Spanish Sahara

Spanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was occupied and ruled by Spain between 1884 and 1976. It was one of the last holdings of the Spanish Empire, which had once extended from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies.

Between 1946 and 1958, the Spanish Sahara was combined with the nearby Spanish-protected Cape Juby and Spanish Ifni to form a new colony called Spanish West Africa. This changed during the Ifni War, when Ifni and the Sahara became separate provinces of Spain, while Cape Juby was given to Morocco.

Spain gave up control of the area following pressure from the United Nations and demands for decolonisation. The native Sahrawi people, through the Polisario Front, also pushed for independence. After gaining independence in 1956, Morocco and Mauritania claimed the territory. In 1976, both countries invaded, but the Polisario Front fought for an independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Today, Morocco controls about two-thirds of the area, while the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic holds the rest. Spain remains the official administrator of the territory according to international law.

Name

From 1958 to 1976, the area was officially called the province of Sahara. Before 1958, it was split into three parts: Rio De Oro, the "occupied zone," and the Southern Protectorate.

History

Beginning

Since the 1700s, Spanish fishermen from the Canary Islands traveled to the shores of Western Sahara because there was plenty of fish there. In the late 1800s, groups formed to explore and take control of this unknown land. They asked the Spanish government for help. Spain was worried that other countries might try to claim the area, so they agreed. In 1884, Spain officially claimed part of the coast for themselves.

Occupation and annexation

In 1881, a company built a small dock in a bay. In 1884, a Spanish person named Emilio Bonelli made an agreement with local leaders to set up trading places. Spain used this agreement to say the area was under their protection. They built a fort and named it Vila Cisneros. Over time, Spain made more agreements and claimed more land, though they could not control all of it.

Ma El Ainin

Even though Spain claimed the land, their control was limited to just a few places. Other countries, like France, were more active in the area. A leader named Ma El Ainin wanted to stop colonial powers from taking over. He built a city and got help from leaders in Morocco. However, as time went on, he faced challenges from both the French and changes in leadership in Morocco.

French victory

One of Ma El Ainin's sons became a leader and tried to take control of a city. However, the French stopped him. During World War I, there were attempts to get local groups to fight against the French, but these efforts did not succeed. The resistance continued for many years.

Assertion of Spanish control

Spain did not try to control much of the land at first. But later, they made efforts to settle more areas and set up patrols with help from local groups. By 1934, Spain had fully taken control of their colony.

The Forgotten Colony (1934–1958)

After taking control, Spain did not change much in the lives of the local people. They continued their traditions and ways of living. Spain had few settlers and focused mainly on fishing and trade. During World War II, Spain considered expanding but did not. In 1947, they combined some areas into Spanish West Africa.

Sahrawi insurgency and Moroccan claims

After Morocco gained independence, they claimed the area as their own. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, groups formed to fight for Sahrawi independence. By 1975, Spain could no longer control the area and left. Morocco and Mauritania took over, but disputes over the land continue today.

Present status

Further information: Political status of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is seen by the United Nations as a place that still needs to decide its own future. It is not officially part of Morocco, and international rules treat it as land that is currently under control by another country’s forces. Spain still holds the official right to manage the area, as decided by a court in 2014. This view is shared by the United Nations, the African Union, and many legal experts. Spain also still controls the air above Western Sahara.

Today, most people living in Western Sahara are from Morocco. However, moving people into a place that another country controls is against international agreements. The United Nations wants to help the people of Western Sahara decide their future through a vote, but this has not happened yet. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is recognized by many countries and the African Union as a nation.