Provinces of Libya
Encyclopedia
The Provinces of Libya existed during the last period of colonial Italian Libya
through post-independence Libya
. The country was divided into provinces from 1934 in the colonial era to 1963 when the Governorates system
was instituted.
in 1912 it was administered as a single administrative unit called Italian North Africa
. Then from 1927 to 1934, the territory was split into two separate colonies, each run by their own Italian governor: Italian Cyrenaica
and Italian Tripolitania
.
In 1934 Italy adopted the name "Libya" (Italian Libya) as the official name of the reunified area, and administratively divided it up into the three provinces of Cyrenaica
, Tripolitania
and Fezzan
. In 1937 the Cyrenaica and Tripolitania provinces split, with northern Cyrenaica becoming Benghazi Province
and Derna Province, and northern Tripolitania splitting into Tripoli Province
and Misrata Province.
Fezzan was not split in 1937, but the whole southern Sahara Desert area was militarily administered as the Libyan Sahara Territory (Territorio del Sahara Libico or Il Territorio Militare del Sud). The Libyan Sahara Territory was divided into four military districts administered from the desert oases
towns of Ghat, Brak, Murzuk
and Hun. The Senussi
order Kufra
oasis area in the southeastern Libyan Desert
was not separately administered by the Italians, although in 1932 they built a fort at the holy place of El Tag
above it.
victories, when it was again split into three provinces: Tripolitania
in the northwest, Cyrenaica
in the east, and Fezzan-Ghadames in the southwest.
, with boundaries slightly shifting, until 1963. The provinces were then replaced by the Muhafazah governorates system
(muhafazah
) system in the kingdom and subsequent Libyan Arab Republic, until superseded by the 1983 Baladiyat districts system.
Italian Libya
Italian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya...
through post-independence Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The country was divided into provinces from 1934 in the colonial era to 1963 when the Governorates system
Governorates of Libya
The governorates of Libya were a tenfold top-level administrative division of Libya from 1963 until 1983.They came into being on 27 April 1963...
was instituted.
Italian colonial era
After Italy took the area from the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1912 it was administered as a single administrative unit called Italian North Africa
Italian North Africa
Italian North Africa was the aggregate of territories and colonies controlled by Italy in North Africa from 1911 until World War II...
. Then from 1927 to 1934, the territory was split into two separate colonies, each run by their own Italian governor: Italian Cyrenaica
Italian Cyrenaica
Italian Cyrenaica was an African colony, in present day eastern Libya, of the Kingdom of Italy from 1927 to 1934. It was part of the Italian North Africa territory conquered from the Ottoman empire in 1911.-History:...
and Italian Tripolitania
Italian Tripolitania
Italian Tripolitania was an African colony, in present day western Libya, of the Kingdom of Italy from 1927 to 1934. It was part of the Italian North Africa territory conquered from the Ottoman empire in 1911...
.
In 1934 Italy adopted the name "Libya" (Italian Libya) as the official name of the reunified area, and administratively divided it up into the three provinces of Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
, Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and Fezzan
Fezzan
Fezzan is a south western region of modern Libya. It is largely desert but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise inhospitable Sahara.-Name:...
. In 1937 the Cyrenaica and Tripolitania provinces split, with northern Cyrenaica becoming Benghazi Province
Benghazi Province
Benghazi Province, or Provincia di Bengazi in Italian, was one of the provinces of Libya under Italian rule. It was established in 1937.-Characteristics:Benghazi Province was located in northern Italian Libya, in Cyrenaica...
and Derna Province, and northern Tripolitania splitting into Tripoli Province
Tripoli Province
Tripoli Province, or Provincia di Tripoli in Italian, was one of the provinces of Libya under Italian rule. It was established in 1937.-Characteristics:La "Provincia di Tripoli" was located in northern Italian Libya, next to Tunisia...
and Misrata Province.
Fezzan was not split in 1937, but the whole southern Sahara Desert area was militarily administered as the Libyan Sahara Territory (Territorio del Sahara Libico or Il Territorio Militare del Sud). The Libyan Sahara Territory was divided into four military districts administered from the desert oases
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
towns of Ghat, Brak, Murzuk
Murzuk
Murzuk is an oasis town and the capital of the Murzuq District in the Fezzan region of southwest Libya. Murzuk lies on the northern edge of the Murzuq Desert, a desert of ergs or great sand dunes, and section of the Sahara Desert.-History:...
and Hun. The Senussi
Senussi
The Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi, Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Senussi was concerned with both the decline of Islamic thought and spirituality and the weakening of Muslim political...
order Kufra
Kufra
Kufra is a basin and oasis group in Al Kufrah District, southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. Kufra is historically important above all because at the end of nineteenth century it became the center and holy place of the Senussi order...
oasis area in the southeastern Libyan Desert
Libyan Desert
The Libyan Desert covers an area of approximately 1,100,000 km2, it extends approximately 1100 km from east to west, and 1,000 km from north to south, in about the shape of a rectangle...
was not separately administered by the Italians, although in 1932 they built a fort at the holy place of El Tag
El Tag
El Tag is a village and holy site in the Kufra Oasis, within the Libyan Desert subregion of the Sahara. It is in the Kufra District in the southern Cyrenaica region of southeastern Libya. The Arabic el tag translates as "crown" in English, and derives from the position above the Kufra basin...
above it.
WW II
The French and British occupied Libya in 1943 after the Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
victories, when it was again split into three provinces: Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
in the northwest, Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
in the east, and Fezzan-Ghadames in the southwest.
Independence
After independence in 1951 the three provinces continued as the subdivision system in the Kingdom of LibyaKingdom of Libya
The Kingdom of Libya, originally called the United Libyan Kingdom came into existence upon independence on 24 December 1951 and lasted until a coup d'état led by Muammar Gaddafi on 1 September 1969 overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.- Constitution :Under the...
, with boundaries slightly shifting, until 1963. The provinces were then replaced by the Muhafazah governorates system
Governorates of Libya
The governorates of Libya were a tenfold top-level administrative division of Libya from 1963 until 1983.They came into being on 27 April 1963...
(muhafazah
Muhafazah
A ' is a first-level administrative division of many Arab countries, and a second-level administrative division in Saudi Arabia. The term is usually translated to governorate in English, and occasionally to province. It comes from the Arabic root 'h-f-ẓ' which means to 'keep and guard'...
) system in the kingdom and subsequent Libyan Arab Republic, until superseded by the 1983 Baladiyat districts system.
See also
- History of Libya as Italian colonyHistory of Libya as Italian ColonyThe History of Libya as an Italian colony began in the 1910s and lasted until February 1947, when Italy officially lost all the colonies of the former Italian Empire.-First years:...
- Subdivisions of Libya
- Districts of Libya
- Governorates of LibyaGovernorates of LibyaThe governorates of Libya were a tenfold top-level administrative division of Libya from 1963 until 1983.They came into being on 27 April 1963...