History of Lima in Timeline

Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru, situated in the central coastal desert overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It serves as Peru's political, cultural, financial, and commercial hub. Recognized for its geostrategic importance, it's categorized as a "beta" tier city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. The city spans the province of Lima and a portion of the Constitutional Province of Callao, where the seaport and Jorge Chávez Airport are located. Both provinces have regional autonomy since 2002.

1907: Legislative Palace Built

Built in 1907, the Legislative Palace serves as the seat of the Congress of Peru.

1917: Establishment of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru

In 1917, the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, was established as the oldest private university.

1927: Population Doubles

By 1927, the number of inhabitants had doubled to surpass 200,000.

1937: Renovation of Government Palace

In 1937, the Government Palace, also known as the House of Pizarro, was renovated and serves as the official residence of the president of Peru.

1939: Rebuilding of Lima City Hall

The Lima City Hall was rebuilt in 1939.

1940: Census Reveals Urban Problems

In 1940, census results highlighted Lima's major urban issues, including sanitation, housing, work, recreation, and transportation challenges.

1940: Start of Rapid Growth Period

In the 1940s, Lima started a period of rapid growth spurred by migration from the Andean region, with the population estimated at 600,000 in 1940.

1945: Housing Plan Based on Neighborhood Units Made Official

In 1945, with architect Fernando Belaunde as deputy, the Housing Plan based on Neighborhood Units was made official, aiming to improve urban conditions.

1950: Manufacturing Contribution to GNP

In 1950, manufacturing made up 14% of Peru's GNP, driven by import substitution policies and industrialization in Lima.

1960: Population Reaches 1.9 Million

By 1960, Lima's population reached 1.9 million.

1973: Andean Community of Nations Formed

In 1973, the Andean Community of Nations was formed as the Andean Pact, with its headquarters in Lima.

1973: Creation of Villa El Salvador

In 1973, the self-managed community of Villa El Salvador was created.

1980: Population Reaches 4.8 Million

By 1980, Lima's population reached 4.8 million.

1982: Miss Universe Contest

In 1982, Lima hosted the Miss Universe contest.

1985: Wealthy neighborhoods built security barriers

Starting in 1985, wealthy neighborhoods in Lima began building their own security barriers due to security concerns.

1988: Historic Center Declared UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 1988, the Historic Center of Lima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing the city's cultural significance.

1988: UNESCO World Heritage Site Declaration

In 1988, the Historic Center of Lima, including parts of Lima and Rímac districts, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to the city's importance during the Viceroyalty of Peru.

1998: El Niño Event

During the El Niño event in 1998, coastal waters reached 26 °C (79 °F), causing air temperatures to rise.

November 2002: Law of Regional Governments Enacted

On November 16, 2002, Article 65. 27867 of the Law of Regional Governments was enacted, specifying that the Metropolitan Municipality has functions of regional government and is not part of any administrative region.

2002: Regional Autonomy for Provinces

In 2002, the provinces of Lima and Callao gained regional autonomy.

2003: Lima's GDP Generation

As of 2003, Lima generated 53% of Peru's GDP, making it a key economic center.

2003: Luis Castaneda Becomes Mayor

In 2003, Luis Castaneda became mayor of Lima.

2004: Lima Hosted the 2004 Copa América

In 2004, Lima hosted the Copa América, including the final of the tournament.

2005: Household Survey Study

A 2005 household survey study shows a socio-economic distribution for households in Lima.

2005: Lima Hosted the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship

In 2005, Lima hosted the FIFA U-17 World Championship, including the final of the tournament.

2005: Early Childhood Enrollment Improvement

Since 2005, early childhood enrollment in Lima has improved by 12.1%.

2006: Lima Stock Exchange Performance

In 2006, the Lima Stock Exchange was the world's most profitable.

2006: National Library of Peru New Building

In 2006, the new building for the National Library of Peru was built in the San Borja District.

2007: Religious Affiliations in Lima

According to the 2007 Peru Census, 82.83% of Lima residents over the age of twelve declared they were Catholic.

2007: Cargo Shipped at Callao Seaport

In 2007, the Callao seaport, a main port in South America, shipped 20.7 million metric tons of cargo.

2007: Birth of the Peruvian Society for Gastronomy

In 2007, the Peruvian Society for Gastronomy (APEGA) was formed to promote Peruvian food and reinforce national identity.

2007: Peruvian Economy Growth and Stock Exchange Rise

In 2007, the Peruvian economy grew by 9%, the largest growth rate in South America, and the Lima Stock Exchange rose by 168.3%, making it one of the fastest-growing stock exchanges globally.

2007: Establishment of El Metropolitano

In 2007, the city established El Metropolitano, a rapid bus transport system.

January 2008: Lima Anthem Heard for the First Time

On January 18, 2008, the anthem of Lima was heard for the first time during a solemn session.

2008: Mistura Food Festival First Project

In 2008, APEGA's first project was creating Mistura, the largest food festival in Latin America.

2008: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meetings Hosted

In 2008, Lima hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meetings.

2008: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit

In 2008, Lima hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit and the Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union Summit.

July 2010: Metropolitano begins commercial operations

On July 2010, the Metropolitano, an integrated bus rapid transit system, began commercial operations. The first phase covered 33 kilometers of line from north to south, aiming to reduce commute times and improve service quality.

2010: Luis Castaneda is Mayor

In 2010, Luis Castaneda was the mayor of Lima.

2010: Completion of Lima and Callao Metro Line 1

In 2010, the Lima and Callao Metro Line 1 was finally completed.

2010: Señor de Los Milagros Named Patron of Peru

In 2010, the Señor de Los Milagros (Lord of Miracles) was named Patron of Peru.

2011: Student Achievement Levels in Lima

In 2011, 45.3% of students in Lima achieved level 2 in reading comprehension on the "Evaluacion Censal de Estudiantes" (ECE) test.

2011: Susana Villaran Becomes Mayor

In 2011, Susana Villaran became mayor of Lima.

2011: Metropolitano system weekday usage increased

Since 2011, Metropolitano weekday usage has increased by 28.2%.

2011: Lima Restaurants Recognized

Since 2011, several Lima restaurants have been recognized as among The World's 50 Best Restaurants.

December 2012: San Borja bikeshare program subscriber count

By December 2012, the San Borja bikeshare program, "San Borja en Bici", had 2,776 subscribers.

December 2012: Lima Metro system began operating

In December 2012, the Lima Metro system began operating, transporting an average of 78,224 people daily.

2012: Transportation Survey Results

According to a 2012 survey, the majority of the population uses public or collective transportation (75.6%), while 12.3% uses a car, taxi or motorcycle.

2012: Security perception survey

According to a 2012 survey, the perception of security varies by district, with San Isidro having the lowest insecurity perception (21.4%) and Rimac having the highest (85%).

2012: Vehicles in use in Lima

By the end of 2012, 1.397 million vehicles were in use in the Lima region, accounting for 65.3% of the country's cars.

2012: Metropolitano system bus count

By the end of 2012, the Metropolitano system had 244 buses operating on central routes and 179 buses on feeding routes.

2012: Crime victimization in Lima

In 2012, 40% of the population in Lima over 15 years old had been a crime victim, with the highest rate (47.9%) among those aged 15 to 29.

2012: Student Achievement Levels in Lima

In 2012, 48.7% of students in Lima achieved level 2 in reading comprehension, and 19.3% achieved level 2 in math on the "Evaluacion Censal de Estudiantes" (ECE) test.

2012: Results on the ECE 2012

In 2012, UGEL 07 and 03 had the highest results on the ECE in both reading comprehension and math. UGEL 07 had 60.8% students achieving level 2 in reading comprehension and 28.6% students achieving level 2 in Math.

2012: Solid waste production per capita

In 2012, each resident of Lima produced 273.36 kg of solid waste, with only 67% being collected by district municipalities.

2012: Bike lane usage and carbon emission reduction

In 2012, over 1.5 million people used the 71 km of recreational bike lanes in Lima, preventing the emission of 526 tons of carbon dioxide.

January 2013: Comparison of mineral concentration in water treatment facilities

In January 2013, mineral concentrations in water treatment facilities were compared to January 2014, showing an increase in iron and cadmium and a decrease in lead and aluminum, all within recommended limits.

October 2013: Lima Chosen to Host 2019 Pan American Games

In October 2013, Lima was chosen to host the 2019 Pan American Games.

2013: Migration to Lima

In 2013, 3,480,000 people reported arriving to Lima from other regions of Peru.

2013: Lima Selected to Host 2019 Pan American Games

In 2013, Lima was selected to host the 2019 Pan American Games.

2013: Poverty Statistics in Metropolitan Lima

In 2013, the percentage of the population living in households in poverty in Metropolitan Lima was 12.8%. This level is measured by households unable to access basic food, clothing, housing, education, transportation, and health services. Additionally, 0.2% of the population lived in extreme poverty in 2013, lacking access to a basic food basket.

January 2014: Mineral concentration in water treatment facilities

In January 2014, the mineral concentration in water treatment facilities of SEDAPAL was 0.051 iron, 0.005 lead, 0.0012 cadmium, and 0.0810 aluminum.

February 2014: Air pollution recorded in Lima

In February 2014, Lima recorded an average of 15.2 tons/km2 of microscopic sediment, exceeding the World Health Organization's recommended limit of 5 tons/km2/month.

December 2014: United Nations Climate Change Conference

In December 2014, Lima hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

2014: Age Distribution in Lima

According to INEI, by mid 2014 the age distribution in Lima was: 24.3% between 0 and 14, 27.2% between 15 and 29, 22.5% between 30 and 44, 15.4% between 45 and 59 and 10.6% above 60.

2014: Lima Most Visited City

According to Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index, in 2014, Lima was the most visited city of Latin America and was the 20th city globally, with 5.11 million visitors.

2014: Attendance Growth at Mistura

By 2014, the number of attendees at the Mistura food festival had grown from 30,000 to 600,000.

2014: Susana Villaran is Mayor

In 2014, Susana Villaran was the mayor of Lima.

2014: Population of Lima

In 2014, the population in Lima's 49 districts was reported to be 9,752,000 people.

2014: Lima Council operates "Sistema Integrado de Transporte Urbano"

Since 2014, the Lima Council has been operating the "Sistema Integrado de Transporte Urbano" (Urban integrated transport system), which uses buses over Avenida Arequipa.

October 2015: Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group

In October 2015, Lima hosted the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.

2015: Central Named Top Restaurant in Latin America

In 2015, Central was named No. 1 restaurant in the list of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants.

2015: Completion of Torre Banco de la Nación

In 2015, the Torre Banco de la Nación, the tallest building in Lima and all of Peru, was completed.

2016: Lima Restaurants Recognized in 2016

In 2016, Central was awarded No. 4, Maido was awarded No. 13, and Astrid & Gaston was awarded No. 30 in restaurant rankings.

2016: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meetings Hosted

In 2016, Lima hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meetings.

2017: Peruvian Census

According to the 2017 Peruvian census, Mestizos were the largest ethnic group.

2018: International Visitors in Lima

In 2018, Lima had 2.63 million international visitors.

2018: Luis Castaneda is Mayor

In 2018, Luis Castaneda was the mayor of Lima.

2018: Ethnic groups in Lima

In 2018, Mestizos of mixed Amerindian and European ancestry made up 69.9% of Lima's population.

2019: Height and length of security barriers

By 2019, some segments of the security barriers were up to 3 meters high and included barbed wire, with a total length of ten kilometers.

2019: Jorge Munoz Becomes Mayor

In 2019, Jorge Munoz became mayor of Lima.

2019: Pan American Games Held in Lima

In 2019, Lima hosted the Pan American Games, which was the largest sporting event ever hosted by the country.

2019: Lima Hosts 2019 Pan American Games

In 2019, Lima hosted the Pan American Games.

2019: Lima Top Destination in South America

In 2019, Lima was the top destination in South America, with 2.63 million international visitors in 2018 and a growth forecast of 10.00% percent for 2019.

2019: Construction of New Jorge Chávez International Airport Terminal Begins

In 2019, construction of the new terminal of the Jorge Chávez International Airport began.

2019: Lima Stripped of Hosting Rights 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup

Lima would have had 2 venues for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup; however, they were stripped of hosting rights in the two tournaments. In 2019, Lima also hosted the Pan American Games.

May 2020: Restoring Activities Began

In May 2020, Lima began the process of restoring activities as part of the national government's economic reactivation strategy following a lengthy quarantine.

July 2020: SIT Routes in Operation

As of July 2020, SIT operates 16 routes including San Martin de Porres – Surco (107) Ate – San Miguel (201, 202,204,206 and 209), Rimac – Surco (301,302,303 and 306), San Juan de Lurigancho – Magdalena (404,405,409,412), and Downtown Lima – San Miguel(508)

2021: Construction of New Jorge Chávez International Airport Terminal Continued

In 2021, construction of the new terminal of the Jorge Chávez International Airport continued after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

January 2022: Toma de Lima Protests

Starting January 12, 2022, protests known as the Toma de Lima began, leading to a 4-month state of emergency in the city.

2022: Jorge Munoz Removed from Office

In 2022, Jorge Munoz was removed from office for illegally holding several offices and the related allowances.

2023: Population Density of Lima

As of 2023, Lima has a population of 10,151,200 for the metropolitan area and a population density of 3,746 inhabitants per square kilometer, ranking as one of the most populous agglomerations in the world.

2023: Protests in Lima

Following the 2022 Peruvian self-coup attempt, protests continued into 2023, demanding the release of Pedro Castillo and the removal of Dina Boluarte; the protests died down towards the end of 2023.

2023: Central Named Best Restaurant in the World

In 2023, Central was named the Best Restaurant in the World.

2023: Partial demolition of the 'wall of shame'

In 2023, the 'wall of shame' was partially demolished in a number of places, a barrier criticized for separating poorer and affluent areas.

2023: Lima Stripped of Hosting Rights 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup

Lima would have had 2 venues for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup; however, they were stripped of hosting rights in the two tournaments.

2023: Lima Census Projection

The 2023 census projection estimates Lima's population at 10,092,000, making it the second-most populous city in South America and the largest Spanish-speaking city in terms of city proper population.

November 2024: Port of Chancay Commences Operations

The Port of Chancay will commence operations on November 14, 2024, and will be the largest in South America.

2024: Lima Metro lines running and under construction

As of 2024, the Lima Metro has two lines running and a third under construction, with other lines planned for the next 5 years.

2024: Paris Elected to Host 2024 Summer Olympics

At the 131st IOC Session held in Lima, Paris was elected to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.

2024: Construction of buildings grew

Construction of buildings grew 3.9% in 2024, following the countries economic growth.

2024: Lima Selected to Host 2027 Pan American Games

In 2024 the city was selected to host the 2027 Pan American Games for the second time.

2024: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meetings Hosted

In 2024, Lima hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meetings.

2024: Inauguration of the Port of Chancay

On 14 November, 2024, the Port of Chancay in the city of Chancay, was inaugurated in a joint construction performed by Peru and China.

June 2025: Expansion Project Opens

On June 1, 2025, the Jorge Chávez International Airport's expansion project opened. The new expansions will consist of the Lima Airport City. The project will increase the current airport capacity of 30 million to 40 million passengers.

June 2025: Inauguration of New Jorge Chávez International Airport Terminal

The new terminal of the Jorge Chávez International Airport was inaugurated on June 1, 2025.

2025: Line 3 and Line 4 expansion pre bid stage

As of 2025, Line 3 and the expansion of Line 4 of the Lima Metro are in the pre-bid stage.

2025: Lima Selected to Joint Host Bolivarian Games

In 2025, Lima was also selected to jointly host the Bolivarian Games along with Ayacucho.

2025: Lima to Host the 2025 Bolivarian Games

In 2025, Lima will jointly host the Bolivarian Games with Ayacucho.

2025: Maido Named Best Restaurant in the World

In 2025, Maido was named the Best Restaurant in the World.

2026: Line 2 expansion delivery

In 2026, the expansion of Line 2 of the Lima Metro is expected to be delivered, along with a portion of Line 4 connecting the airport to the metro system.

2026: Commuter Rail Services Beginning

In 2026, the first official commuter rail services for Lima, as part of the larger Tren de la Costa project, will begin running from the capital to Chosica on the FCCA mainlines.