Description

حمدى طربين [Hamdi Taraben / Tarabin].

مصور سورية العمومية
[General Map of Syria]

Damascus: وزارة المعارف [Ministry of Education] – Publisher, المطبعة الهاشمية [Hashemite Press] – Printer, 1370 – 1951.

The map in Arabic language, made in 1951 by the Monistry of Education during the unstable period of the Syrian Republic (1946-1963), precisely in the time of the presidency of Hashim al-Atassi (1875 – 1960) appears to present the Levant during the restless period in the run up to World War II.

Syria and Lebanon (which is additionally detailed in an inset map, lower right) where growing impatient with French rule and would soon take advantage of the upheaval caused by the war was to gain their independence in 1946 and 1944 respectively. Further south, Palestine has been divided into western and eastern parts. What is today Israel and the Palestinian Authority is still the unified mandate of Palestine, shown before it was divided by the UN into Jewish and Arab sectors, in 1948. Meanwhile, to the east is the Hashemite state of Transjordan (which became Jordan in 1949). To the north of the scene is the Republic of Turkey, ruled by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

The map shows the boundary between Syria and Turkey as it was up to 1938, before the Hatay Province (containing the grand old cities of Iskenderun and Antakya) succeeded from Syria before joining Turkey in 1939. It must be noted, however, that Syria has never recognized the departure of Hatay, and Syrian-published maps even up the present day still show the province to be a part of Syria.

For another version of this map, please see David Rumsey’s collection: Syria (سورية ) – David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.