1981 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1981 (Internet Archive)
Economy
Agriculture
practically none; some barley is grown in nondrought years; fruit and vegetables in the few oases; food imports are essential; camels, sheep, and goats are kept by the nomadic natives; cash economy exists largely for the garrison forces
Aid
small amounts from Spain in prior years; currently Morocco is major source of support
Electric power
56,000 kW capacity (1980); 78 million kWh produced (1980), 772 kWh per capita
Exports
in 1975, up to $75 million in phosphates, all other exports valued at under $1 million
Imports
$1,443,000 (1968); fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Major industries
phosphate and iron mining, fishing, and handicrafts
Major trade partners
monetary trade largely with Spain and Spanish possessions, more recently with Morocco
Monetary conversion rate
see Moroccan and Mauritanian currencies
Shortages
water
Communications
Airfields
15 total, 14 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659; 1 with runways 2,4403,659 m; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
6,100 km total; 500 km bituminous treated, 5,600 km unimproved earth roads and tracks
Ports
2 major (El Aaiun, Dakhla)
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
sparse and fragmentary system with facilities concentrated in northwest area; some radio relay, wire, and radiocommunications stations in use; 1,000 telephones (0.7 per 100 popl.); 2 AM and no FM stations; 1 TV station CAPUA WESTERN *• SAMOA •Sfl