Western Sahara
Official Country Name
Western Sahara
Western Sahara Overview
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
Western Sahara Economy
Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the European Union signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.
Western Sahara Location
Western Sahara is located in Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Region
Western Sahara is located in Africa
Western Sahara Population
Western Sahara has population of 273,008 (July 2006 est.)
Western Sahara Climate
Western Sahara has hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Western Sahara Terrain
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Western Sahara Natural Resources
phosphates, iron ore
Ethnic Groups in Western Sahara
Western Sahara has the following ethnic groups - Arab, Berber
Western Sahara Religions
Muslim
Western Sahara Languages
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Western Sahara Capital
Western Sahara capital is none
Western Sahara Currency
Western Sahara currency is Moroccan dirham
Map of Western Sahara
