Western Sahara
Whether it is part of Morocco or is the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), for three quarters occupied by Morocco, is disputed.
In the peace plan a future Western Sahara Authority (WSA) is envisaged.
| |||||
| National motto: none | |||||
 | |||||
| Official language | Arabic | ||||
| Capital | Laayoune | ||||
| Largest city | Laayoune | ||||
| President (in exile) | Mohamed Abdelaziz | ||||
| Prime Minister (in exile) | Abdelkader Taleb Oumar | ||||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 83th 266,000 km² Negligible | ||||
| Population
- Total - Density | Ranked 182th
261,794 (July 2003 est.) 1/km² | ||||
| Independence - Declared - Claimed and controlled | From Spain February 27, 1976 By Morocco | ||||
| Currency | Moroccan Dirham (MAD) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC 0 | ||||
| National anthem | ? | ||||
| Internet TLD | None (.eh is reserved) | ||||
| Calling Code | + 212. (same code as Morocco) | ||||
| Table of contents |
|
2 Politics 3 Geography 4 Economy 5 Demographics 6 See also 7 External links |
Main article: History of Western Sahara
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 carried by the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
Main articles: Politics of Western Sahara
The legal status of the territory and the question of its sovereignty is unresolved; the territory is contested by Morocco and Polisario Front.
Map of Western Sahara
See also Foreign relations of Morocco, Foreign relations of Western Sahara
Western Sahara is located in Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco. It also borders Algeria to the northeast.
Main article: Economy of Western Sahara
Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Main article: Demographics of Western Sahara
As of July 2003 there are an estimated 261,794 people living in the territory of Western Sahara, most of the Sahrawi nationality. They speak Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic and Spanish. The main religion is Islam.
From the CIA World Factbook 2003
History
Politics
Geography
Main article: Geography of Western SaharaEconomy
Demographics
See also
Communications in Western Sahara
External links
| Countries in Africa | ||
| Algeria | Angola | Benin | Botswana | Burkina Faso | Burundi | Cameroon | Cape Verde | Central African Republic | Chad | Comoros | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Republic of the Congo | Côte d'Ivoire | Djibouti | Egypt¹ | Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea | Ethiopia | Gabon | The Gambia | Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Kenya | Lesotho | Liberia | Libya | Madagascar | Malawi | Mali | Mauritania | Mauritius | Morocco | Mozambique | Namibia | Niger | Nigeria | Rwanda | São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe | Senegal | Seychelles | Sierra Leone | Somalia | South Africa | Sudan | Swaziland | Tanzania | Togo | Tunisia | Uganda | Zambia | Zimbabwe | ||
| Other areas: Canary Islands | Madeira Islands | Mayotte | Réunion | Saint Helena | Western Sahara | ||