Our August Map of the Month is this National Geographic map titled Europe and the Near East. It displays a comprehensive post-WWII view of Western and Eastern Europe as well as the North African Coast and part of the Middle East. Published in 1949 after the conclusion of several years of negotiations, it documents multiple post-war developments that would go on to greatly impact the world throughout the rest of the 20th century.
One of the most prominent developments featured on this map is the geopolitical division of Germany and Austria into four occupation sectors under the control of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. The decision to divide and occupy the German and Austrian states was finalized in the Potsdam Conference of 1945 with the goal of demilitarizing and neutralizing Germany and ensuring it made the required reparations before reunification. Given the prominence of the Nazi party in Austria during WWII and its largely willing annexation to Germany, the Allied forces decided to include it in the division and occupation. While Austria was reunified and granted independence in 1955, Germany’s journey to reunification was much longer.
In 1949, The United States, United Kingdom, and France unified their territories as the independent Federal Republic of Germany (known as West Germany) while the Soviet Union established the German Democratic Republic (known as East Germany). This division of East and West Germany lasted until 1990 and was a point of contention throughout the Cold War. The division also caused the torment of millions of German citizens as they were separated from their families for decades.
Another impactful post-war development depicted on this map is the new state of Israel and its original borders with Palestine. Although the idea of a Jewish state originated during World War I, it was not put into action until the Holocaust drew international attention to the extremity of anti-Semitism in Europe. In 1948, Israel was founded on what had previously been Palestinian land and the Palestinian citizens were relegated to two smaller regions (as shown on the map). This was the beginning of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict that resulted in several wars causing changes to the Israel-Palestine borders and a significant reduction of the Palestinian territory compared to the original division of land shown on this map.
One post-war development featured on this map that went on to have an impressive global economic impact is the construction of an oil pipeline in northern Saudi Arabia. Eventually known as the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, this oil pipeline was active from 1950-1976 and was one of the most important tools in Middle Eastern oil production and exportation. It allowed for expedited transport of oil across the country to the Mediterranean Sea where it would be shipped to Europe and the United States. The Trans-Arabian Pipeline aided the economic growth of Saudi Arabia as well as the increasingly close relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia that stemmed from the oil trade.
We hope you enjoyed this month's map! As with all of our Map of the Month features, if you’d like to learn more about this map or schedule a visit to explore our maps in person, please submit a Map and Geo Service Request. We’ll be sure to get back to you within two business days, but typically sooner.
- Kelsey Kerley, Map and GIS Assistant