Western Sahara Capital

Map showing the location of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a disputed territory in Africa, with Morocco claiming ownership and the Polisario Front claiming as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Some countries around the world do recognize the SADR as an independent nation. As an independent nation, the capital of this region is Tifariti. This city is located in the northeastern region of the country, just 9 miles north of the border with Mauritania. Tifariti was established as the capital in 2011. Its location is centralized between the Sahrawi refugee camps and an important religious site, known as Smara.

The population of Tifariti is not known exactly, but is believed to be around 3,000. The majority of these residents identify as ethnically Sahrawi, a group of people who primarily descended from Berber tribes and ethnic Arab. Today, these people are struggling to maintain their independence against political authorities in Morocco. The Sahrawi peoples claim that even throughout the various colonial eras, they have managed to operate independently of outside forces.

Because of the harsh desert conditions and political instability of Western Sahara, Tifariti is not a popular or common tourist destination. This small town is only host to a few administrative buildings, like the 2nd military region headquarters, a hospital, and the Sahrawi National Council. Additionally, Tifariti has a small school and museum. The local government is continuously working to establish and improve a system of infrastructure. Over the last few decades, it has built a number of houses, places of worship, and a dam project in order to ensure that the residents have a reliable water source.

Tifariti is located in a harsh desert climate, which means the area experiences hot and arid conditions that make it difficult for vegetation to thrive. The hottest days occur in July and August, while the coldest temperatures occur during December and January.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	El-Aaiun
Languages	Standard Arabic (national), Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Ethnic Groups	Arab, Berber
Religion	Muslim
Government	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), near Tindouf, Algeria, was led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ until his death in May 2016; current President Brahim GHALI elected in July 2016; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976 when Spain withdrew, 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 Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984 - Morocco between 1980 and 1987 built a fortified sand berm delineating the roughly 80 percent of Western Sahara west of the barrier that currently is controlled by Morocco; guerrilla activities continued sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented on 6 September 1991 (Security Council Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
Area	266,000.00 km²
Land Area	266,000.00 km²
Population	587,020.00 Most of the population lives in the two-thirds of the area west of the berm (Moroccan-occupied) that divides the territory; about 40% of that populace resides in Laayoune
Location	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
No. Bordering Countries	3
Bordering Countries	Algeria 41 km, Mauritania 1,564 km, Morocco 444 km
GDP(PPP)	$906,500,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$2,500.00 (USD)
Export Commodities	Its main export is phosphates.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include fuel for fishing fleet, and foodstuffs.
Climate	Mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain	Mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Learn More	Western Sahara

Western Sahara Capital

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