# Timeline of Goma

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

## 19th century

* 1890s - Goma occupied by agents of the Congo Free State as a trading post to control traffic on Lake Kivu; previously a way point for lake traffic and a crossroads for the overland trade routes between Central Africa and the Indian Ocean.

## 20th century

Part of a series on the :
History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo :
| Early history | pre–1876 |
| Kingdom of Kongo | 1390–1914 |
| Kingdom of Luba | 1585–1889 |
| Kingdom of Lunda | 1600–1887 |
| Kuba Kingdom | 1625–1884 |
| Kingdom of Chokwe | 1800–1891 |
| Yeke Kingdom | 1856–1891 |
| Colonization | 1876–1960 |
| Intl. African Association | 1876–1879 |
| Intl. Congo Society | 1879–1885 |
| Congo Free State (Atrocities) | 1885–1908 |
| Belgian Congo | 1908–1960 |
| World War II | 1940–1945 |
| Independence | post–1960 |
| Congo Crisis | 1960–1965 |
| Congo–Léopoldville | 1960–1971 |
| Zaire (Shaba I / II) | 1971–1997 |
| First Congo War | 1996–1997 |
| Second Congo War | 1998–2003 |
| Joseph Kabila presidency | 2001–2019 |
| Félix Tshisekedi presidency | 2019–present |
See also: Years :
DRC Portal :
vte :
* 1910 - Goma confirmed as a Belgian possession in the Convention on the Lakes signed in Brussels on 14 May 1910 by plenipotentiaries of Belgium, Germany, and Great Britain.
* 1925 - Albert National Park established near Goma.
* 1959 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Goma founded.
* 1962 - Benezeth Moley becomes governor.
* 1984 - Population: 77,908.
* 1988 - Goma becomes part of newly formed North Kivu province.
* 1993 - University of Goma established.
* 1994
** Population: 161,956.
** July: 850,000 Rwandan war refugees flee to Goma.
* 1996 - 2 November: Goma taken by Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo.
* 1998 - 2 August: City taken by forces of Rally for Congolese Democracy–Goma.
* 2000
** Yole!Africa cultural centre established.
** Eugène Serufuli Ngayabaseka becomes governor of North Kivu province.

## 21st century

* 2002 - January: Mount Nyiragongo erupts, destroys nearly half of city structures.
* 2004 - Population: 249,862 (estimate).
* 2006
** Institut supérieur de statistique et de nouvelles technologies de Goma [fr] (school) founded.
** Salaam Kivu International Film Festival begins.
* 2007
** "New military operations centre for the FARDC" established.
** Julien Paluku Kahongya becomes governor of North Kivu province.
* 2008
** January: International peace conference held in Goma.
** 15 April: Airplane crash occurs.
** October: "Chaos grips...Goma as rebel forces advance."
* 2009
** August: US secretary of state visits Goma.
** Roger Rachid Tumbala becomes mayor (approximate date).
* 2011 - Jean Busanga Malihaseme appointed mayor.
* 2012
** July: Battle of Goma (2012) [fr] begins.
** 20 November: M23 forces take Goma.
** 12 December: Prison break.
** Kubuya Ndoole Naso becomes mayor.
* 2013
** February: The first annual Amani Festival for peace takes place.
** 4 March: Airplane crash occurs.
** August: Heavy fighting occurs outside Goma during the M23 rebellion.
* 2015
** January: 2015 Congolese protests.
** June: Airport taken by "Mai-Mai fighters."
** Dieudonné Malere becomes mayor.
** Population: 368,165 (estimate).
* 2016 - November: United Nations forces attacked by bomb.
* 2022 - Festival Amani returns after a year's absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* 2025
** January: Battle of Goma.