20th century
| History of Malawi |
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 Malawi portal |
- 1902 – Local leader Njewa sets up a boma named after the Lilongwe River.
- 1904 – Lilongwe becomes administrative seat of British colonial Nyasaland Protectorate.
- 1905 – Road built to Dedza.
- 1906 – "Asian traders" arrive.
- 1909 – Road built to Fort Jameson and Fort Manning.
- 1910 – Administrative Lilongwe District created.
- 1923 – Diamphwe Bridge built.
- 1930 – Imperial Tobacco Company manufactory begins operating.
- 1944 – European School founded.
- 1949 – Odini Catholic newspaper begins publication.
- 1959 – Roman Catholic diocese of Lilongwe established.
- 1963 – Lilongwe Technical College founded.
- 1964 – Lilongwe becomes part of independent Malawi.
- 1966 – Population: 19,425.
- 1967 – University of Malawi's Bunda College of Agriculture active.
- 1968 – Capitol City Development Corporation formed; Lilongwe "development as the new national capital" begins.
- 1975 – Capital of Malawi moved to Lilongwe from Zomba.
- 1977
- Silver Strikers F.C. (football club) formed.
- Population: 98,718.
- 1979 – University of Malawi's Kamuzu College of Nursing established.
- 1983 – Lilongwe International Airport opens.
- 1987 – Population: 233,973.
- 1989 – Lilongwe National Botanic Garden founded.
- 1992 – May: Anti-government protest.
- 1997 – Media Institute of Southern Africa Malawi chapter headquartered in city.
- 1998 – Population: 440,471.
