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Western Sahara (EH in ISO 3166-1) is a region of
northwestern Africa, bordering Morocco on
the north, Algeria on the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic
ocean on the west. The largest city is Laayoune.
Whether it is part of Morocco or is the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), for three quarters occupied by Morocco,
is disputed.
In the peace plan a future Western Sahara Authority (WSA) is envisaged.
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_Morocco#Western Sahara, Foreign relations of Western
Sahara
Legal status of territory and question of sovereignty 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 territory 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
See also
External links
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