Italian Africa: Map & History
The Italian colonial empire, sometimes known as the Italian Empire, was a colonial empire that existed between 1882 and 1943; an Italian colony was revived in 1950 as a UN trust territory under Italy's administration and lasted until 1960.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Italian colonial empire, sometimes known as the Italian Empire, was a colonial empire that existed between 1882 and 1943; an Italian colony was revived in 1950 as a UN trust territory under Italy's administration and lasted until 1960. The empire comprised the colonies, protectorates, concessions and dependencies of the Kingdom of Italy in the 19th and 20th centuries. At its peak, between 1936 and 1941, the colonial possessions in Africa included the territories of present-day Libya, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. Outside Africa, Italy controlled the Dodecanese Islands, Albania, and territories in China. During World War II, the empire exercised control over four puppet states and occupied several additional territories, although these were not formally annexed.
Modern Countries Once Part of Italian Africa
At its mapped extent, Italian Africa covered territory in 4 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Ethiopia1936–1940 CE · nearly all
- Eritrea1890–1940 CE · nearly all
- Somalia1890–1940 CE · nearly all
- Libya1912–1943 CE · most
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Italian Africa's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Italian Africa in Depth
History
Imperialism in Italy dates back to ancient Rome, and the Latin notion of mare nostrum ("Our Sea", referring to the Mediterranean) has historically been the basis for Italian imperialism, especially during the fascist era. During the Middle Ages and the modern period, the Republic of Venice and the Republic of Genoa controlled networks of "colonies" in the Mediterranean region known as the Venetian Empire and the Genoese Empire respectively. Between the 15th and 16th centuries, Italian explorers contributed to the colonial enterprises of other European countries in the Americas: Cristopher Columbus from Genoa served Spain, Amerigo Vespucci from Florence served Portugal, the Cabot brothers from Venice served England, and Giovanni da Verrazzano from Florence served France.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Italian Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Italian Africa: Key Facts
| Capital | Rome |
|---|---|
| Official language | Italian |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Dissolved | 1960 |
Facts from Wikidata Q926295 (CC0).
Interactive map
Italian Africa on the World War I map →
See Italian Africa’s territory change day by day from 23 May 1915, with every battle it fought.
Interactive map
Italian Africa on the World War II map →
See Italian Africa’s territory change day by day from 10 June 1940, with every battle it fought.
Italian Africa Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Italian Africa appears, with the other states of the time.
Italian Africa Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 3,514,816 km² in 1940 CE.
Italian Africa: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Italian Africa exist?
Italian Africa is dated to 1890 CE – 1943 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of Italian Africa?
The capital of Italian Africa was Rome.
How large was Italian Africa at its peak?
At its peak in 1940 Italian Africa covered about 3,514,816 km².
How did the map of Italian Africa change over time?
Italian Africa appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1900 CE to 1914 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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