Fezzan

Former province of Libya, a desert region with many oases, and with rock paintings dating from about 3000 BC. It was captured from Italy in 1942, and placed under French control until 1951 when it became a province of the newly independent United Kingdom of Libya. It was split into smaller divisions in 1963.

Physical features Fezzan extends 640 km/398 mi from north to south and 675 km/419 mi from east to west, covering an area of 405,000 sq km/156,000 sq mi. It is bordered by low ranges of hills. The Jebel-es-Soda or Black Mountains and the Haruj-el-Aswad cross the region in the north. The climate varies little and rain falls infrequently, although water is found in artesian basins below the surface. The main towns in the region are Murzuk, Sokna, Germa, Gatroun, and Tejerri.

History Fezzan (ancient Phazania) was originally transferred to Italy with the rest of Tripolitania under the Treaty of Ouchy (October 1912). In World War II a successful campaign (1941-42) organized at Fezzan by General Le Clerc, on the orders of General de Gaulle, led to the defeat of Italian troops in Libya. The area subsequently became one of three provinces in Libya. In 1963 Libya abolished the federal system of government and Fezzan lost all independent identity.