Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1082

 1030 ITALY : — TRIPOLI AND CYRENAICA

shepherds wen- turned into farmers, and now the whole country near the banks of the Webi Shebele is inhabited and cultivated by the higher classes also of the Somali tribes. The most productive districts are Gheledi, Mobilen and Bur Acaba. But in Northern Somaliland the Mijertins rear camels and sheep. Exports (1918) are 6,064,782 lire ; imports, 13,872,370 lire. Imports arc cottons, sugar, rice, petroleum, yarn, timber ; exports, dura, maize, gum, hides, butter, cotton. Animal produce is exported to Italy, Aden and Zanzibar, whence it is shipped to Europe, America, or India. Length of roads 1,135 miles ; steamship service on the Juba River from Kismayu to Bardera. A monthly service of steamers between Genoa and Port Durban, and the East African line of the Indian Steamship Company, Cowajee Din- shaw, from Aden to Zanzibar, connects the colony with Italy, the former directly, the latter through Aden and the India lines. Military force, 67 (Italian) officers and 2,879 (coloured) men.

Governor. — Carlo Riveri (1919).

The budget of Italian Somaliland for the year 1920-21 is as follows : revenue proper of the colony, 2,082,000 lire ; State contribution, 4,638,000 lire ; extraordinary revenue, 4,257,000 lire ; total, 10,977,000 lire. Civil ex- penditure, 4,283,207 lire ; military, 2,029,700 lire ; special expenditure, 294,000 lire; extiaordinary expenditure, 4,370,092 lire ; total, 10,977,000 lire.

Thirteen wireless telegraph stations are working in the Colony connecting the principal coast and inland towns. The wireless station at Mogadisho communicates with Italy, via Massawah.

There are in the Colony 6 principal post offices (Mogadisho, Merca, Brava, Jumbo, Baidoa, and Mahaddei), but postal business is carried out at every station. A railway will shortly be constructed from Mogadisho to Baidoa.

Tripoli and Cyrenaica.

(Libia Italiana.)

Italian Libia lies along the north coast of Africa between Tunis on the west and Egypt on the east, in longitude from about 9° to 23° east. The extreme northerly point of Libia is at about the parallel of latitude 33° north ; the southernmost point is unknown, as the territory runs into the unmapped Sahara indefinitely. According to an arrangement with France (September 12, 1919) as a result of the Treaty of 1915, the frontier extends in a curve from west of Ghadames to south of Tummo. On the Egyptian frontier Italy has obtained from Britain Jarabaib.

Government. — Tripoli fell under Turkish domination in the sixteenth century, and though, in 1714, the Arab population secured some measure of independence, the country was in 1835 proclaimed a Turkish vilayet. In September, 1911, a quarrel broke out between Turkey and Italy, and the latter invaded Tripoli and established an army there. On November 5, 1911, a decree was issued annexing Tripoli, and on February 23, 1912, the Italian Chamber passed the Bill which ratified the decree of annexation. The war, nevertheless, continued until October 18, 1912, when the Treaty of Ouchy was signed, by which the sovereignty of Italy in Tripoli was established. This has now been recognised by the Great Powers.

For administrative and military purposes the country is divided (decree of May 17, 1919) into two independent districts, Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, with their respective capitals at Tripoli and Bengazi, all under the juris- diction of the minister of colonies. Each province or district has its