Statistical information Western Sahara 1998

Western Sahara in the World
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.
top of pageLocation: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 266,000 km²
Land: 266,000 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundariesTotal: 2,046 km
Border countries: (3) Algeria 42 km;
, Mauritania 1,561 km;
, Morocco 443 kmCoastline: 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore
Land useArable land: 19%
Permanent crops: 24%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 47%
Other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural 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
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 233,730 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
Adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber
Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Religions: Muslim
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 45.78 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 17.05 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.78 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: sparse water and arable land
International agreements party to: none of the selected agreements
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 139.74 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 48.41 years
Male: 47.32 years
Female: 49.83 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.75 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: NA
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Western Sahara
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
Capital: none
Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Dependent areasIndependenceNational holidayConstitutionLegal systemInternational law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: none; a UN sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
Executive branch: none
Legislative branchJudicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: none
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none
From the us: none
Flag description
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $NA
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: 40%-45% (1996 est.)
Agriculture products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases; camels, sheep, goats (kept by the nomads)
Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor forceTotal: 12,000
By occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A, including capital expenditures of $N/A
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $NA
Commodoties: phosphates 62%
Partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Imports: $NA
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 goldDebt external: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1_9.822 (January 1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996), 8.540 (1995), 9.203 (1994), 9.299 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 56,000 kW (1995)
Production: 85 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 391 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 2,000
Telephone system: sparse and limited system
Domestic: NA
International: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 12 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 9
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
PipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: 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 in effect since September 1991
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs