Ottoman map of America (1836)

This Ottoman map from the first half of the 19th century shows the American continent.

The map is undated and its author is unknown, but it has some curious features. Although it shows Gran Colombia unified, it is certain that the map dates from after 1830, the year in which the federation was dissolved. The main reason is that it shows the independent Republic of Texas, something that happened in 1836. I have dated the map to 1836 because it is more likely that a map would contain outdated information than that it would predict a secession.

Among other features of the period, the map shows the Federal Republic of Central America (1824–1841) and Alaska as a colony of the Russian Empire in America (1733–1867). The map also depicts Patagonia as if it were an independent state, something relatively common in several maps from the early 20th century.

The map uses the Arabic alphabet, as did the Turkish language until it changed its writing system in 1928.

Sources

• 19th-century Ottoman map of the Americas (1830s?)