1962 Tourist Administration Arabic Pictorial Map of Libya

Golden Age before 'the Dictator'.

This is a c. 1962 tourist pictorial map of Libya produced by the country's Public Tourist Administration. It was produced in the wake of the discovery of vast oil reserves in the country, which rapidly transformed it from one of the poorest countries in the world to among the wealthiest post-colonial states.

A Closer Look

Libya is displayed with color-shading, giving a sense of terrain, with spots of green near the coast and around oases. Settlements of various sizes, roads of different types and qualities, oil fields, and other features are indicated according to the legend at bottom-left. Distances in kilometers between settlements are marked in red. Illustrations refer to the history, economy, recreational activities, and wildlife of different regions, including the country's impressive historical ruins, such as the Roman ruins at Sabratha (صبراتة) and Leptis Magna (لبدة), some of the best preserved in the Mediterranean, as well as the ancient Greek colony of Cyrene in the country's northeast.

A Libyan Golden Age?

Like other Italian colonies in Africa, Libya's transition out of colonization was fairly gradual. The area was invaded and occupied by the Allies by 1943, with the coastal provinces of Tripolitana and Cyrenaica administered by the British, and Fezzan, in the southwest and bordering Algeria, administered by France. In 1951, the Allied occupation ended, and a new independent kingdom was established under the leadership of Sayyid Idris, the Emir of Cyrenaica. The new government maintained relations with the Soviet Union and the emerging Arab nationalist movement, but was overall pro-Western, allowing British and American military bases and foreign companies, including Italian ones, on its soil.

In June 1959, Libya's historical trajectory was radically altered when prospectors from Esso (now Exxon) discovered large oil reserves in Cyrenaica. In 1961, the largest oil field in Libya was discovered at the Sarir field. As the government retained 50 percent of the oil profits, it quickly became incredibly wealthy. But this fantastic new wealth was not evenly distributed, and the country's pronounced regionalism could not be overcome despite reforms meant to do so. By the late 1960s, both the U.S. and U.K. intelligence services expected a coup against the monarchy, and indeed a group of army officers led by Muammar Gaddafi did just that on September 1, 1969.

Publication History and Census

Although not indicated here, this map was prepared by the Public Tourist Administration of Libya (الادارة العامة السياحة الليبية). It is undated, but the presence of oil fields and the United Arab Republic both indicate a date later than 1959 and most likely in the early 1960s. This map is not noted in the OCLC, but the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection holds an example.

Condition

Very good. Some minor verso reinforcement along some old fold splits.

References

Rumsey 16385.000.