palais de Justice (courthouse) built.
* 1961:
** National Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies built.
** Population: 5,807.
* 1965 - Population: 15,000 (estimate).
* 1966 - National School of Administration built.
* 1968 - Racial unrest.
* 1970:
** École normale supérieure de Nouakchott [fr] (school) founded.
** Population: 25,000.
* 1973 - ASC Police (football club) formed.
* 1974:
** Refugees from drought settle in Ksar Gadid.
** 5th and 6th arrondissements created.
* 1975:
** 25 miles of city streets were paved. Streetlights were installed and bus service started.
** Convention center constructed near city.
** Population: 104,054 (of which 54,000 living in shanty towns).
* 1976:
** June: City besieged by guerrilla Polisario Front forces.
** Espoirs Nouakchott [es] football club formed.
* 1977:
** July: City besieged by guerrilla Polisario Front forces again.
** Population: 134,704 (of which 81,467 living in shanty towns).
* 1978:
** Coup d'état. Overthrow of long-time President Moktar Ould Daddah.
** ACS Ksar (football club) formed.
* 1979 - ASAC Concorde (football club) formed.
* 1980 - ASC Nasr Zem Zem (football club) formed.
* 1981:
** Coup attempted and suppressed.
** University of Nouakchott established.
** National Archives, and National Library built.
** Population: at least 232,000.
* 1983 - Stade Olympique (stadium) opens.
* 1984 - Coup d'état. Overthrow of President Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla.
* 1986 - Friendship Port of Nouakchott opens.
* 1987 - Racial unrest.
* 1988 - Population: 393,325.
* 1989 - Curfew imposed in city after regional ethnic unrest.
* 1991 - 1 June: Windstorm.
* 1994 - Le Calame newspaper begins publication.
* 1995:
** "Bread riot" occurs.
** Al-Akhbar and Nouakchott Info newspapers begin publication.
* 1996 - Coup attempted and suppressed.
* 1999 - Grands moulins de Mauritanie [fr] in business.
* 2000 - Population: 558,195.

## 21st century

* 2003 - June: Coup attempted and completely suppressed after two days of heavy fighting.
* 2004 - Plague of locusts.
* 2005:
** June: Anti-government protest.
** 3 August: 2005 Mauritanian coup d'état. Overthrow of long-time President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya.
* 2008 - Population: 846,871 (estimate).
* 2011:
** January: 2011–12 Mauritanian protests begin.
** 2 February: "Al Qaeda suspects killed in a car blast."
** École supérieure polytechnique de Nouakchott [fr] (school) established.
* 2012 - 12 July: Airplane crash occurs at Nouakchott International Airport.
* 2013 - Population: 958,399.
* 2014:
** March: Protest over Holy Koran desecration.
** Maty Mint Hamady becomes mayor of the city.
** Administrative regions Nouakchott-Nord, Nouakchott-Ouest, and Nouakchott-Sud created.
* 2016:
** Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport opens, Nouakchott International Airport closes.
** June: 2016 Arab League summit held in Nouakchott.