History of Mexico City in Timeline

Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico and the most populous city in North America. As a major cultural and financial hub, it holds Alpha world city status according to the GaWC 2024 ranking. Situated in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican central plateau at 2,240 meters, the city comprises 16 boroughs (demarcaciones territoriales) further divided into neighborhoods (colonias).

1900: Population of Mexico City in 1900

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

1902: Mexico City limits adjusted

Between 1898 and 1902, the last changes to the limits of Mexico City were made, reducing the area by adjusting the southern border with the state of Morelos.

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: Reduced Snowfalls

Since 1908, snow has only fallen thrice due to the effects of draining of Lake Texcoco and global warming.

February 1913: Decena Trágica

In February 1913, the Decena Trágica (Ten Tragic Days) occurred, during which forces opposed to the elected government of Francisco I. Madero staged a successful coup.

July 1914: Huerta's ouster

In July 1914, Victoriano Huerta's ouster led to the entry of the armies of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata into Mexico City.

February 1920: Snowfall

On 14 February 1920, snow fell in Mexico City.

1921: Population census

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

1924: Chapultepec Zoo opened

Chapultepec Zoo opened in 1924, located in Chapultepec Park.

1934: Completion of Palacio de Bellas Artes

Construction of the Palacio de Bellas Artes ended in 1934, after being interrupted by the Mexican Revolution in the 1920s.

March 1940: Snow flurries

Snow flurries occurred on 14 March 1940 in Mexico City.

1940: Leon Trotsky Murdered

In 1940, Leon Trotsky, who had been granted asylum, was murdered in his house in Coyoacán, Mexico City.

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".

1955: Pan American Games Hosted

In 1955, Mexico City hosted the Pan American Games.

1959: Jack Kerouac Wrote Mexico City Blues

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

Mexico City Blues: 242 Choruses

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February 1960: Lowest temperature registered

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

1960: Explosive population growth

Explosive growth in the population of Mexico City started in the 1960s, overflowing the boundaries of the Federal District.

1962: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

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

1964: Zoo San Juan de Aragon opened

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

January 1967: Heavy Snowfall

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

1968: Student Massacre

Discontent and protests began in the 1960s, leading to the massacre of an unknown number of protesting students in Tlatelolco, Mexico City.

1968: Summer Olympics Held

In 1968, Mexico City held the Summer Olympics.

1969: Inauguration of Mexico City Metro

In 1969, the Mexico City Metro was inaugurated.

1969: Mexico City Metro Opens

In 1969, the first portions of the Mexico City Metro were opened. It has since expanded to 12 lines with 195 stations.

1970: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

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

1970: FIFA World Cup Hosted

In 1970, Mexico City hosted the FIFA World Cup.

1970: Mexico City split into four 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 Hosted

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

1975: Pan American Games Hosted

In 1975, Mexico City hosted the Pan American Games.

1976: Sala Nezahualcóyotl Inaugurated

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

1978: Discovery of Templo Mayor

In 1978, the Templo Mayor was discovered while workers were digging to place underground electric cables.

1979: Last Streetcar Line Closed

In 1979, the central area's last streetcar line (tramway, or tranvía) was closed.

1980: Population growth between 1960 and 1980

Between 1960 and 1980, Mexico City's population more than doubled to nearly 9 million.

1980: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

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

1980: Industrial jobs in Mexico City

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 Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México was hosted.

September 1985: 1985 Mexico City earthquake

On September 19, 1985, at 7:19am CST, the area was struck by the 1985 Mexico City earthquake.

1986: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

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

1986: FIFA World Cup Hosted

In 1986, Mexico City hosted the FIFA World Cup.

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: Historic center enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 1987, the Historic center of Mexico City was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its large collection of ancient Aztec and colonial architecture.

1992: Pollution levels in 1992

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

1992: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

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

1993: Amendment to the Constitution of Mexico

In 1993, an amendment to the 44th article of the Constitution of Mexico stated that Mexico City and the Federal District were the same entity.

1994: ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships Hosted

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

1995: Net migration rate

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

1997: Residents given the right to elect government officials

In 1997, residents were given the right to elect both a head of government and the representatives of the unicameral Legislative Assembly by election, after years of demanding greater political autonomy.

1997: Increase in prison population

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

February 1999: Zoo Los Coyotes opened

Zoo Los Coyotes was inaugurated on February 2, 1999, and is located south of Mexico City in Coyoacan.

1999: American Population Estimate

In 1999, the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs estimated that over 440,000 Americans lived in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area.

2000: Average Daily Crimes

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

2000: Negative net migration rate

From 1995 to 2000, Mexico City proper had a negative net migration rate, indicating residents were moving to the suburbs or other states.

2000: Election of local authorities

Local authorities in Mexico City were first elected directly by plurality in 2000.

2002: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

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

2002: Human Development Index Score

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

2003: Study of Peñon woman's age

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

2004: Average Daily Crimes

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

2005: NASCAR Nationwide Series Ran Telcel-Motorola México 200

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

2005: NFL Regular Season Game Hosted

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 of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Iztapalapa

In 2005, the boroughs of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Iztapalapa presented the lowest HDI values of Mexico City.

2005: Human Development Index report

The 2005 Human Development Index report shows the HDI of boroughs in Mexico City.

2006: UNAM ranked 74th in the Top 200 World University Ranking

In 2006, UNAM ranked 74th in the Top 200 World University Ranking, 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 Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México was hosted.

2007: CCU Cultural Center Branch Inaugurated

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.

2007: Mean 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 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 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

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

2008: Population of Greater Mexico City

In 2008, the population of Greater Mexico City was approximately 19.8 million inhabitants.

2008: Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo Inaugurated

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 of Mexico City

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: Races Removed From Series Schedules

In 2009, both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series races were removed from their series' schedules.

2009: Security upgrade initiated

Under policies enacted by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard between 2009 and 2011, Mexico City underwent a major security upgrade with violent and petty crime rates falling significantly.

2009: Largest Crowd for Regular Season Game

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

2010: Catholic Residents

In 2010, the Catholic population in Mexico City was slightly lower than the national percentage of 87%.

2010: Mexico City's HDI Value

Mexico City's 2010 HDI value was 0.9225 (very high), or (by newer methodology) 0.8307, which was Mexico's highest.

September 2011: Dalai Lama Inaugurates Tibet Exhibit

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

2011: Greater Mexico City GDP in 2011

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

2011: New Museo Soumaya Facility Inaugurated

In 2011, a new futuristic-design facility of the Museo Soumaya was inaugurated just north of Polanco. The museum also maintained a smaller facility in Plaza Loreto.

2011: Security upgrade in effect

Under policies enacted by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard between 2009 and 2011, Mexico City underwent a major security upgrade with violent and petty crime rates falling significantly.

September 2013: Ecobici Expansion

In September 2013, the Ecobici system comprised 276 stations with approximately 4,000 bicycles available for public use, extending from the Historic center to Polanco.

2013: Mexico City economy in 2013

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

2013: Use of CDMX abbreviation

Since 2013, the use of the abbreviation "CDMX" (Ciudad de México) has become more common, particularly by the government.

2014: Pollution levels in 2014

By 2014, carbon monoxide pollution had dropped drastically in Mexico City, while sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide were at levels about a third of those in 1992.

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: Mexico City joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities

In 2015, Mexico City joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

2015: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix Return

In 2015, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix returned to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

January 2016: Mexico City renamed Ciudad de México

On 29 January 2016, Mexico City ceased to be the Federal District and was officially renamed "Ciudad de México" (or "CDMX").

January 2016: Federal District becomes Ciudad de México

On January 29, 2016, the Federal District (DF) officially became known as Ciudad de México (CDMX), gaining a greater degree of autonomy and changes to its governance and political power structures.

2016: Political reforms

After the political reforms in 2016, each borough in Mexico City is headed by a mayor, expanding their local government powers.

2016: High Private Car Usage

In 2016, it was estimated that Mexico City had high private car usage, with over 4.5 million cars.

2016: Incidence of femicides

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

2016: Formula E Mexico City ePrix Hosted

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

January 2017: Ratification of a constitution

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

2017: Mexico City designated a "Design City"

In 2017, Mexico City was designated a "Design City".

2017: NBA Expresses Interest

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

2018: Political slogan introduced

During Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration (2018–24) a political slogan was introduced: la Ciudad de la Esperanza (lit. 'The City of Hope').

2018: NBA Interest

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: Capitanes de la Ciudad de México Join G League

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

2019: New Logo for Sistema de Movilidad Integrada

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

2019: Querétaro included in the Mexico City megalopolis

In 2019, Querétaro was included in the Mexico City megalopolis, as defined by the Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis (CAMe).

2019: Sud 777 placed on the list in 2019

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

2020: Black, Afro-Mexican, or of African descent Population

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

2020: 2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Greater Mexico City has a population of 21,804,515.

2020: Population of Corona regional del centro de México

In 2020, the Corona regional del centro de México (Mexico City megalopolis) had a population of 33.4 million, which is more than one quarter of Mexico's population.

2020: Capitanes de la Ciudad de México Join G League

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

2020: Mexico City boroughs and their populations

The boroughs of Mexico City with their 2020 populations are listed.

2022: Felipe Ángeles International Airport Opens

In 2022, Felipe Ángeles International Airport (IATA Airport Code: NLU) opened as Mexico City's secondary airport. It was rebuilt from the former Santa Lucía Air Force Base.

2023: Pujol Ranked 13th Best Restaurant

In 2023, the Mexican avant-garde restaurant Pujol, owned by Enrique Olvera, was ranked 13th best in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list by the British magazine Restaurant.

May 2024: Highest temperature registered

The highest temperature on record was 34.7 °C (94.5 °F) on May 25, 2024.

2024: GaWC 2024 ranking

In 2024, Mexico City is classified as an Alpha world city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) ranking.

2024: Restaurants Receive Michelin Stars

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 50,000-seat Plaza México.