Western Sahara

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Western Sahara (EH in ISO 3166-1) is a region of northwestern Africa, bordering to the Morocco on the north, to the Algeria on the norteast, to the Mauritania to the east and south, and to the Atlantic ocean on the west. The largest city is Laayoune.

الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية
Al-JumhūrīyÃÂÃÂ¢ al-ArabīyÃÂÃÂ¢ as-SahrāwīyÃÂÃÂ¢ ad-DīmuqrātīyÃÂÃÂ¢

Flag of Western Sahara Coat of arms of Western Sahara

(In detail) (In detail)

National motto: none

image:LocationWesternSahara.png

Official language Arabic

Capital Laayoune
Largest city Laayoune

President Mohamed Abdelaziz
Prime Minister Abdelkader Taleb Oumar
Area
- Total
- % water Ranked 83th
266,000 km²
Neglible

Population
- Total
- Density Ranked 182th
261,794 (July 2003 est.)
1/km²

Independence
- Declared
- Claimed From Spain
February 27, 1976
By Morocco
Currency Saharawi Pesata (EHP)
Time zone UTC 0

National anthem ?

Internet TLD None (.eh is reserved)

Calling Code + 212. (same code as Morocco)

History

Main article: History of Western Sahara

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 carried by the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Western Sahara, Foreign relations of Western Sahara, Military of Western Sahara

Legal status of territory and question of sovereignity is unresolved; territory is contested by Morocco and Polisario Front.

Map of Western Sahara

Geography

Main article: Geography of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is located in Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco. It also borders Algeria to the northeast.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Western Sahara

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.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Western Sahara

As of July 2003 there's an estimation of 261,794 people living on the teritory of Western Sahara, most of the Sahrawi nationality. They speak Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic and Spanish. The main religion is Islam.

From the CIA World Factbook 2003

Other areas