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"When the soil is covered with grass, the fiercest whirlwinds will not easily blow it away, even if it is sandy. But when the soil becomes a desert place, it is very easily conquered." Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski, Poland, 20 June 1983 |
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The country, whose political future is still to be finalised, is Africa's last colony to gain independence after a long struggle. Formerly the Spanish colony of Saguia El Hamra and Rio de Oro, Western Sahara was annexed by both Morocco and Mauritania when Spain withdrew in February 1976. After Mauritania signed a peace treaty with Polisario Front and withdrew from the territory in August 1979, it was incorporated into and administered by Morocco. However the Polisario Front liberation movement continued its struggle to end all foreign occupation of its country. It formed a government-in-exile in 1976 and declared the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). In November 1984, the Polisario Front's SADR was recognised by the Organisation for African Unity leading to the withdrawal of Morocco from the OAU in protest. In May 1991, the Polisario Front and Morocco ended many years of fighting following a UN sponsored peace settlement. The final future of the state of Western Sahara will be settled when the forthcoming UN-supervised referendum is held in which the country's inhabitants must choose between independence and integration with Morocco.
The capital is El-Aaiun and the official language is Arabic. The local currency -since the Moroccan occupation- is the Moroccan dirham (DH), it was the Spanish peseta the currency used until Spain's withdrawal from the territory in 1976.
The Saharawi Republic has potential deposits of oil, natural gas, uranium, iron and phosphates.
Agriculture includes fruit, vegetables, camels, sheep and goats.
Fishing holds a great potential, it has one of the richest fishing grounds in the world.
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W
*Note:Most of the data below represents estimates; exact or reliable data is not available and/or published yet.
Area:
total: 284,000 Km²
land: 284,000 Km²
water: 0 sq km
ISO Code: EH
Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline: 1,110 km
Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 75%
Irrigated land: NA
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Find out more about Western Sahara by clicking HERE
Return to the Foreign Aid/Affairs/Defense budget by clicking HERE
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