The British Empire and The Middle East Maps


The British were relatively late to Empire in the Middle East compared to say the New World or Asia. Additionally, much of its influence in the region was through informal methods and usually through existing leaders and power structures. Consequently, until the end of the First World War, not much of the region was painted pink. There were just the odd naval bases and islands scattered through the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and the Gulf. The two main Empires that occupied British policy in the region were the Ottoman and the Persian Empires. The Great Game between Russia and Britain which continued for much of the 19th Century concerned policy makers on both sides, but had surprisingly little effect on British boundaries and borders on the ground. It was to be the Treaty of Versailles which saw British influence magnified in the vacuum of the defeated and much contracted Turkish Empire. British influence was paramount up to and including the Second World War after which it saw a steady contraction as the Cold War saw the Americans and Soviets compete for influence in the region and nationalism accelerated the decolonisation process.

Indian Ocean Map, 1685
Dutch East India Company Map
Napoleon in Egypt, 1801 Ottoman Empire Extent, 1801
Arabia, 1814
Map of Asia Minor Armenia and Koordistan, 1817 Persian Empire, 1824
Sir Harford Jones' 1809 Mission to Persia
And Colonel Malcolm's 1801 Mission to Constantinople
Map Published 1824
Physical Map of Middle East, 1825 Persian/Ottoman Border, 1827
Persian, Ottoman and Middle Eastern Powers, 1830
Persian Empire, 1830 Turkey, Persia and Arabia, 1831
Arabia, Egypt and Nubia Map, 1831
Ottoman Empire, 1835 Persian Empire, 1835
Alexander Burnes' Middle East Map, 1838
Ottoman and Egyptian Pashas Map, 1839
Showing Aden and Soctora as British
Arabia, Ottoman and Persian Empires, 1844
Showing Aden as British
Persia and Afghanistan Map, 1846
Middle East Map 1856
Showing Aden and Tadjoura as British
Middle East Map 1858
Red Sea Map
Showing British Islands
Aden Coastline 1860 Ottoman Empire, 1861
Also showing Railroad From Alexandria
Egypt Map 1860
Middle East Map, 1862
Also showing Railroad And Suez Canal
Sinai and Suez Canal Map, 1864
Map of Persia and Kabul, 1864
Middle East Map, 1868 Middle East Map, 1872
Showing British India, Aden and British Claimed Islands
Middle East Map, 1875
Showing British Aden and Perim Island
Middle East Map, 1881
Showing British Cyprus
Arabia and Egypt Map, 1883
Showing Aden, Kamaran, Perim and Mosha Islands
And British Consuls and Agents
Persian Empire Map, 1883
Showing British Consuls and Agents
Middle East Map, 1890 Middle East Map, 1895
Gulf of Aden Map, 1896
Middle East Map, 1896 Middle East Map, 1900
Shows Bahrain as British
The Euphrates Valley Map, 1901
Persia Map
Showing Lord Ronaldshay's Journey
Egypt 1902 Map
Showing Suez Canal Zone
Palestine Map, 1901
Middle East Map, 1902
Showing Socotra as British
Persia and Central Asia Map 1906
Showing British Baluchistan and Bahrain
Sykes Picot Map, 1916
Showing areas of French and British Influence
Map of Persia and Afghanistan in WW1
Showing Journeys by Neidermayer and Wassmuss
Bushire Region during World War One
Showing Operations by Wassmuss
Arabian Sea Map 1922
Showing British Preeminence in Region
Middle East Map, 1922
Showing areas of British influence in Palestine, Iraq and Aden
but with undetermined borders
Asia Minor Map, 1922
Showing European Spheres of Control
Middle East Map 1926
Showing British Preeminence in Region
Near East Map 1929
Showing British and French Mandates
War in the Mediterranean, 1936
Map Showing Importance of Middle East
1941 World War Two Map
Showing British Campaigns to Secure Middle East
Near East Map 1942
Showing Oil Pipelines and Axis Threat
Europe, Mediterranean and Middle East Map, 1943
Showing Communications and Resources
Air Routes to Middle East Map 1954
British European Airways
Middle East Map 1967
Soviet Map Showing Indeterminate Borders Around Aden
Arabian Peninsular Map, 1967
Soviet Map Showing Indeterminate Borders Around Aden


Middle East


Armed Forces | Art and Culture | Articles | Biographies | Colonies | Discussion | Glossary | Home | Library | Links | Map Room | Sources and Media | Science and Technology | Search | Student Zone | Timelines | TV & Film | Wargames


by Stephen Luscombe