National Atlas of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Libya · Unknown · 1978
Related Reviews & Articles
Report: An atlas of Libya
Péchoux, Pierre-Yves · 1986
This review examines the *National Atlas of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya*, prepared in Sweden for the Planning Secretariat with input from Libyan scholars and local institutions, using statistical and cartographic data available in 1976–1977. Péchoux considers it one of the finest sources for understanding contemporary Libya. The atlas consists primarily of analytical small-scale maps (1:2,000,000) covering orography, climate, agricultural production, and industrial sites; the map of the Sebha region stands out as relatively detailed. Larger scales—1:1,000,000 for Cyrenaica and 1:250,000 for Tripolitania—reveal major relief features, the road network, and the distribution of clustered population. Large-scale maps are rare and limited to development plans of major cities, archaeological zones, and exemplary ongoing agricultural projects, often paired with aerial photographs that highlight agrarian colonization works funded by oil revenues. The atlas clearly reflects Libya’s sudden oil wealth: hydrogeological and water-resource maps, as well as the petroleum-perimeter map, are direct outcomes of hydrocarbon exploitation, while distinctive geological maps (Precambrian surface and Paleozoic surface at the base of the Mesozoic) stem from petroleum exploration campaigns. Historical maps situate Libya within the Arab world, and Gemini satellite images, though more anecdotal, are included with sketch maps. Notably, the small-scale southern maps reveal that borders claimed by Libya at the fringes of Algeria, Niger, and Chad do not coincide with generally accepted limits. Péchoux concludes that very few states in the region possess an atlas of comparable quality.
Review: An atlas of Libya: National Atlas of the socialiste people's Libyan Arab Jomahiriya
Péchoux, Pierre-Yves · 1990
This paper presents and assesses a comprehensive atlas of Libya that contextualizes the country within the Muslim, Arab, and African spheres and traces its historical geography. The atlas employs a multi-scalar cartographic approach: thematic maps of geology, pedology, vegetation, and population are typically rendered at scales between 1:5,000,000 and 1:18,000,000, the latter used for climatic data. More detailed large-scale maps are devoted to soil suitability, agricultural development projects, urban planning, and particularly evocative maps of hydrocarbon concession zones. Historical coverage is richer for the medieval period than for the colonial era. The review finds the atlas to be a clear, convenient, and authoritative reference, offering the most rigorous available introduction to modern Libya. An entirely Arabic edition further enhances its accessibility and scholarly value. Minor cartographic omissions—notably a lacunose map of airfields in the south—are noted but are deemed neither unusual nor uniquely Libyan. These gaps do not detract from the atlas’s overall excellence as a foundational resource for researchers, planners, and students seeking a serious understanding of Libya’s physical and human landscapes.
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