Statistical information Western Sahara 1992
Western Sahara in the World
Western Sahara - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: 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 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.
Western Sahara - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 266,000 km²
Land: 266,000 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:
2,046 km total; Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km,
Morocco 443 km
Morocco 443 km
Coastline: 1,110 km
Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Disputes:
claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the
UN-administered cease-fire has been currently in effect since September 1991
UN-administered cease-fire has been currently in effect since September 1991
Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore 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
Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore
Land use
Land use: arable land: NEGL%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 19%; forest and woodland 0%; other 81%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Western Sahara - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 201,467 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s); adjective - Sahrawian,
Sahraouian
Sahraouian
Ethnic groups: Arab and Berber
Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Religions: Muslim
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 48 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 20 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: -2 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility; sparse water and arable land
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 159 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 43 years male, 45 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Western Sahara - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: none
Government type:
legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the
Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government in exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic
Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in
April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in
August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government in exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government in exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic
Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in
April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in
August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government in exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
Capital: none
Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Dependent areas
Independence
National holiday
Constitution
Legal system
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage
Executive branch
Legislative branch
Judicial branch
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation: none
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
National symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Western Sahara - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and having little rainfall, has a per capita GDP of roughly $300. Pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining are 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.
Moroccan Government.
GDP: $60 million, per capita $300; real growth rate NA% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: limited largely to subsistence agriculture; some barley is grown in nondrought years; fruit and vegetables are grown in the few oases; food imports are essential; camels, sheep, and goats are kept by the nomadic natives; cash economy exists largely for the garrison forces
Industries: phosphate, fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: 12,000; 50% animal husbandry and subsistence farming
Organized labor: NA
Labor force
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: NA
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $8 million (f.o.b., 1982 est.)
Commodoties: phosphates 62%
Partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Imports: $30 million (c.i.f., 1982 est.)
Commodoties: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 8.889 (March 1992), 8.071 (1991), 8.242 (1990), 8.488 (1989), 8.209 (1988), 8.359 (1987)
Western Sahara - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 60,000 kW capacity; 79 million kWh produced, 425 kWh per capita (1989)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Western Sahara - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Western Sahara - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Western Sahara - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
13 total, 13 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none
with runways over 3,659 m; 3
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways over 3,659 m; 3
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Western Sahara - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
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