Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a special area in north-western Africa that the United Nations still considers a territory that has not yet become independent. It is called "Africa's last colony" because it is the last part of Africa that was once ruled by a European country but has not yet gained full independence. Covering about 272,000 square kilometres, it is mostly a dry, flat desert and has very few people living there—only around 600,000.

In the past, Spain ruled this area, calling it the Spanish Sahara. But in 1975, Spain began to leave, and soon after, a disagreement over who should control Western Sahara led to a war. A group called the Polisario Front said that the people of Western Sahara should be free and set up a government from far away in Algeria. Today, most of the land is controlled by Morocco, which has built a very long wall to separate the different parts. The Polisario Front still wants Western Sahara to be independent and is supported mainly by Algeria. Many countries, including France and the United States, support Morocco's ideas about how Western Sahara should be governed.

History

Main article: History of Western Sahara

Early history

Further information: Timeline of Serer history and Serer history

The earliest known people in Western Sahara were the Gaetuli. Roman records mention tribes like the Gaetulian Autololes or Gaetulian Daradae. The area has Berber roots, seen in local names and traditions.

Other early groups may have included the Bafour and later the Serer. Over time, Berber-speaking groups mixed with Arab tribes from the Beni Ḥassān.

Islam arrived in the 8th century, shaping the region’s culture. Trade grew, with caravans traveling between places like Marrakesh and Tombouctou in Mali.

Spanish province

Main article: Spanish Sahara

Spain controlled Western Sahara from 1884 to 1975. At first, Spain was interested in the area for fishing. Later, Spain claimed parts of the coast and gradually took control of more land. After agreements at the Berlin Conference in 1884, Spain made Western Sahara a colony. It took until the 1930s to fully control the area, facing many local resistance efforts. The land was split into two regions: Saguía el-Hamra and Río de Oro.

After World War II, many colonies around the world gained independence. Spain slowly began to lose control of its colonies. By 1974–75, Spain promised a vote for independence in Western Sahara.

At the same time, Morocco and Mauritania also claimed the land. Algeria supported the Polisario Front, which wanted full independence for Western Sahara.

On November 6, 1975, Morocco sent many people to march peacefully into Western Sahara. Soon after, Moroccan troops entered the area.

Demands for independence

As Spain left, Morocco and Mauritania took control of different parts of Western Sahara. The Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, resisted this and began a guerrilla war. In 1979, Mauritania left, and Morocco took control of the rest. Morocco built a long wall to defend against guerrilla attacks. Fighting stopped in 1991 with a UN-brokered ceasefire.

Stalling of the referendum and Settlement Plan

The planned vote on independence or union with Morocco was delayed many times. Both sides disagreed on who should be allowed to vote. The UN tried to help but made little progress.

Baker Plan

Main article: Baker Plan

A plan by James Baker suggested an autonomous Western Sahara, followed by a vote after five years. Everyone living there could vote. Both sides rejected this plan at first, but later the Polisario agreed to discuss it. Morocco still refused.

End of the 2000s

See also: Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal

Baker left the UN in 2004 without solving the problem. Morocco offered limited self-rule but refused any vote on independence. Protests happened in areas controlled by Morocco.

2010s

In 2010, a protest camp was set up near Laayoune. Moroccan forces broke it up, leading to unrest. In 2016, the European Union said Western Sahara is not part of Morocco.

2020s

In the 2020s, more countries supported Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara. The US recognized Moroccan control in 2020. In 2021, Morocco suggested autonomy under its rule. In 2025, the UN encouraged talks based on Morocco’s plan for autonomy.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is found along the northwest coast of West Africa and near North Africa. It touches the North Atlantic Ocean to the northwest. It shares borders with Morocco to the north-northeast, Algeria to the east-northeast, and Mauritania to the east and south.

The land near the coast is a flat desert that rises in the north to small mountains up to 600 metres (2,000 ft) tall on the eastern side. Although the area can have sudden rainstorms in the spring, it has no permanent rivers. Sometimes, a cool ocean current brings fog and heavy dew.

The interior gets very hot in the summer, with average daily temperatures reaching 43–45 °C (109–113 °F) in July and August. Even in winter, days stay warm, with averages from 25 to 30 °C (77 to 86 °F). However, in the northern part, temperatures can drop below 0 °C (32 °F) at night during December and January, though this is uncommon.

Western Sahara includes four main natural areas: Saharan halophytics, Mediterranean acacia-argania dry woodlands and succulent thickets, Atlantic coastal desert, and North Saharan steppe and woodlands.

Government and politics

See also: Politics of Western Sahara, Foreign relations of Morocco, and Foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

The land called Western Sahara is fought over by two groups: Morocco and the Polisario Front. The United Nations says it is a place that has not yet chosen its own government.

Morocco is ruled by a king who has a lot of power. The king chooses leaders and can change laws. Morocco says the parts of Western Sahara it controls are part of the country, treating them like any other area.

The Polisario Front says it wants to create a new country called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Its leaders work from camps in Algeria. They also control a small part of Western Sahara far from Morocco. This area has only about 30,000 people who move around with their animals.

Some countries support Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara, while others support the Polisario Front. This disagreement continues to this day.

Administrative divisions

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic thinks of its land in two ways:

• 4 areas, named after their main towns: Aousserd, Dakhla, Laayoune, and Smara
• 25 smaller areas

Moroccan regions and provinces

Three parts of Morocco include areas of Western Sahara:

• Guelmim-Oued Noun Region

  Assa-Zag Province

• Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra Region

  Boujdour Province

  Es Semara Province

  Laâyoune Province

  Tarfaya Province

• Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab Region

  Aousserd Province

  Oued Eddahab Province

Morocco controls the land west of a wall, while the Sahrawi Republic controls the land east of it.

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Western Sahara

The fight over Western Sahara has caused problems for many people. Some people had to leave their homes, and there have been many fights and sad events.

During the years when fighting was heavy, both sides said the other hurt people badly. Some groups have said that both Morocco and the Polisario Front have not always treated people well.

Many groups around the world watch to make sure people are treated fairly.

Dispute

Main article: Political status of Western Sahara

See also: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1979

Western Sahara was split between Morocco and another country in 1976. Later, Morocco took more land. Now, Morocco calls this area the “Southern Provinces.”

The part not controlled by Morocco is called the Free Zone. The Polisario Front says they manage this area for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. It is hard to travel there because of the desert, old fights, and dangers left behind.

United Nations soldiers watch to make sure that Morocco and the Polisario Front do not fight again. They met in 2018 to talk about peace.

During a time when both Morocco and Mauritania controlled parts of the land, the part Mauritania had was called Tiris al-Gharbiyya.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Western Sahara

Western Sahara has rich fishing waters and phosphate reserves, but few other natural resources. It does not get enough rain or have enough fresh water for most farming. Some people think there might be oil and natural gas under the ocean near Western Sahara, but it is not clear if these can be used or if it is allowed because Western Sahara is not fully independent.

The main industry in Western Sahara is fishing, which gives jobs to most people. Mining, farming, and tourism also help a little. Most food for city people comes from Morocco. Morocco controls all trade and money in Western Sahara. The government gives money and lowers prices on basic goods to encourage people to move there. This has made the economy in the part controlled by Morocco mostly depend on the government.

Because Western Sahara's status is disputed, it is not clear which international rules apply. In 2024, a court in Europe said that products from Western Sahara sold in Europe must be labeled to show they are from Western Sahara, not Morocco.

After oil was found in nearby Mauritania, people wondered if there might be oil off the coast of Western Sahara. Both Morocco and the Polisario have made deals with oil and gas companies. Some companies started looking for oil, but later stopped because of pressure from groups that care about ethics. In 2014, a company did surveys looking for oil, which some said was against international rules.

Europe has fishing agreements with Morocco that include Western Sahara's waters. Some people think these agreements might break international rules. The same is true for mining phosphate in Bou Craa.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Western Sahara

The people who live in Western Sahara are mainly known as Sahrawis in Western media, but in Morocco they are called "Southerners" or "Southern Berbers". They speak Hassaniya or Berber and have Berber origins. Many have mixed Berber and Arab heritage. They are mostly nomadic and live a lifestyle similar to the Tuareg Berbers.

As of July 2004, about 267,405 people lived in the parts of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco. Many people from Morocco have moved there, and they now outnumber the original Sahrawi people. The exact size and makeup of the population is debated politically.

The area controlled by the Polisario has very few people, about 30,000 in 2008. These people are mostly nomads who raise camels. However, the area is dangerous because of land mines placed by the Moroccan army.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Western Sahara

See also: Western Saharan cuisine

The main group of people in Western Sahara are the Sahrawis, a group of nomads or Bedouin who speak Hassānīya, a type of Arabic. They come from both Arab and Berber backgrounds and trace their roots to the Beni Hassan, an Arab group that moved across the desert many years ago.

The Sahrawis practice Sunni Islam in the Maliki tradition. Their religious customs mix with older Berber and African traditions, which makes their practices different from those in cities. For example, traditional Sahrawi life often did not include mosques because of their nomadic way of living.

In 1975, a big change happened when war forced many Sahrawis to move to refugee camps in Algeria, where they still live today. Families were separated during this difficult time.

The Museum of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army is in one of these camps. It shows items like old weapons, vehicles, and uniforms, as well as many documents about the history of the Sahrawi people's fight for independence.

Western Sahara has been affected by people from other places for a long time. Spain ruled the area from 1884 to 1976. Because of this, many people in Western Sahara learned to speak Spanish, and this language is still used today. Programs that send Sahrawi children to Spain for summer visits help keep the language alive.

Women in Sahrawi society have always had important roles. They could own property and make decisions, even when men were away at war or trade. Today, women are active in politics and culture.

The FiSahara International Film Festival is a yearly event in the refugee camps where people watch movies and enjoy concerts. Artists from around the world also visit for the ARTifariti workshop, where they create art with the Sahrawi people. Poetry is another important part of Sahrawi culture, with both men and women writing and sharing poems.