History of Mexico City in Timeline

Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico and the most populous in North America. A significant cultural and financial hub, it's recognized as an Alpha world city. Located in the Valley of Mexico on the high central plateau at 2,240 meters altitude, the city consists of 16 boroughs (demarcaciones territoriales) divided into neighborhoods (colonias).

1900: Population of Mexico City in 1900

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

1902: Final Adjustments to Mexico City Limits

Between 1898 and 1902, the last changes were made to the limits of Mexico City, reducing the area to the current 1,479 km² by adjusting the southern border with the state of Morelos.

February 1907: Last Known Snowfall

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

1908: Decrease in Snowfalls

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

February 1913: Decena Trágica (Ten Tragic Days)

In February 1913, the Decena Trágica occurred, with artillery attacks on the city center during a coup against Francisco I. Madero's government.

July 1914: Entry of Revolutionary Armies

In July 1914, after Huerta's ouster, the armies of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata entered Mexico City without violence.

February 1920: Snow in Mexico City

In February 1920, snow fell in Mexico City.

1921: 1921 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 Opened

In 1924, Chapultepec Zoo, located in Chapultepec Park, opened to the public.

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 in Mexico City

In March 1940, snow flurries occurred in Mexico City.

1940: Leon Trotsky Murdered in Coyoacán

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

1941: Merging of General Anaya borough

In 1941, the General Anaya borough was merged with the Central Department, which was then renamed "Mexico City".

1955: Mexico City Hosted Pan American Games

In 1955, Mexico City hosted the Pan American Games.

1959: Jack Kerouac writes Mexico City Blues

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

Mexico City Blues: 242 Choruses

Check it on Amazon

February 1960: Record Low Temperature

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

1960: Population Growth Begins

The 1960's marked the beginning of explosive population growth in Mexico City.

1962: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1962 to 1970, Mexico City hosted the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

1964: Zoo San Juan de Aragon Opened

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

January 1967: Heavy Snowfall in Mexico City

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

1968: Mexico City Hosted Summer Olympics

In 1968, Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics.

1968: Repression of Demonstration

In 1968, a demonstration was violently repressed by a paramilitary group called "Los Halcones".

1968: 1968 Olympic Games

The 1968 Olympic Games led to the construction of large sporting facilities in Mexico City.

1969: Inauguration of the 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, the largest metro system in Latin America, were opened.

1970: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1962 to 1970, Mexico City hosted the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

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.

1970: Mexico Hosted the FIFA World Cup

Mexico hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1970, and Azteca Stadium hosted the final.

1974: ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships Hosted

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

1975: Mexico City Hosted Pan American Games

In 1975, Mexico City hosted the Pan American Games after Santiago and São Paulo withdrew.

1976: Sala Nezahualcóyotl Inaugurated

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

1978: Discovery of Templo Mayor

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

1979: Last Streetcar Line Closes

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

1980: Population Growth

By 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 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

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 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

September 1985: 1985 Mexico City Earthquake

On September 1985, Mexico City was struck by a devastating earthquake, which exposed the government's ineffectiveness and led to citizen-led rescue and reconstruction efforts.

1986: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1986 to 1992, Mexico City hosted the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

1986: Mexico Hosted the FIFA World Cup Again

Mexico hosted the FIFA World Cup again in 1986, and Azteca Stadium hosted the final.

1987: First Statute of Government

In 1987, Mexico City received a greater degree of autonomy with the elaboration the first Statute of Government (Estatuto de Gobierno) 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.

1992: Pollution levels

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

1992: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

From 1986 to 1992, Mexico City hosted the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix

1993: Constitutional Amendment

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: Migration Rate

From 1995 to 2000, the net migration rate of Mexico City was negative.

1997: Political Autonomy Granted

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

1997: Increase in Prison Population

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

February 1999: Zoo Los Coyotes Inaugurated

On February 2, 1999, Zoo Los Coyotes was inaugurated in Coyoacan.

1999: American Population

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

2000: Negative net migration rate

Between 1995 and 2000, Mexico City proper experienced a negative net migration rate, indicating that residents were moving to the suburbs of the metropolitan area or to other states of Mexico.

2000: Daily Crime Reports

Between 2000 and 2004, an average of 478 crimes were reported each day in Mexico City, though the actual crime rate was thought to be much higher.

2000: Migration Rate

From 1995 to 2000, the net migration rate of Mexico City was negative.

2000: Direct Election of Local Authorities

In 2000, local authorities in Mexico City were first elected directly by plurality.

2002: Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México

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

2002: Human Development Index

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

2003: Study of Peñon Woman

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

2004: Daily Crime Reports

Between 2000 and 2004, an average of 478 crimes were reported each day in Mexico City, though the actual crime rate was thought to be much higher.

2005: Mexico City Hosts NFL Regular Season Game

In 2005, Mexico City became the first city to host an NFL regular season game outside of the United States, at the Azteca Stadium. The crowd of 103,467 people was the largest ever for a regular season game in NFL history.

2005: NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series

In 2005, the NASCAR Nationwide Series ran the Telcel-Motorola México 200, and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series ran the Mexico City 250 for the first time.

2005: HDI Values

In the 2005 report, the boroughs of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Iztapalapa had the lowest HDI values in Mexico City, while Milpa Alta had a "medium" HDI.

2005: Human Development Index

The Human Development Index report of 2005 showed varying levels of HDI among Mexico City's boroughs, with Benito Juárez borough having the highest HDI in the country.

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 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit hosted the Champ Car World Series Gran Premio de México.

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: Income of Top Earners

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: UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2007, the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), known as Ciudad Universitaria, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

2008: Population in 2008

In 2008, Greater Mexico City's population 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 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: NFL Record Broken

In 2009, Mexico City's 2005 NFL attendance record was broken.

2009: Races Removed from Series Schedules

In 2009, 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: Security Upgrade

Under policies enacted by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard between 2009 and 2011, Mexico City underwent a major security upgrade.

2010: Religious Demographics

In 2010, the majority (82%) of the residents in Mexico City were Catholic. This was slightly lower than the national percentage of 87% from the same census, marking a decrease in the proportion of Catholics over the last decades.

2010: Mexico City's HDI Value

Mexico City's 2010 HDI value of 0.9225 (or 0.8307 by newer methodology) was Mexico's highest.

September 2011: Dalai Lama Inaugurates Tibet Exhibit at Memory and Tolerance Museum

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

2011: 2011 GDP

In 2011, Greater Mexico City had a GDP of $411 billion.

2011: Museo Soumaya Inaugurates New Facility

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

2011: Security Upgrade

Under policies enacted by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard between 2009 and 2011, Mexico City underwent a major security upgrade.

September 2013: Ecobici bicycle sharing system expanded

In September 2013, Mexico City's Ecobici bicycle sharing system comprised 276 stations and approximately 4,000 bicycles were available for public use.

2013: 2013 Economy

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

2013: Shift in Abbreviation Usage

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

2014: Pollution Levels Dropped

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

2015: City Government Report

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: UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities

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

2015: Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix Returns

The Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix returned to the sport in 2015, held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

January 2016: Renaming of Mexico City

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

January 2016: Federal District Ceases, CDMX is Born

On January 29, 2016, the Federal District (DF) officially became Ciudad de México (CDMX), gaining greater autonomy and changes to its governance.

2016: Political Reforms

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

2016: High private car usage

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

2016: Formula E Mexico City ePrix

In 2016, the Formula E Mexico City ePrix began being held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

2016: Incidence of Femicides

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

January 2017: Ratification of Constitution

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

2017: Design City Designation

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

2017: NBA Interest in Mexico City

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

2018: Political Slogan Introduced

During Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration in 2018, the political slogan "la Ciudad de la Esperanza" (The City of Hope) was introduced.

2018: NBA Interest in Mexico City

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 Announced for Mexico City

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

2019: Expansion of the Mexico City megalopolis

In 2019, Querétaro was added to the Mexico City megalopolis as defined by the Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis (CAMe), thus expanding the area covered by the megalopolis.

2019: New Integrated Map and Payment Card for Public Transportation

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

2019: Restaurant Sud 777 Placed on World's 50 Best Restaurants List

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

2020: Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Population

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

2020: 2020 census

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

2020: Population of Mexico City megalopolis

In 2020, the Mexico City megalopolis, officially known as the Corona regional del centro de México, had a population of 33.4 million, representing more than one quarter of the country's population according to the census.

2020: Capitanes de la Ciudad de México Joins G League

LNBP team, Capitanes de la Ciudad de México, will be joining the G League in the 2020–21 season on a five-year agreement

2020: Borough Populations

The provided text mentions the boroughs of Mexico City with their 2020 populations.

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: Mexico City Ranked 13th Best for Restaurants

In 2023, Mexico City ranked 13th best on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. The Mexican avant-garde restaurant Pujol was recognized.

May 2024: Record High Temperature

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

2024: Mexico City Restaurants Receive Michelin Stars

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

2024: GaWC 2024 ranking

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

2025: Ban on Traditional Bullfights Enacted

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.