History of Mexico City in Timeline

Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico, also the most populous city in North America. It is a significant cultural and financial hub globally. Situated in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican central plateau at an elevation of 2,240 meters (7,350 ft), the city is divided into 16 boroughs (demarcaciones territoriales), which are further subdivided into neighborhoods (colonias).

1900: City Population

In 1900, the population of Mexico City was approximately 500,000.

1902: Final adjustments to Mexico City limits

In 1902, the last changes to the limits of Mexico City were made, reducing the area to the current 1,479 km by adjusting the southern border with the state of Morelos, with twenty-two municipalities within Mexico City.

February 1907: Snow Flurries

After the snow flurries of 12 February 1907, the effects of the draining of Lake Texcoco and global warming have greatly reduced snowfalls.

1908: Snow

Since 1908, snow has only fallen thrice in Mexico City.

February 1913: Decena Trágica

In February 1913, the Decena Trágica (Ten Tragic Days) occurred, with artillery attacks on the city center, civilian casualties, and the undermining of the Madero government.

July 1914: Huerta's Ouster

In July 1914, Victoriano Huerta was ousted, and the armies of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata entered Mexico City, though the city did not experience violence.

February 1920: Snow

On 14 February 1920, there was snow in Mexico City.

1921: City Census

According to the 1921 census, 54.78% of Mexico City's population was considered Mestizo, 22.79% European, and 18.74% Indigenous.

1924: Chapultepec Zoo Opening

In 1924 Chapultepec Zoo was opened in the first section of Chapultepec Park.

1934: Completion of the Palacio de Bellas Artes

In 1934, construction of the Palacio de Bellas Artes was completed after being interrupted by the Mexican Revolution in the 1920s. The construction had begun during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz, and the white marble theater/museum began sinking into the soft ground below due to its immense weight.

March 1940: Snow Flurries

On 14 March 1940, there were snow flurries in Mexico City.

1940: Leon Trotsky's Murder in Coyoacán

In 1940, Leon Trotsky was murdered in his house in Coyoacán. This house had initially granted him asylum.

1941: General Anaya borough merged with the Central Department

In 1941, the General Anaya borough was merged with the Central Department, which was then renamed "Mexico City", reviving the name but not the autonomous municipality.

1955: Pan American Games

Mexico City hosted the 1955 Pan American Games.

1959: Publication of Mexico City Blues

In 1959, Jack Kerouac wrote his volume of poetry masterpiece "Mexico City Blues" while spending time in Mexico City.

Mexico City Blues: 242 Choruses

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February 1960: Lowest Temperature Record

On 13 February 1960, the lowest temperature ever registered at the Tacubaya observatory was −4.4 °C (24 °F).

1960: Population Growth

The explosive growth in the population of Mexico City started in the 1960s, overflowing into the neighboring State of Mexico.

1962: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1962 to 1970, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix event was held.

1964: Zoo San Juan de Aragon Opening

In 1964, Zoo San Juan de Aragon opened near the San Juan de Aragon Park.

January 1967: Snowstorm

On 12 January 1967, 8 centimeters (3 in) of snow fell on Mexico City, the most on record.

1968: Summer Olympics

In 1968, Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics, becoming the first Latin American city to do so.

1968: Student Movement Repression

In 1968, a demonstration organized by former members of the 1968 student movement was violently repressed by the paramilitary group "Los Halcones".

1969: Mexico City Metro Inauguration

In 1969, the Mexico City Metro was inaugurated.

1969: Opening of the Mexico City Metro

In 1969, the first portions of the Mexico City Metro were opened. The metro system is the largest in Latin America.

1970: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1962 to 1970, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix event was held.

1970: FIFA World Cup

In 1970, Mexico City hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1970: Split of Mexico City into Delegaciones

In 1970, Mexico City was split into four different delegaciones: Cuauhtémoc, Miguel Hidalgo, Venustiano Carranza and Benito Juárez, increasing the number of delegaciones to 16.

1974: ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships

In 1974, the ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships were hosted in Mexico City.

1975: Pan American Games

Mexico City hosted the 1975 Pan American Games.

1976: Inauguration of Sala Nezahualcóyotl

In 1976, the Sala Nezahualcóyotl was inaugurated as the first wrap-around concert hall in the Western Hemisphere.

1978: Discovery of Templo Mayor

The Templo Mayor in Mexico City was discovered in 1978 while workers were digging to place underground electric cables.

1979: Closure of the Last Streetcar Line

In 1979, the last streetcar line (tramway, or tranvía) in the central area of Mexico City closed.

1980: Population Growth

Between 1960 and 1980 the city's population more than doubled to nearly 9 million.

1980: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

From 1980 to 1981, the circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

1980: Industrial Jobs

In 1980, half of all the industrial jobs in Mexico were located in Mexico City.

1981: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

From 1980 to 1981, the circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

September 1985: Mexico City Earthquake

On 19 September 1985, the Mexico City earthquake struck, resulting in a political disaster and citizen-led rescue efforts.

1986: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1986 to 1992, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix event was held.

1986: FIFA World Cup

In 1986, Mexico City hosted the FIFA World Cup again.

1987: First Statute of Government

In 1987, Mexico City received a greater degree of autonomy, with the elaboration of the first Statute of Government and the creation of an assembly of representatives.

1987: UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 1987, the Historic center of Mexico City was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1988: Controversial Elections

In 1988, controversial elections between Carlos Salinas de Gortari and Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas resulted in Salinas winning after the counting system "fell".

1992: Pollution Levels

By 2014 sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide were at levels about a third of those in 1992 in Mexico City.

1992: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1986 to 1992, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix event was held.

1993: Mexico City and Federal District Defined as Same Entity

In 1993, an amendment to the Constitution of Mexico stated that Mexico City and the Federal District were the same entity.

1994: ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships

In 1994, the ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships were hosted in Mexico City.

1995: Net Migration Rate

The net migration rate of Mexico City from 1995 to 2000 was negative.

1997: First Elected Mayor

As a result of the fraudulent election of 1988, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas became the first elected mayor of Mexico City in 1997.

1997: Political Autonomy

In 1997, residents of Mexico City were given the right to elect a head of government and representatives of the Legislative Assembly.

1997: Increased Prison Population

Since 1997 the prison population in Mexico City has increased by more than 500%.

February 1999: Zoo Los Coyotes Inauguration

On 2 February 1999, Zoo Los Coyotes was inaugurated south of Mexico City in Coyoacan.

1999: Cárdenas Resignation

In 1999, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas resigned as mayor of Mexico City to run for the presidency.

2000: Reported Crimes

Between 2000 and 2004 an average of 478 crimes were reported each day in Mexico City.

2000: First Direct Election of Local Authorities

In 2000, local authorities were first elected directly by plurality, formerly having been appointed by the Federal District's head of government.

2000: Net Migration Rate

The net migration rate of Mexico City from 1995 to 2000 was negative.

2002: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

From 2002 to 2007, the circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

2002: HDI Score

In 2002, Mexico City had a Human Development Index score of 0.915, identical to that of South Korea.

2003: Peñon Woman Study

In 2003, a study placed the age of the Peñon woman at 12,700 years old, making her one of the oldest human remains discovered in the Americas.

2004: Reported Crimes

Between 2000 and 2004 an average of 478 crimes were reported each day in Mexico City.

2005: NASCAR Nationwide Series Telcel-Motorola México 200

Beginning in 2005, the NASCAR Nationwide Series ran the Telcel-Motorola México 200.

2005: First NFL Regular Season Game Outside the United States

In 2005, Mexico City became the first city to host an NFL regular season game outside of the United States, at the Azteca Stadium.

2005: HDI values of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Iztapalapa

In 2005, the boroughs of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Iztapalapa presented the lowest HDI values of Mexico City, with values of 0.8481, 0.8473, and 0.8464, respectively, which are still in the global high-HDI range.

2005: Human Development Index Report

The 2005 Human Development Index report showed that Benito Juárez borough had the highest HDI of the country (0.9510) followed by Miguel Hidalgo, which came up fourth nationally with an HDI of (0.9189), and Coyoacán was fifth nationally, with an HDI of (0.9169).

2006: UNAM Ranking

In 2006, UNAM ranked 74th in the Top 200 World University Ranking published by Times Higher Education, making it the highest ranked Spanish-speaking university in the world.

2007: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

From 2002 to 2007, the circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

2007: Inauguration of CCU Branch in Tlatelolco

In 2007, a branch of the National University's CCU cultural center was inaugurated in the facilities of the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs, known as Tlatelolco, in north-central Mexico City.

2007: Disposable Income

In 2007, residents in the top twelve percent of GDP per capita holders in Mexico City had a mean disposable income of US$98,517.

2007: National Auditorium Selected as World's Best Venue

In 2007, the National Auditorium was selected as the world's best venue by multiple genre media.

2007: Ciudad Universitaria Named World Heritage Site

In 2007, the main campus of UNAM, known as Ciudad Universitaria, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

2008: Metropolitan Area Population

In 2008, the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City had approximately 19.8 million inhabitants.

2008: Inauguration of the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo

In late 2008, the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo, designed by Mexican architect Teodoro González de León, was inaugurated in southern Mexico City.

December 2009: Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

In December 2009, the then Federal District became the first city in Latin America and one of very few in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

2009: GDP Ranking

According to a 2009 study conducted by PwC, Mexico City had a GDP of $390 billion, ranking it as the eighth richest city in the world and the richest in Latin America.

2009: Removal of Races from Series' Schedules

In 2009, both the NASCAR Nationwide Series Telcel-Motorola México 200 and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Mexico City 250 races were removed from their series' schedules.

2009: Largest Crowd for an NFL Regular Season Game

The crowd of 103,467 people attending the 2005 NFL game was the largest ever for a regular season game in NFL history until 2009.

2009: Security Upgrade

Under policies enacted by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard between 2009 and 2011, Mexico City underwent a major security upgrade with violent and petty crime rates both falling significantly despite the rise in violent crime in other parts of the country.

2010: Mexico City's HDI

Mexico City's HDI for the 2010 report was 0.9225 (very high), or (by newer methodology) 0.8307, and was Mexico's highest.

September 2011: Inauguration of Tibet Exhibit at the Memory and Tolerance Museum

In September 2011, the Dalai Lama inaugurated an exhibit on Tibet at the Memory and Tolerance Museum.

2011: Greater Mexico City GDP

In 2011, Greater Mexico City had a GDP of $411 billion, making it one of the most productive urban areas in the world.

2011: Inauguration of the Museo Soumaya Facility

In 2011, the Museo Soumaya inaugurated a new futuristic-design facility just north of Polanco, while maintaining a smaller facility in Plaza Loreto in southern Mexico City.

2011: Security Policies

September 2013: Ecobici Expansion

In September 2013, the Ecobici bicycle sharing system comprised 276 stations and approximately 4,000 bicycles across an area extending from the Historic center to Polanco.

2013: Mexico City Economy

In 2013, if Mexico City were an independent country, it would have been the fifth-largest economy in Latin America.

2013: City Abbreviation

Since 2013, the abbreviation "CDMX" (Ciudad de México) has become more common, particularly in relation to government campaigns.

2014: Pollution Levels

By 2014 carbon monoxide pollution had dropped drastically in Mexico City.

2015: City Government Report on Violence Against Women

A 2015 city government report found that two of three women over the age of 15 in the capital suffered some form of violence.

2015: Return of the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

The Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix returned to Mexico City in 2015, taking place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

January 2016: Ciudad de México

On 29 January 2016, the Federal District ceased to exist and became officially known as Ciudad de México (CDMX) with greater autonomy.

January 2016: Mexico City Renamed

On January 29, 2016, Mexico City ceased to be the Federal District and was officially renamed "Ciudad de México" (CDMX), beginning a transition to becoming the country's 32nd federal entity.

2016: High Private Car Usage

In 2016, Mexico City had relatively high private car usage, estimated at more than 4.5 million.

2016: Autonomy of Mexico City Boroughs

In 2016, as a result of political reforms, the boroughs of Mexico City gained significant autonomy, each headed by a mayor, expanding their local government powers.

2016: Femicide Incidence

In 2016, the incidence of femicides in Mexico City was 3.2 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the national average was 4.2.

2016: Formula E Mexico City ePrix

Since 2016, the Formula E Mexico City ePrix has been held.

January 2017: Ratification of Mexico City Constitution

As of its ratification on January 31, 2017, Mexico City has a constitution, similar to the states of the Union.

2017: NBA Interest in G League Expansion Team

In 2017, NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed interest in placing an NBA G League expansion team in Mexico City as early as 2018.

December 2019: NBA G League Expansion Team Announcement

On December 12, 2019, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that the LNBP team, Capitanes de Ciudad de México, would be joining the G League in the 2020–21 season on a five-year agreement.

2019: Expansion of Mexico City Megalopolis

In 2019, Querétaro was added to the Corona regional del centro de México (Mexico City megalopolis) coverage area.

2019: Integrated map of the multimodal public transportation system

In 2019, graphic designer Lance Wyman created an integrated map of the multimodal public transportation system and presented a new logo for the Sistema de Movilidad Integrada. Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the branding would be used for a new single payment card to streamline public transportation fare collection.

2019: Sud 777 placed on the list of World's 50 Best Restaurants

In 2019, the restaurant Sud 777 was placed 58th on the list of World's 50 Best Restaurants.

2020: Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Population

According to the 2020 Census, indigenous peoples represented around 18.74% of Mexico City's population, and 2.03% of the population identified as Black, Afro-Mexican, or of African descent.

2020: Greater Mexico City Population

In 2020, Greater Mexico City, consisting of Mexico City plus 60 municipalities in the State of Mexico and one in Hidalgo, had a population of 21,804,515, making it the biggest and densest metropolitan area in the country.

2020: Mexico City Borough Populations

In 2020, Mexico City boroughs were assessed for population numbers.

2020: City Population

In 2020, the population of Mexico City proper was 9,209,944 with a land area of 1,495 square kilometers.

2022: Opening of Felipe Ángeles International Airport

In 2022, Felipe Ángeles International Airport (IATA Airport Code: NLU) was opened as Mexico City's secondary airport. The airport was rebuilt from the former Santa Lucía Air Force Base and is located in Zumpango, State of Mexico.

2023: Pujol Ranked 13th in World's 50 Best Restaurants

In 2023, Mexico City ranked 13th best with the Mexican avant-garde restaurant Pujol (owned by Mexican chef Enrique Olvera) on the list of World's 50 Best Restaurants as named by the British magazine Restaurant.

May 2024: Highest Temperature Record

On 25 May 2024, the highest temperature on record at the Tacubaya observatory was 34.7 °C (94.5 °F).

2024: Michelin stars received by restaurants in Mexico City

In 2024, seven restaurants in Mexico City received Michelin stars.

2025: Ban on Traditional Bullfights

Prior to the 2025 ban on traditional bullfights enacted by Mexico City's Congress, bullfighting was held every Sunday during the season at the Plaza México.