# 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

Part of a series on the :
History of Ethiopia :
Early history Prehistory   Dʿmt 980 – 400 BC :
Middle Ages Aksum 100 – 940 AD Zagwe dynasty 900–1270 Early Solomonic period 1270–1529 Amda Seyon's Expansions 1314–1344 :
Early modern history Ethiopian–Adal War 1527–1543 Oromo migrations 1543 – 17th cent. Habesh Eyalet 1557 – 17th cent. Gondarine period 1632–1769 Zemene Mesafint 1769–1855 Ottoman border conflict 1832–1848 :
Modern history Unification 1855–1913 Menelik's Invasions 1878–1904 First Italo–Ethiopian War 1895–1896 Modernization 1913–1974 World War I 1914–1918 Second Italo–Ethiopian War 1935–1936 Italian East Africa 1936–1941 World War II 1941 Italian guerrilla war 1941–1943 Federation with Eritrea 1952–1962 Eritrean Independence War 1961–1991 Ethiopian Civil War 1974–1991 Ogaden War 1977–1978 :
Recent history Eritrean–Ethiopian War 1998–2000 Eritrean border conflict 1998–2018 Police massacre 2005 War in Somalia 2006–2009 East Africa drought 2011–2012 Oromo protests 2014–2016 Ethiopian civil conflict 2018–present Tigray war 2020–2022 :
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vte :
* 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.

## 21st century
### 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.