2000 Edition

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 and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.

Area

land

266,000 sq km

total

266,000 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about the size of Colorado

Climate

hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

Coastline

1,110 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location 463 m

lowest point

Sebjet Tah -55 m

Environment - current issues

sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements

party to

none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

24 30 N, 13 00 W

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

border countries

Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

total

2,046 km

Land use

arable land

0%

forests and woodland

0%

other

81%

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

19%

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

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

Natural resources

phosphates, iron ore

Terrain

mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

45.07 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

16.11 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab, Berber

Infant mortality rate

133.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

female

51.33 years (2000 est.)

male

48.65 years

total population

49.81 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

NA%

Nationality

adjective

Sahrawian, Sahraouian

noun

Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

Net migration rate

-6.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

244,943 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.29% (2000 est.)

Religions

Muslim

Total fertility rate

6.64 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Capital

none

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Western Sahara

former

Spanish Sahara

Data code

WI

Diplomatic representation from the US

none

Diplomatic representation in the US

none

Executive branch

none

Government type

legal status of territory and question 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); 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

International organization participation

none

Suffrage

none; a UN sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed

Agriculture - products

fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)

Budget

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

revenues

$NA

Currency

1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

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.

Electricity - consumption

79 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

85 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 10.051 (January 2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996), 8.540 (1995)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

phosphates 62%

Exports - partners

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

40%-45% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

phosphate mining, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

12,000

Labor force - by occupation

animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

56,000 (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

NA

Televisions

6,000 (1997)

Airports

12 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

1,350 km

total

6,200 km

unpaved

4,850 km (1991 est.)

Ports and harbors

Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Railways

0 km

Military branches

NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Disputes - international

claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991

WORLD