Timeline of Bamako

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Bamako, Mali.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

Prior to 20th century

• 16th century - Bambara in power.^[1]
• c. 1650 - Sériba Niaré, allied with Biton Coulibaly of the Segou Empire, settles in the area.^[2]
• c. 1700 - founding of the kafu of Bamako by Diamusa Niaré, Sériba's son.^[2]
• 1806 - Mungo Park passes through Bamako.^[3]
• c. 1825 - Bamako attacks Samaniana and is repulsed. Requests support from Da Mansong Diarra and destroys the town^[2]
• 1880 - Mandinka Samory Touré in power (approximate date).^[1]
• 1883
  • 1 February: Town occupied by French forces under command of Gustave Borgnis-Desbordes.^[3]
  • April: Battles of Woyowoyanko, Samory Toure's forces repulsed just south of Bamako.
  • Fort built by French.^[4]

20th century

Hippo statue, Boulevard de l'indépendance, erected 1990s (photo 2008)

• 1903 -
  • Kafo-tigi Dioke Niaré dies. The family's slaves claim their freedom.^[2]
  • French fort demolished.^[4]
• 1904 - Koulikoro-Bamako railway built.^[3]
• 1906 - Chamber of commerce established.^[5][6]
• 1907 - Palais de Koulouba [fr] (presidential residence) built.^[7]
• 1908 - 23 May: Capital of French colonial Upper Senegal and Niger relocated to Bamako from Kayes.^[8]
• 1919 - Bamako becomes a "commune-mixte" (form of administration).^(fr)
• 1920
  • Bamako becomes capital of colonial French Sudan.^[9]
  • Population: 16,000 (estimate).^[9]
• 1921 - Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Bamako active.^[10]
• 1923 - Dakar-Bamako railroad begins operating.
• 1924 - Monument aux héros de l'Armee Noire [fr] dedicated.^[11]
• 1927 - Sacred Heart Cathedral built.
• 1929 - "Submersible causeway to Sotuba" built across the Niger River.^[4]
• 1933 - Ecole Artisanale du Soudan (art school) established (later Institut National des Arts de Bamako).
• 1934 - Institut de la Lèpre (medical entity) begins operating.^[3]
• 1936 - Population: 21,000 (estimate).^[12]
• 1945 - Population: 36,000 (estimate).^[12]
• 1946 - Rassemblement Démocratique Africain political party headquartered in city.^[8]
• 1947 - Dakar–Niger Railway labor strike.^[4]
• 1948 - Photographer Seydou Keïta in business.^[13][14]
• 1949 - L'Essor newspaper begins publication.^[6]
• 1953 - Sudanese Museum opens.
• 1956 - Modibo Keïta elected mayor.^[15]
• 1958
  • Vincent Auriol Bridge built.^[4]
  • Photographer Malick Sidibé in business.
  • Population: 76,000.^[12]
• 1960
  • City becomes capital of the Republic of Mali.^[4]
  • Djoliba AC (football club) formed.
  • Stade Modibo Kéïta (stadium) opens.
  • Population: 130,00 urban agglomeration.^[16]
• 1963 - École Normale Supérieure of Bamako opens.
• 1965
  • Centre français de documentation de Bamako [fr] founded.
  • Population: 168,000.^[12]
• 1970s - Grand Mosque of Bamako built.
• 1972 - Population: 225,000 (estimate).^[12]
• 1974 - Twin city relationship established with Angers, France.
• 1975 - Sister city relationship established with Rochester, New York, United States.
• 1976 -
  • Population 419,239
• 1977 - 18 May: Funeral of Modibo Keita.^[3]
• 1978
  • District of Bamako created, consisting of six communes: Commune I, II, III, IV [fr], V, and VI [fr], each with its own mayor.^(fr)
  • Groupe Bogolan Kasobané (artisan group) formed.^[17]
• 1980 - March: Saharan states summit held in city.^[3]
• 1982 - National Museum of Mali active.^[17]
• 1983 - Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision du Mali headquartered in city.
• 1984 - October: Meeting of Economic Community of West African States held in city.^[3]
• 1987
  • "Islamic centre" built.^[8]
  • African health ministers meet in city, adopt "Bamako Initiative" for healthcare.
  • Population: 658,275 in city.^[18]
• 1989 - Les Échos newspaper begins publication.^[6]
• 1990s - Hippopotamus statue [fr] erected.
• 1991
  • 22 March: Anti-government protest; crackdown.^[19]
  • 26 March: 1991 Malian coup d'état occurs.^[19]
• 1992
  • 19 January: Malian municipal election, 1992 [fr] held.
  • King Fahd Bridge opens.
• 1994
  • Rencontres africaines de la photographie biennial exhibit begins.^[14]
  • BCEAO Tower built.
• 1995 - Monument de l'Indépendance and Monument to the Martyrs dedicated.^[11](fr)
• 1996
  • University of Bamako opens.
  • Monument to Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly dedicated.^[11][20](fr)
• 1998
  • Cadre de promotion pour la formation en photographie de Bamako [fr] established.
  • Ibrahima N'Diaye becomes district mayor.
  • Population: 1,016,167 in city.^[21]
• 2000
  • Fresques murales de Koulouba (monument) built.^[11](fr)
  • Monument to Kwame Nkrumah dedicated.^[11](fr)
  • Sister city relationship established with São Paulo, Brazil.

21st century

• 2001
  • Kita-Bamako road constructed.^[22]
  • Stade du 26 Mars (stadium) opens.
• 2002
  • 2002 African Cup of Nations football contest held in Bamako.
  • Monument to Patrice Lumumba dedicated.^[11](fr)
• 2003 - Moussa Badoulaye Traoré [fr] becomes district mayor.
• 2005
  • Budapest-Bamako car race begins.
  • Geekcorps office established.
• 2007 - Adama Sangaré [fr] becomes district mayor.
• 2009
  • Institut national de la statistique (Mali) [fr] headquartered in city.
  • Population: 1,810,366 urban agglomeration.^[23]
• 2011
  • Université des lettres et des sciences humaines de Bamako [fr], Université des sciences, des techniques et des technologies de Bamako [fr], Université des sciences juridiques et politiques de Bamako [fr], Université des sciences sociales et de gestion de Bamako [fr] established.^[24]
  • Institut français du Mali [fr] active.
• 2015 - 20 November: 2015 Bamako hotel attack occurs in Hippodrome.
• 2016 - 21 March: Attack on headquarters of the European Union military training mission in Bamako.^[25]
• 2022 -
  • Population 4,227,569 in capital district^[26]

See also

• Bamako history
• Timeline of Mali [fr]