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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Western Sahara
    n 1: an area in northwestern Africa with rich phosphate
         deposits; under Moroccan control since 1992 [syn: Western
         Sahara, Spanish Sahara]

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Western Sahara

   Introduction Western Sahara
   ---------------------------
                            Background: 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 with the
                                        Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
                                        sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-
                                        fire; a referendum on final status
                                        has been repeatedly postponed.
  
   Geography Western Sahara
   ------------------------
                              Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North
                                        Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania
                                        and Morocco
                Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W
                        Map references: Africa
                                  Area: total: 266,000 sq km
                                        water: 0 sq km
                                        land: 266,000 sq km
                    Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado
                       Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km
                                        border countries: Algeria 42 km,
                                        Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
                             Coastline: 1,110 km
                       Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of
                                        sovereignty issue
                               Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold
                                        offshore air currents produce fog
                                        and heavy dew
                               Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large
                                        areas of rocky or sandy surfaces
                                        rising to small mountains in south
                                        and northeast
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
                                        highest point: unnamed location 463
                                        m
                     Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore
                              Land use: arable land: 0%
                                        permanent crops: 0%
                                        other: 100% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: NA sq km
                       Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco
                                        wind can occur during winter and
                                        spring; widespread harmattan haze
                                        exists 60% of time, often severely
                                        restricting visibility
          Environment - current issues: sparse water and lack of arable land
            Environment - international party to: none of the selected
                            agreements: agreements
                                        signed, but not ratified: none of
                                        the selected agreements
                      Geography - note: the waters off the coast are
                                        particularly rich fishing areas
  
   People Western Sahara
   ---------------------
                               Population: 256,177 (July 2002 est.)
                            Age structure: 0-14 years: NA%
                                           15-64 years: NA%
                                           65 years and over: NA%
                   Population growth rate: NA (2002 est.)
                               Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
                               Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
                                Sex ratio: NA
                    Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
                 Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years
                                           male: NA years
                                           female: NA years
                     Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
         HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
   HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
                        HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                              Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
                                           adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
                            Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber
                                Religions: Muslim
                                Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
                                 Literacy: definition: NA
                                           total population: NA%
                                           male: NA%
                                           female: NA%
  
   Government Western Sahara
   -------------------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: none
                                        conventional short form: Western
                                        Sahara
                                        former: Spanish Sahara
                       Government type: legal status of territory and issue
                                        of sovereignty unresolved; territory
                                        contested by Morocco and Polisario
                                        Front (Popular Front for the
                                        Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra
                                        and Rio de Oro), which in February
                                        1976 formally proclaimed a
                                        government-in-exile of the Sahrawi
                                        Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led
                                        by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ and
                                        recognized by 54 nations; territory
                                        partitioned between Morocco and
                                        Mauritania in April 1976, with
                                        Morocco acquiring northern two-
                                        thirds; Mauritania, under pressure
                                        from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned
                                        all claims to its portion in August
                                        1979; Morocco moved to occupy that
                                        sector shortly thereafter and has
                                        since asserted administrative
                                        control; the Polisario's government-
                                        in-exile was seated as an OAU member
                                        in 1984; guerrilla activities
                                        continued sporadically, until a UN-
                                        monitored cease-fire was implemented
                                        6 September 1991
                               Capital: none
              Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of
                                        Morocco)
                              Suffrage: none; a UN-sponsored voter
                                        identification campaign not yet
                                        completed
                      Executive branch: none
          Political pressure groups and none
                               leaders:
             International organization none
                         participation:
   Diplomatic representation in the US: none
     Diplomatic representation from the none
                                    US:
  
   Economy Western Sahara
   ----------------------
                    Economy - overview: Western Sahara depends on pastoral
                                        nomadism, fishing, and phosphate
                                        mining as the principal sources of
                                        income for the population. The
                                        territory lacks sufficient rainfall
                                        for sustainable agricultural
                                        production, and most of the food for
                                        the urban population must be
                                        imported. All trade and other
                                        economic activities are controlled
                                        by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan
                                        energy interests in 2001 signed
                                        contracts to explore for oil off the
                                        coast of Western Sahara, which has
                                        angered the Polisario. Incomes and
                                        standards of living in Western
                                        Sahara are substantially below the
                                        Moroccan level.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
                GDP - real growth rate: NA%
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%
                                        industry: NA%
                                        services: 40%-45% (1996 est.)
         Population below poverty line: NA%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
                           Labor force: 12,000
           Labor force - by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence
                                        farming 50%
                     Unemployment rate: NA%
                                Budget: revenues: $NA
                                        expenditures: $NA, including capital
                                        expenditures of $NA
                            Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts
     Industrial production growth rate: NA%
              Electricity - production: 90 million kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
                                        hydro: 0%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 83.7 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the
                                        few oases); camels, sheep, goats
                                        (kept by nomads)
                               Exports: $NA
                 Exports - commodities: phosphates 62%
                    Exports - partners: Morocco claims and administers
                                        Western Sahara, so trade partners
                                        are included in overall Moroccan
                                        accounts
                               Imports: $NA
                 Imports - commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
                    Imports - partners: Morocco claims and administers
                                        Western Sahara, so trade partners
                                        are included in overall Moroccan
                                        accounts
                       Debt - external: $NA
              Economic aid - recipient: $NA
                              Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)
                         Currency code: MAD
                        Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar -
                                        11.584 (January 2002), 11.303
                                        (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999),
                                        9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Western Sahara
   -----------------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: about 2,000 (1999 est.)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1999)
                      Telephone system: general assessment: sparse and
                                        limited system
                                        domestic: NA
                                        international: tied into Morocco's
                                        system by microwave radio relay,
                                        tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
                                        satellite earth stations - 2
                                        Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
                                        Rabat, Morocco
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
                                Radios: 56,000 (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: NA
                           Televisions: 6,000 (1997)
                 Internet country code: .eh
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
                        Internet users: NA
  
   Transportation Western Sahara
   -----------------------------
                               Railways: 0 km
                               Highways: total: 6,200 km
                                         paved: 1,350 km
                                         unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.)
                              Waterways: none
                      Ports and harbors: Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune
                                         (El Aaiun)
                               Airports: 11 (2001)
          Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
                                         2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2001)
        Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8
                                         1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
                                         914 to 1,523 m: 4
                                         under 914 m: 3 (2001)
  
   Military Western Sahara
   -----------------------
                                  Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
                                 Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
  
   Transnational Issues Western Sahara
   -----------------------------------
              Disputes - international: Morocco claims and administers
                                        Western Sahara, but sovereignty
                                        remains unresolved; UN-administered
                                        cease-fire has remained in effect
                                        since September 1991, but attempts
                                        to hold a referendum have failed and
                                        parties reject other proposals
  
                                       



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