# Timeline of Kinshasa

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

## 19th 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 :
* 14th -18th Century Kongo Kingdom reigned victorious throughout the land
* 1881 - Léopoldville founded as a trading post by Henry Morton Stanley of the UK.
* 1885 - Town becomes part of Congo Free State.
* 1898 - Matadi–Kinshasa Railway built.

## 20th century
### 1900s-1950s

* 1908 - Town becomes part of Belgian Congo.
* 1909 - Banque du Congo Belge headquartered in Léopoldville (approximate date).
* 1914 - Grand Hotel ABC built.
* 1917 - Collège Saint-Joseph founded.
* 1920 - Ligne Aérienne du Roi Albert (airline) begins operating.
* 1923 - Capital of Belgian Congo relocated to Leopoldville from Boma.
* 1928 - Elima [fr] newspaper begins publication.
* 1935 - Association Sportive Vita Club formed.
* 1936 - Daring Club Motema Pembe (football club) formed.
* 1937
** Stade Reine Astrid (stadium) opens.
** Radio Leo begins broadcasting.
** Hotel Memling built.
* 1938 - Amicale Sportive Dragons football club formed.
* 1939 - Albert I of Belgium monument inaugurated on Place de la Gare.
* 1940 - Radio Congo Belge begins broadcasting.
* 1940s - Ngoma recording studio in business.
* 1943 - École Saint-Luc à Gombe Matadi founded.
* 1952 - Stade Roi Baudouin (stadium) inaugurated.
* 1953
** N'djili Airport inaugurated.
** African Jazz (musical group) formed.
* 1954 - Lovanium University established.
* 1955
** Boulevard Albert I constructed.
** Presbyterian Community in Kinshasa founded.
* 1956
** OK Jazz musical group formed.
** Colonial Governor-General residence built.
* 1957 - Académie des Beaux-Arts (school) active.
* 1958
** Trico Center for nuclear studies established.
** Plantations Lever au Congo (part of Unilever) headquartered in city.
* 1959
** Anti-colonial riots led by the ABAKO political party.
** L'independance newspaper begins publication.

### 1960s-1990s

* 1960
** City becomes capital of independent Republic of the Congo.
** Joseph Kulumba becomes bourgmestre, succeeded by Daniel Kanza.
* 1961 - American School founded.
* 1962
** National School of Law and Administration founded.
** Revolutionary Government of Angola in Exile based in Léopoldville.
* 1963
** Boulevard Albert I renamed "Boulevard du 30 Juin".
** Zoao Boniface becomes bourgmestre.
* 1964
** City becomes capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
** Hotel Memling built.
** Banque du Congo headquartered in city.
* 1965 - Centre d'etudes pour l'action sociale established.
* 1966 - Léopoldville renamed "Kinshasa."
* 1967
** September: Organisation of African Unity summit held.
** National Conservatory of Music and Dramatic Art established.
* 1969
** Kinshasa International Fair begins.
** Zaiko Langa Langa musical group formed.
* 1971
** City becomes capital of Republic of Zaire.
** Office National des Transports headquartered in city.
** Inter Continental hotel in business.
* 1972 - École d'Informatique d'Électronique founded.
* 1974
** September: Zaire 74 music festival held.
** 30 October: The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match held.
** Population: 2,008,352.
* 1975 - Sozacom building constructed.
* 1976 - Voix du Zaire broadcasting complex and BCZ building constructed.
* 1977 - Zekete-zekete musical style developed.
* 1979 - Palais du Peuple built.
* 1981 - University of Kinshasa established.
* 1982 - Le Potentiel newspaper begins publication.
* 1984 - Population: 2,664,309.
* 1985 - Meeting of the Association Internationale des Maires Francophones held in city.
* 1988 - Madiaba musical style developed.
* 1989
** Athletic Club Sodigraf formed.
** La Référence Plus newspaper begins publication.
* 1990 - Population: 3,564,000 (urban agglomeration).
* 1991
** Fundu Kota becomes governor.
** September: "Riots...by unpaid soldiers."
** October: Anti-Mobutu demonstrations.
* 1992 - Kibabu Madiata Nzau becomes governor, succeeded by Bernardin Mungul Diaka.
* 1994
** Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste founded.
** Kamanyola Stadium opens.
* 1996
** Mujinga Swana becomes governor, succeeded by Nkoy Mafuta.
** L'Avenir (Newspaper) begins publication.
** 8 January: Airplane crash.
* 1997
** Théophile Mbemba Fundu becomes governor.
** April: General Gabriel Amela Lokima Bahati becomes governor.
** May: City taken by anti-Mobutu forces led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila.
** Central Bank of the Congo headquartered in city.
* 1998
** August: Second Congo War begins; rebel forces move toward city.
** September: Food shortage.
* 1999 - United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo headquartered in Kinshasa.
* 2000 - Population: 5,611,000 (urban agglomeration).

## 21st century

* 2001
** Christophe Muzungu becomes governor, succeeded by Loka Ne Kongo [fr].
** January: President Laurent-Désiré Kabila assassinated.
* 2002
** David Nku Imbié becomes governor.
** Lola ya Bonobo animal sanctuary located near city.
* 2004
** March: Coup attempt.
** May: Jean Kimbunda becomes governor.
* 2005
** Kimbembe Mazunga becomes governor.
** Population: 7,106,000 (urban agglomeration).
* 2006
** Post-election unrest.
** Baudoin Liwanga becomes governor.
* 2007
** March: Conflict between Bemba supporters and government forces.
** 16 March: André Kimbuta becomes governor.
** City website online (approximate date).
* 2010 - 2 June: Activist Floribert Chebeya killed.
* 2011 - 27 February: Coup attempt.
* 2012
** October: Organisation internationale de la Francophonie summit held.
** Population: 9,046,000.
* 2013 - 30 December: December 2013 Kinshasa attacks by supporters of religious leader Mukungubila.
* 2014
** 11 May: Stade Tata Raphaël stampede.
** Hôpital du Cinquantenaire [fr] (hospital) opens.
** It's discovered that the origin of the HIV virus traces back to Léopoldville in the 1920s.
* 2015 - January: 2015 Congolese protests.
* 2023: The 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie.