Population652,271
Area266,000 km²
GDP per capita$2,500
LanguagesStandard Arabic, Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, Berber, Spanish, French
Life Expectancy64.5 yr
GovernmentThe legal status of the territory and the issue of sovereignty remain unresolved; the territory is claimed by both Morocco and the Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro). In February 1976, the Polisario Front officially declared a government-in-exile for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) near Tindouf, Algeria, led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ until his death in May 2016. The current President, Brahim GHALI, was elected in July 2016. Following Spain's withdrawal in April 1976, the territory was divided between Morocco and Mauritania, with Morocco securing the northern two-thirds. Mauritania relinquished its claims to its portion under pressure from Polisario guerrillas in August 1979, after which Morocco occupied that area and has maintained administrative control since then. The Polisario's government-in-exile was recognized as a member of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1984. Between 1980 and 1987, Morocco constructed a fortified sand berm that separates the approximately 75% of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco from the rest of the territory. Guerrilla activities persisted sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was established on 6 September 1991 (Security Council Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
Introduction
Background
Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory on the northwest coast of Africa bordered by Morocco, Mauritania, and Algeria. After Spain withdrew from its former colony of Spanish Sahara in 1976, Morocco annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara 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 cease-fire and the establishment of a UN peacekeeping operation. As part of this effort, the UN sought to offer a choice to the peoples of Western Sahara between independence (favored by the Polisario Front) or integration into Morocco. A proposed referendum on the question of independence never took place due to lack of agreement on voter eligibility. The approximately 1,600 km- (almost 1,000 mi-) long defensive sand berm, built by the Moroccans from 1980 to 1987 and running the length of the territory, continues to separate the opposing forces, with Morocco controlling the roughly three-quarters of the territory west of the berm. There are periodic ethnic tensions between the native Sahrawi population and Moroccan immigrants. Morocco maintains a heavy security presence in the territory. The UN revived direct talks about the territory between Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania in December 2018.
Geography
Area
land
266,000 sq km
total
266,000 sq km
water
0 sq km
Climate
arid, hot desert; precipitation is uncommon; chilly offshore air currents create fog and substantial dew
Terrain
predominantly flat, low-lying desert featuring extensive rocky or sandy terrains that ascend to minor mountain ranges in the southern and northeastern regions
Land use
other
78.5% (2011 est.)
forest
2.7% (2011 est.)
agricultural land
18.8% (2011 est.)
arable land / permanent crops / permanent pasture
0% (2011 est.) / 0% (2011 est.) / 18.8% (2011 est.)
Location
Northern Africa, situated along the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Coastline
1,110 km
Elevation
lowest point
Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point
unnamed elevation 805 m
mean elevation
256 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total
2,049 km
border countries
Algeria 41 km, Mauritania 1564 km, Morocco 444 km
Maritime claims
Natural hazards
the hot, arid sirocco wind, laden with dust and sand, may occur during the winter and spring; a pervasive harmattan haze is present 60% of the time, frequently leading to significant visibility impairment
Geography - note
the offshore waters are notably abundant fishing grounds
Natural resources
phosphates, iron ore
Area - comparative
approximately the size of Colorado
Geographic coordinates
24 30 N, 13 00 W
Population distribution
the majority of the population resides in the western two-thirds of the area, which is under Moroccan occupation, divided by the berm; around 40% of this population is located in Laayoune, as depicted in the population distribution map
Environment - current issues
desertification; overgrazing; limited water resources and insufficient arable land
People & Society
Languages
Standard Arabic, Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, Berber, Spanish, French
Religions
Muslim
Sex ratio
at birth
1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years
1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years
0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years
0.88 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
65 years and over
0.79 male(s)/female
Birth rate
28 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Death rate
7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Median age
male
21.4 years
total
21.8 years
female
22.3 years (2020 est.)
Population
652,271 (July 2020 est.)
Nationality
noun
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective
Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Urbanization
urban population
86.8% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization
2.61% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
36.29% (male 119,719/female 116,997)
15-24 years
19.44% (male 63,852/female 62,954)
25-54 years
34.9% (male 112,301/female 115,313)
55-64 years
5.27% (male 16,095/female 18,292)
65 years and over
4.1% (male 11,802/female 14,946) (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
Arab, Berber
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
44.1
youth dependency ratio
39.2
potential support ratio
20.4 (2020 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
4.9
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Net migration rate
4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Demographic profile
Western Sahara is a non-self governing territory; approximately 75% is under Moroccan control. It was inhabited almost entirely by Sahrawi pastoral nomads until the mid-20th century. Their traditional vast migratory ranges, based on following unpredictable rainfall, did not coincide with colonial and later international borders. Since the 1930s, most Sahrawis have been compelled to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and to live in urban settings as a result of fighting, the presence of minefields, job opportunities in the phosphate industry, prolonged drought, the closure of Western Sahara's border with Mauritania from 1979-2002, and the construction of the defensive berm separating Moroccan- and Polisario-controlled (Sahrawi liberalization movement) areas. Morocco supported rapid urbanization to facilitate surveillance and security. ++ Today more than 80% of Western Sahara's population lives in urban areas; more than 40% live in the administrative center Laayoune. Moroccan immigration has altered the composition and dramatically increased the size of Western Sahara's population. Morocco maintains a large military presence in Western Sahara and has encouraged its citizens to settle there, offering bonuses, pay raises, and food subsidies to civil servants and a tax exemption, in order to integrate Western Sahara into the Moroccan Kingdom and, Sahrawis contend, to marginalize the native population. ++ Western Saharan Sahrawis have been migrating to Europe, principally to former colonial ruler Spain, since the 1950s. Many who moved to refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, also have migrated to Spain and Italy, usually alternating between living in cities abroad with periods back at the camps. The Polisario claims that the population of the Tindouf camps is about 155,000, but this figure may include thousands of Arabs and Tuaregs from neighboring countries. Because international organizations have been unable to conduct an independent census in Tindouf, the UNHCR bases its aid on a figure of 90,000 refugees. Western Saharan coastal towns emerged as key migration transit points (for reaching Spain's Canary Islands) in the mid-1990s, when Spain's and Italy's tightening of visa restrictions and EU pressure on Morocco and other North African countries to control illegal migration pushed Sub-Saharan African migrants to shift their routes to the south.
Total fertility rate
3.65 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
52.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
47.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female
43.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)
Education expenditures
NA
Population growth rate
2.54% (2020 est.)
Population distribution
approximately two-thirds of the population is concentrated in the area to the west of the berm (Moroccan-occupied) that separates the territory; around 40% of this demographic is located in Laayoune, as illustrated in this population distribution map
Life expectancy at birth
male
62.1 years
female
67 years (2020 est.)
total population
64.5 years
Major urban areas - population
232,000 Laayoune (2018)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Government
Capital
time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1 hour, starting on the last Sunday in March and concluding on the last Sunday in October
Suffrage
none; residents of Western Sahara, which is under Moroccan control, participate in Moroccan elections
Country name
former
Rio de Oro, Saguia el Hamra, Spanish Sahara
etymology
self-descriptive name specifying the territory's western location on the African continent's vast desert
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Western Sahara
Government type
The legal status of the territory and the issue of sovereignty remain unresolved; the territory is claimed by both Morocco and the Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro). In February 1976, the Polisario Front officially declared a government-in-exile for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) near Tindouf, Algeria, led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ until his death in May 2016. The current President, Brahim GHALI, was elected in July 2016. Following Spain's withdrawal in April 1976, the territory was divided between Morocco and Mauritania, with Morocco securing the northern two-thirds. Mauritania relinquished its claims to its portion under pressure from Polisario guerrillas in August 1979, after which Morocco occupied that area and has maintained administrative control since then. The Polisario's government-in-exile was recognized as a member of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1984. Between 1980 and 1987, Morocco constructed a fortified sand berm that separates the approximately 75% of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco from the rest of the territory. Guerrilla activities persisted sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was established on 6 September 1991 (Security Council Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
Executive branch
Administrative divisions
none officially; the area to the west of the Moroccan berm is under de facto Moroccan control. Morocco asserts its claim over Western Sahara, with the political status regarded as undetermined by the U.S. Government. Parts of the Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra regions, as claimed by Morocco, are situated within Western Sahara. Additionally, Morocco asserts claim over Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, another region that is entirely located within Western Sahara.
Diplomatic representation in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US
International organization participation
AU, WFTU (NGOs)
Economy
Budget
revenues
NA
expenditures
NA
Exports
Imports
Industries
extraction of phosphates, artisanal crafts
Fiscal year
calendar year
Labor force
144,000 (2010 est.)
Exchange rates
exchange rate of Moroccan dirhams (MAD) to US dollar - / 9.639 (2017 estimate) / 9.7351 (2016 estimate) / 9.7351 (2015) / 9.7351 (2014 estimate) / 8.3798 (2013 estimate)
Debt - external
Economic overview
Western Sahara has a small market-based economy whose main industries are fishing, phosphate mining, tourism, and pastoral nomadism. The territory's arid desert climate makes sedentary agriculture difficult, and much of its food is imported. The Moroccan Government administers Western Sahara's economy and is a key 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 December 2013 finalized a four-year agreement allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. As of April 2018, Moroccan and EU authorities were negotiating an amendment to renew the agreement. ++ Oil has never been found in Western Sahara in commercially significant quantities, but Morocco and the Polisario have quarreled over rights 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. However, following King MOHAMMED VI's November 2015 visit to Western Sahara, the Government of Morocco announced a series of investments aimed at spurring economic activity in the region, while the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises announced a $609 million investment initiative in the region in March 2015.
Unemployment rate
GDP real growth rate
Exports - commodities
phosphates 62% (2012 est.)
Imports - commodities
fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Agriculture - products
agricultural products (cultivated in the limited oases); camels, sheep, and goats (herded by nomadic groups); seafood
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,500 (2007 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
NA
Labor force - by occupation
industry
50%
agriculture
50%
industry and services
50% (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
NA
Population below poverty line
NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
NA
Industrial production growth rate
NA
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$906.5 million (2007 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
NA (2007 est.)
services
40% (2007 est.)
agriculture
NA (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA
highest 10%
NA
Energy
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Electricity - production
0 kWh NA (2016 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - consumption
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
1,702 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
1,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
58,000 kW (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
268,400 Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Broadcast media
The national broadcaster of Morocco, Radio-Television Marocaine (RTM), provides a radio service from Laayoune and also transmits television services; in addition, a radio station supported by the Polisario Front is in operation.
Internet country code
.eh
Telecommunication systems
international
country code - 212; integrated with Morocco's network through microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; there are 2 satellite earth stations - Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) connected to Rabat, Morocco.
general assessment
sparse and limited system
Transportation
Airports
6 (2013)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s)
Ad Dakhla, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Airports - with paved runways
total
3 (2019)
2,438 to 3,047 m
3
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
3 (2013)
under 914 m
1 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m
1 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m
1 (2013)
Military & Security
Military - note
Since 1991, the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has been active in the region of Western Sahara, operating under the terms of settlement proposals that Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO) accepted in 1988. The Mission's duties encompass overseeing the ceasefire, mitigating the hazards posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and offering logistical assistance to the UNHCR-led Confidence Building Measures while awaiting an agreement to restart these activities, which were halted in June 2014. As of November 2019, MINURSO had approximately 460 personnel deployed.
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
++ numerous adjacent countries oppose Moroccan governance of Western Sahara; a number of nations have established diplomatic ties with the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic," which is represented by the Polisario Front operating from exile in Algeria, while others endorse Morocco's initiative to provide the region with autonomy under Moroccan rule, albeit no country acknowledges Moroccan authority over Western Sahara; approximately 100,000 Sahrawi refugees are still accommodated in camps located in Tindouf, Algeria, which has been a refuge for Sahrawi refugees since the 1980s.
