Map of Western Sahara | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Northern Africa bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N 13 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 266,000 km²
Land: 266,000 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries
Total: 2,046 km
Border countries: (3) Algeria 42 km; , Mauritania 1,561 km; , Morocco 443 km

Coastline: 1110 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
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources: phosphates iron ore

Land use
Arable land: 0.02%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 99.98% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography
Note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas


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Population: 273,008 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: NA
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Sahrawi, Sahraoui
Adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups: Arab Berber

Languages: Hassaniya Arabic Moroccan Arabic

Religions: Muslim

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: NA

Birth rate: NA births/1000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: sparse water and lack of arable land
International agreements party to: none of the selected agreements
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: NA

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA years
Male: NA years
Female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2004)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Western Sahara
Former: Spanish Sahara

Government type: legal status of territory and issue 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) led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; 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: none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch: none

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none
From the us: none

Flag description

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: 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. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: NA

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - NA

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA
Industry: NA
Services: 40% (1996 est.)

Agriculture products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels sheep goats (kept by nomads)

Industries: phosphate mining handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 12,000
By occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%