Border history · 1912–2023

Libya borders over time

CShapes records 6 changes to the borders of Libya between 1912 and 2023. It has been independent since December 24, 1951. Its territory covers 1,617,537 km², more than the 881,852 km² it covered in 1912. The largest single change came on December 6, 1925, when it gained about 518,825 km².

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Border changes
6
Area today
1,617,537 km²
Largest change
+518,825 km² (1925)
Status
Independent since 1951
December 24, 1951 – presentChoose a period to see its borders. The dashed line is the period before.

Timeline of Libya's borders

Each period is one border version in CShapes, with its area and the change from the period before.

  1. October 18, 1912 – September 11, 1919

    881,852 km²First recorded versionRuled by ItalyWorld map in 1913

  2. September 12, 1919 – December 5, 1925

    1,006,131 km²+124,279 km²Ruled by ItalyWorld map in 1920

  3. December 6, 1925 – July 19, 1934

    1,524,956 km²+518,825 km²Ruled by ItalyWorld map in 1926

  4. July 20, 1934 – May 12, 1943

    1,617,537 km²+92,581 km²Ruled by ItalyWorld map in 1935

  5. May 13, 1943 – November 20, 1949

    1,617,537 km²±0 km²Ruled by United KingdomWorld map in 1943

  6. November 21, 1949 – December 23, 1951

    1,617,537 km²±0 km²Ruled by United KingdomWorld map in 1950

  7. December 24, 1951 – present

    1,617,537 km²±0 km²IndependentWorld map in 1952

What changed

Independence, transfers between rulers, and border changes recorded for this country.

  1. Libya appears as a territory of Italy.
  2. Libya gains about 124,280 km² of territory.
  3. Libya gains about 518,824 km² of territory.
  4. Libya gains about 92,582 km² of territory.
  5. Libya passes from Italy to United Kingdom.
  6. Libya becomes independent from United Kingdom.