One of the reasons why Italy wanted to colonize Libya is its location. Libya is located in the middle of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad and Sudan, so it has access to trade with all of these territories. Libya lies on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and has many ports for trading with European countries. The location was also successful because Italy would have another port and loading dock in Africa, for ships. The Italian fleet would be able to stop and reload ships repeatedly around the African coast. The coastline is very fertile and has enough vegetation to harvest crops. One of the most cultivated products is the olive to make olive oil. However, the rest of Libya is desert comprising hot, dry plateaus and open spaces with mountains reaching 3,000 feet. Precipitation is scattered and erratic in the region due to the ongoing struggle between humid Mediterranean winds and arid desert air. When rainfall occurs, it typically overflows dry river beds and washes valuable topsoil out to sea. This is an ongoing problem because topsoil contains the nutrients that crops need to grow. It is difficult for people to live inland because locals cannot make a living from agriculture. Libya was not colonized by European powers until the 20th century due to this setback. Italy's interest in Libya increased after the declaration of a French protectorate over Tunisia in 1881. Italy always considered Tunisia its most natural outlet, in part because there had a significant Italian community there.1There are many reasons why Italy decided to pursue a colonial relationship with Libya. One of them was that Italy wanted to become a colonial power like France, Great Britain, Germany,...... middle of paper ...... more on improving the Italy's overall international prestige, by trading with other nations using their ports, and the military advantage of having a port outside of Africa, rather than aiding the Libyan people. Nor was Italian colonialism guided by religious motivations aimed at converting indigenous populations to Christianity. Overall, Italy wanted to colonize Libya for its own personal gain. 5Works cited1 5 Aldrich, Robert, ed. The era of empires. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.2 4 “Italy Colonizes Libya: 1911.” World Events: Significant events throughout history. Ed. Jennifer Stock. Flight. 5: Middle East. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2013. Student Resources in Context. Internet. April 27, 2014.3 “Libyan history: Italian colonization (1911-42). » Historical clothing for boys. Np, and Web. April 17. 2014. .