Federation of Arab Republics

Federation of Arab Republics
اتحاد الجمهوريات العربية Ittiḥād al-Jumhūrīyāt al-‘Arabīyah
1972–1977
Flag Coat of arms
The Federation of Arab Republics in 1972.
Capital		Tripoli (Libya) Cairo (Egypt) Damascus (Syria)
Languages		Arabic
Government		Confederal republic
Legislature		Federal National Assembly
Historical era		Cold War
•	Referenda held	1 September 1971
•	Federation established	1 January 1972
•	Disestablished	19 November 1977
Area
•	1977	2,947,171 km² (1,137,909 sq mi)
Population
•	1977 est.	52,703,600
Density		17.9 /km²  (46.3 /sq mi)
Currency		Libyan dinar Egyptian pound Syrian pound
Preceded by Succeeded by Egypt Syria Libyan Arab Republic Egypt Syria Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Today part of		Egypt  Libya  Syria

The Federation of Arab Republics (Arabic: اتحاد الجمهوريات العربية‎‎ Ittiḥād al-Jumhūrīyāt al-‘Arabīyah)^[1] was an attempt by Libya's Muammar Gaddafi to merge Libya, Egypt and Syria in order to create a United Arab state. Although approved by a referendum in each country on 1 September 1971,^[2] the three countries disagreed on the specific terms of the merger. The federation lasted from 1 January 1972 to 19 November 1977.

It is not to be confused with the United Arab Republic, which was a single sovereign state uniting Egypt and Syria.

History

In 1969, Arab nationalist military officers seized power in Libya. The ideological influence of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser over the new Libyan regime was immediately apparent.^[3] The administration was immediately recognized by the Arab nationalist regimes in Egypt, Iraq, Sudan and Syria^[4] with Egypt sending experts to aid Libya's inexperienced government.^[5] Gaddafi propounded Pan-Arab ideas, proclaiming the need for a single Arab state stretching across North Africa and the Middle East. In December 1969, Libya founded the Arab Revolutionary Front with Egypt and Sudan as a step towards political unification, and in 1970 Syria stated its intention to join.^[6]

After Nasser's death in November 1970, his successor, Anwar Sadat, suggested that rather than a unified state, they create a political federation. It was implemented in April 1971 which enabled Egypt, Syria and Sudan to get large grants of Libyan oil money.^[7] In February 1972, Gaddafi and Sadat signed an unofficial charter of merger, but it was never implemented as relations broke down the following year. Sadat became increasingly wary of Libya's radical direction, and the September 1973 deadline for implementing the Federation passed by with no action taken.^[8]

Referendums

Three simultaneous referendums on the Federation of Arab Republics were held on 1 September 1971, in Egypt, Libya and Syria.^[9] In the Egyptian referendum the proposal was approved by 99.9% of voters,^[10] in the Libyan referendum it was approved by 98.6% of voters,^[11] whilst in Syria 96.4% voted in favour.^[12]

Other Federations of Arab Republics

• Federation between Egypt, Libya and Sudan (1969/70–1971)
• Federation between Egypt, Libya and Syria (1971/72–1974/77)
• Union between Egypt and Libya within the Federation (1972–1973/74)
• Union between Egypt and Syria within the Federation (1976–1977)
• Federation between Egypt, Sudan and Syria (1977)

• 
  FAR 1970, Syria intends to join the Egyptian-Libyan-Sudanese Federation
• 
  FAR 1971, Sudan is said to join later but keeps outside the Federation
• 
  FAR 1972, Iraq is invited to join the Egyptian-Libyan-Syrian Federation

• 
  FAR 1973, Egypt and Libya fail to form a Union within the Federation
• 
  FAR 1976, Egypt and Syria intend to form a Union within the Federation
• 
  FAR 1977, Sudan intends to join the Egypt-Syrian Federation

See also

• Arab Federation, a confederation between Iraq and Jordan (1958)
• Arab Islamic Republic, a proposed union of Libya and Tunisia (1972)
• United Arab Emirates, a union of seven Arab states (1971–present day)
• United Arab Republic, a union between Egypt and Syria (1958–61)
• United Arab States, a confederation between the United Arab Republic and the Kingdom of Yemen (1958–61)

• Unified Political Command, merger projects between Egypt and Iraq as well as between Egypt and North Yemen

References

1. The literal translation is "Union of Arab Republics".
2. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p336 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
3. Vandewalle 2008, p. 9; Bruce St. John 2012, p. 137.
4. Blundy & Lycett 1987, p. 60; Kawczynski 2011, p. 18.
5. Blundy & Lycett 1987, pp. 62–63; Kawczynski 2011, p. 18.
6. Blundy & Lycett 1987, p. 75; Kawczynski 2011, p. 65; Bruce St. John 2012, p. 186.
7. Harris 1986, p. 87; Kawczynski 2011, p. 65; Bruce St. John 2012, pp. 151–152.
8. Kawczynski 2011, p. 66; Bruce St. John 2012, p. 182.
9. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p336 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
10. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p340 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
11. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p528 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
12. Syrien, 1. September 1971 : Bildung der Vereinigten Arabischen Republik Direct Democracy (German)

Bibliography

Blundy, David; Lycett, Andrew (1987). Qaddafi and the Libyan Revolution. Boston and Toronto: Little Brown & Co. ISBN 978-0-316-10042-7.

Harris, Lillian Craig (1986). Libya: Qadhafi's Revolution and the Modern State. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-0075-4.

Kawczynski, Daniel (2011). Seeking Gaddafi: Libya, the West and the Arab Spring. Biteback. ISBN 978-1-84954-148-0.

Vandewalle, Dirk (2008), "Libya's Revolution in Perspective: 1969–2000", Libya Since 1969: Qadhafi's Revolution Revisited, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 9–53, ISBN 0-230-33750-3