Western Sahara

Western Sahara

Introduction

Background

Morocco annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976 and claimed the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania’s withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Morocco’s sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire and the nearly 1,700 mile-long defensive sand berm built by the Moroccans from 1980 to 1987 separates the opposing forces with Morocco controlling the roughly 80 percent of the territory west of the berm. A UN-organized referendum on the territory’s final status has been repeatedly postponed. The UN since 2007 has sponsored intermittent talks between representatives of the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front to negotiate the status of Western Sahara. Morocco has put forward an autonomy proposal for the territory, which would allow for some local administration while maintaining Moroccan sovereignty. The Polisario, with Algeria’s support, demands a popular referendum that includes the option of independence. Ethnic tensions in Western Sahara occasionally erupt into violence requiring a Moroccan security force response.

Geography

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates

24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 266,000 sq km
country comparison to the world: 78 land:266,000 sq km
water:0 sq km

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 elevation 805 m

Natural resources

phosphates, iron ore

Land use

arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops:0%
other:99.98% (2005)

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

Environment – current issues

sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment – international agreements

party to: none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective:Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups

Arab, Berber

Languages

Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Religions

Muslim

Population

507,160 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171 note:estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration

fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.9% (male 99,797/female 97,700)
15-64 years:57.5% (male 143,808/female 147,823)
65 years and over:3.6% (male 7,918/female 10,114) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 20.3 years
male:19.8 years
female:20.8 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

3.097% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9

Birth rate

32.1 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

Death rate

8.96 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

Urbanization

urban population: 82% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:3.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

EL AAIUN (capital) 213,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.78 male(s)/female
total population:0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 60.44 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 34 male:65.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female:55.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 61.13 years
country comparison to the world: 184 male:58.94 years
female:63.41 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.3 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

NA

Government

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Western Sahara
former:Rio de Oro, Saguia el Hamra, 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, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), near Tindouf, Algeria, led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ

territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976 when Spain withdrew, 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 Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984

Morocco between 1980 and 1987 built a fortified sand berm delineating the roughly 80 percent of Western Sahara west of the barrier that currently is controlled by Morocco

guerrilla activities continued sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented on 6 September 1991 (Security Council Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)

Capital

none
time difference:UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins first Sunday in April

ends last Sunday in July

Administrative divisions

none (territory west of the berm under de facto Moroccan control)

Suffrage

none

(residents of Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara participate in Moroccan elections)

Executive branch

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

International organization participation

AU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none

Diplomatic representation from the US

none

Economy

Economy – overview

Western Sahara has a small market-based economy whose main industries are fishing, phosphate mining, and pastoral nomadism. The territory’s arid desert climate makes sedentary agriculture difficult, and Western Sahara imports much of its food. The Moroccan Government administers Western Sahara’s economy and is a source of employment, infrastructure development, and social spending in the territory. Western Sahara’s unresolved legal status makes the exploitation of its natural resources a contentious issue between Morocco and the Polisario. Morocco and the EU in July 2006 signed a four-year agreement allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Oil has never been found in Western Sahara in commercially significant quantities, but Morocco and the Polisario have quarreled over who has the right to authorize and benefit from oil exploration in the territory. Western Sahara’s main long-term economic challenge is the development of a more diverse set of industries capable of providing greater employment and income to the territory.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$900 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP – real growth rate

NA%

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: NA%
industry:NA%
services:40% (2007 est.)

Labor force

144,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 50%
industry and services:50% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Budget

revenues: $NA
expenditures:$NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Agriculture – products

fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases)

camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)

fish

Industries

phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

90 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity – consumption

83.7 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

Oil – consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

Oil – imports

1,802 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

Exports

$NA

Exports – commodities

phosphates 62%

Imports

$NA

Imports – commodities

fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Debt – external

$NA

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar -
8.3619 (2010)
8.0571 (2009)
8.3563 (2007)
8.7722 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

6 (2010)
country comparison to the world:174

Airports – with paved runways

total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m:3 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:1
under 914 m:1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Ad Dakhla, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Military

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 79,489
females age 16-49:87,362 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 5,523
female:5,429 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

Many neighboring states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara

several states have extended diplomatic relations to the “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic” represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara

most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria