الصحراء الغربية As-Ṣaḥrā' al-Ġarbiyyah Sahara Occidental Western Sahara
Capital		N/A
Largest city		El Aaiún (Laâyoune)
Official languages		N/A
Recognised regional languages		Arabic and Spanish [1]
Demonym		Sahrawi
Disputed sovereignty1
-	Relinquished by Spain	November 14, 1975
Area
-	Total	266,000 km² (77th) 102,703 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2007 estimate	382,617 (177th)
-	Density	1. Population 267405 (July 2004 est Age structure 0-14 years NA 15-64 years NA 65 years and over NA Population growth El-Aaiún (also transliterated "Laâyoune" or "El Ayun"( Arabic: العيون transliterated al-`ayūn) is a city in An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3/km² (238th) 3. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 4/sq mi
Currency		Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Time zone		UTC (UTC+0)
Internet TLD		.eh is reserved but not used
Calling code		+2122
1 Mostly under administration of Morocco as its Southern Provinces. A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dirham (درهم plural درهمان, دراهم or درهما is the currency of Morocco. Dirham or dirhem (درهم is a unit of currency in several Arab nations and formerly the related unit of mass (the Ottoman dram) in the Ottoman Empire ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra The Polisario Front controls border areas behind the border wall as the Free Zone, on behalf of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa See also Western Sahara The Free Zone is a term used by the Polisario Front to describe the part of Western Sahara that lies to the east of the Moroccan The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially 2 Code for Morocco; no code specific to Western Sahara has been issued by the ITU.

Western Sahara (Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Spanish: Sahara Occidental) is a territory of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria in the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Different approaches and methods for the Romanization of Arabic exist North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of desert flatlands. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. The largest city is El Aaiún (Laâyoune), which is home to over half of the population of the territory. El-Aaiún (also transliterated "Laâyoune" or "El Ayun"( Arabic: العيون transliterated al-`ayūn) is a city in

Western Sahara has been on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories since the 1960s when it was a Spanish colony. The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories documents countries that according to the United Nations, are non- decolonized. ^[2] The Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front independence movement (and government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic or SADR) dispute control of the territory. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially

Since a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire agreement in 1991, most of the territory has been controlled by Morocco, with the remainder under the control of the Polisario/SADR, backed by Algeria. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's ^[3] Internationally, major powers such as the United States have taken a generally ambiguous and neutral position on each side's claims, and have pressed both parties to agree on a peaceful resolution. Both Morocco and Polisario have sought to boost their claims by accumulating formal recognition, essentially from African, Asian, and Latin American states in the developing world. Polisario has won formal recognition for SADR from roughly 45 states, and was extended membership in the African Union, while Morocco has won formal recognition for its position from 25 states, as well as the membership of the Arab League. The politics of Western Sahara take place in a framework of an area claimed by both the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco, which controls The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية ^[4][5] In both instances, recognitions have over the past two decades been extended and withdrawn according to changing international trends.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Spanish Province 1.2 Demands for Independence 1.3 Stalling of the Referendum and Settlement Plan 1.4 Baker Plan 1.5 Western Sahara today 2 Politics 2.1 Human rights 3 Regions 4 Dispute 5 Geography 6 Economy 6.1 Exploitation debate 7 Demographics 7.1 The Spanish census and MINURSO 8 Culture 9 See also 10 Notes and references 11 External links 11.1 Overviews 11.2 News 11.3 Special topics 11.4 Maps 11.5 Tourism 11.6 Other

History

This article is part of the series: History of Western Sahara Western Sahara
Historical background
Western Sahara War History of Morocco Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Spanish Sahara Spanish Morocco Colonial wars in Morocco Moroccan Army of Liberation Ifni War ICJ Advisory Opinion UN in Spanish Sahara Madrid Accords Green March Berm (Western Sahara) Human rights in Western Sahara
Disputed regions
Saguia el-Hamra Río de Oro Southern Provinces
Politics
Legal status of Western Sahara Politics of Morocco Politics of the SADR Former members of the Polisario Front CORCAS Moroccan Initiative for Western Sahara
Rebellions
Moroccan Army of Liberation Harakat Tahrir Polisario Front Zemla Uprising Independence Uprising
UN involvement
UN Security Council Resolution 1495 UN Security Council Resolution 1754 UN visiting mission MINURSO Settlement Plan Free Zone Houston Agreement Baker Plan Manhasset negotiations
v • d • e

Main article: History of Western Sahara

The earliest recorded inhabitants of the Western Sahara in historical times were agriculturalists called Bafour. The history of Western Sahara can be traced back to the times of Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Navigator on the 5th century BCE The Western Sahara War was the armed conflict which saw the Sahrawi rebel Polisario Front battling Spain, Morocco and Mauritania for The Capsian culture brought Morocco into the Neolithic about 8000 BC at a time when the Maghreb was less arid than it is today The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially Spanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975 Spanish protectorate of Morocco (حماية إسبانيا في المغرب (Protectorado español de Marruecos was the area of Morocco under colonial rule by the List of Wars and disputes relating to the colonial presence of Spain in Morocco War of 1859 Rif War (1893 The Army of Liberation ( French, Armée de Libération, Arabic, jayshu-t-tahrīr, Spanish Ejercito de Liberacion) was a force The Ifni War, sometimes called the Forgotten War in Spain ( la Guerra Olvidada) was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by One of the main functions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ is to provide Advisory Opinions - non-binding legal interpretations admitted by United Nations organs To assist in the Decolonization process of the Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) a Colony in North Africa, the United Nations The Madrid Accords, also called Madrid Agreement or Madrid Pact, was a Treaty between Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania The Green March was a strategic mass demonstration in November 1975 coordinated by the Moroccan government to force Spain to hand over the disputed autonomous semi-metropolitan Introduction Morocco sees Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces, and has been claiming it since its independence in 1956 Saguia el-Hamra, in Arabic الساقية الحمراء al-Saqiyah al-Hamra'a ("Red Canal" is with Río de Oro, one of the two territories Río de Oro ( Spanish for " Gold River" Arabic: وادي الذهب wādī-að-ðahab, often transliterated as Oued Edhahab is with The Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra Western Sahara, formerly the Spanish colony of Spanish Sahara, is a disputed territory claimed by the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Politics of Morocco take place in a framework of a parliamentary Constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Morocco is the Head of government The politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic take place in a framework of an area disputed and claimed by Morocco, and the Polisario Front 's proclaimed Since the end of the 1980's several members of Polisario have decided to discontinue their military or political activities for the Polisario Front. The Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (المجلس الملكي الاستشاري للشؤون الصحراوية or Corcas, from the French abbreviation Autonomy for Western Sahara is proposed in a plan by Morocco as a solution to the Western Sahara conflict. The Army of Liberation ( French, Armée de Libération, Arabic, jayshu-t-tahrīr, Spanish Ejercito de Liberacion) was a force The Movement for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro, sometimes referred to as the Movement for the Liberation of the Sahara or simply the Liberation Movement The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The Zemla Intifada (or The Zemla Uprising is the name used by the Algeria backed Polisario movement to refer to disturbances of June 17, 1970 United Nations Security Council resolution 1495 was unanimously approved by the council on July 31, 2003, and dealt with the Decolonization United Nations Security Council Resolution 1754 is a United Nations Security Council resolution intended to resolve the Western Sahara conflict To assist in the Decolonization process of the Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) a Colony in North Africa, the United Nations MINURSO is the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute an expression of See also Western Sahara The Free Zone is a term used by the Polisario Front to describe the part of Western Sahara that lies to the east of the Moroccan The Houston Agreement was the result of negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute The Baker Plan (formally Peace Plan for Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara) is a United Nations initiative to grant Self-determination The Manhasset negotiations (also known as Manhasset I II III and IV) were a series of talks that took place in four rounds at Manhasset New York between the The history of Western Sahara can be traced back to the times of Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Navigator on the 5th century BCE The Bafour were later replaced or absorbed by Berber-speaking populations which eventually merged in turn with migrating Arab tribes, although the Arabic speaking majority in the Western Sahara clearly by the historical record descend from Berber tribes that adopted Arabic over time. Nomenclature The term Berber has been used in Europe since at least the 17th century and is still used today Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. There may also have been some Phoenician contacts in antiquity, but such contacts left few if any long-term traces. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun

The arrival of Islam in the 8th century played a major role in the development of relationships between the Saharan regions that later became the modern territories of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Algeria, and neighbouring regions. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Trade developed further and the region became a passage of caravans especially between Marrakech and Tombouctou in Mali. A camel train is a series of Camels carrying goods or passengers in a group as part of a regular or semi-regular service between two points Marrakesh or Marrakech ( Amazigh: Murakush, Arabic مراكش Murrakush) known as the "Red City" Tombouctou is the largest northern-most region of Mali, comprised mostly of the Southwestern section of the Sahara Desert. Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa. In the Middle Ages, the Almohads and Almoravids movements and dynasties both originated from the Saharan regions and were able to control the area. The Almohad Dynasty (From Arabic الموحدون al-Muwahhidun, i The Almoravids, was a Berber dynasty from the Sahara that spread over a wide area of North-Western Africa and the Iberian peninsula during

Towards the late Middle Ages, the Beni Hassan Arab bedouin tribes invaded the Maghreb, reaching the northern border-area of the Sahara in the 14th and 15th century. Beni Ḥassān ( Arabic: بني حسان "sons of Ḥassān" was a Bedouin group one of several Yemeni Maqil Arab The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset Over roughly five centuries, through a complex process of acculturation and mixing seen elsewhere in the Maghreb and North Africa, the indigenous Berber tribes adopted Hassaniya Arabic and a mixed Arab-Berber nomadic culture.

Spanish Province

During the first decade of the 20th century, after an agreement among the European colonial powers at the Berlin Conference in 1884 on the division of spheres of influence in Africa, Spain seized control of the Western Sahara and established it as a Spanish protectorate after a series of wars against the local tribes reminiscent of similar European colonial adventures of the period, in the Maghreb, sub-Saharan Africa, and elsewhere. See also Congress of Berlin (1878 and Berlin Conference of 1954 (Cold War The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa, was the proliferation of conflicting European claims to African territory during the New Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish colonial rule began to unravel with the general wave of decolonization after World War II, which saw Europeans lose control of North African and sub-Saharan African possessions and protectorates. Spanish decolonization in particular began rather late, but internal political and social pressures for it in mainland Spain built up towards the end of Francisco Franco's rule, in the context of the global trend towards complete decolonization. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid Decolonization refers to the undoing of Colonialism, the establishment of governance or authority through the creation of settlements by another country or jurisdiction Spain began rapidly and even chaotically divesting itself of most of its remaining colonial possessions. After initially being violently opposed to decolonization, Spain began to give in and by 1974-75 issued promises of a referendum on independence. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The nascent Polisario Front, a nationalist organization that had begun fighting the Spanish in 1973, had been demanding such a move. The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation

At the same time, Morocco and Mauritania, which had historical claims of sovereignty over the territory based on competing traditional claims, argued that the territory was artificially separated from their territories by the European colonial powers. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country The third neighbour of Spanish Sahara, Algeria, viewed these demands with suspicion, influenced also by its long-running rivalry with Morocco. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's After arguing for a process of decolonization guided by the United Nations, the government of Houari Boumédiènne committed itself in 1975 to assisting the Polisario Front, which opposed both Moroccan and Mauritanian claims and demanded full independence. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Houari Boumédienne (original name Mohamed Ben Brahim Boukharouba) ( August 23, 1932 – December 27, 1978) (هواري بومدين

The UN attempted to settle these disputes through a visiting mission in late 1975, as well as a verdict from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which declared that the Western Sahara possessed the right of self-determination. To assist in the Decolonization process of the Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) a Colony in North Africa, the United Nations One of the main functions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ is to provide Advisory Opinions - non-binding legal interpretations admitted by United Nations organs See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour Self-determination is defined as free choice of one’s own acts without external compulsion and especially as the freedom of the people of a given Territory to determine their On November 6, 1975 the Green March into Western Sahara began when 350,000 unarmed Moroccans converged on the city of Tarfaya in southern Morocco and waited for a signal from King Hassan II of Morocco to cross into Western Sahara. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Green March was a strategic mass demonstration in November 1975 coordinated by the Moroccan government to force Spain to hand over the disputed autonomous semi-metropolitan Tarfaya (طرفاية is a city (11313 on the southwestern coast of Morocco King Hassan II (صاحب الجلالة الملك الحسن الثاني class

Demands for Independence

In the waning days of General Franco's rule in November 1975, the Spanish government secretly signed on 14 November 1975, mere days before Franco's death, a tripartite agreement with Morocco and Mauritania as it moved to abandon the Territory. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid The Madrid Accords, also called Madrid Agreement or Madrid Pact, was a Treaty between Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania Although the accords foresaw a tripartite administration, Morocco and Mauritania each moved to annex the territory, with Morocco taking control of the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces and Mauritania taking control of the southern third as Tiris al-Gharbiyya. The Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra Tiris al-Gharbiyya ( Arabic for Western Tiris) was the Mauritanian name for the area of Western Sahara under its control between 1975 and 1979 Spain terminated its presence in Spanish Sahara within three months, repatriating even Spanish corpses from its cemeteries. The Moroccan and Mauritanian moves, however, met staunch opposition from the Polisario, which had by now gained backing from Algeria. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's In 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal due to pressures from Polisario, Morocco extended its control to the rest of the territory, and gradually contained the guerrillas through setting up the extensive sand-berm in the desert to exclude guerilla fighters. Hostilities ceased in a 1991 cease-fire, overseen by the peacekeeping mission MINURSO, under the terms of a UN Settlement Plan. A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees Peacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace MINURSO is the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute an expression of

Stalling of the Referendum and Settlement Plan

The referendum, originally scheduled for 1992, foresaw giving the local population the option between independence or affirming integration with Morocco, but it quickly stalled. In 1997, the Houston Agreement attempted to revive the proposal for a referendum, but likewise has hitherto not had success. The Houston Agreement was the result of negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute As of 2007, however, negotiations over terms have not resulted in any substantive action. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. At the heart of the dispute lies the question of who qualifies to be registered to participate in the referendum, and, since about 2000, Morocco's renewed refusal to accept independence as an option on the referendum ballot combined with Polisario's insistence that independence be a clear option in the referendum.

Both sides blame each other for the stalling of the referendum. The Polisario has insisted on allowing to vote only the persons found on the 1974 Spanish Census lists (see below), while Morocco has insisted the census was flawed by evasion and sought the inclusion of members of Sahrawi tribes with recent historical presence in the Spanish Sahara.

Efforts by the UN special envoys to find a common ground for both parties did not succeed. By 1999 the UN had identified about 85,000 voters, with nearly half of them in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara or Southern Morocco, and the others scattered between the Tindouf refugee camps, Mauritania and other places of exile. Polisario accepted this voter list, as it had done with the previous list presented by the UN (both of them originally based on the Spanish census of 1974), but Morocco refused and, as rejected voter candidates began a mass-appeals procedure, insisted that each application be scrutinized individually. This again brought the process to a halt.

According to a NATO delegation, MINURSO election observers stated in 1999, as the deadlock continued, that "if the number of voters does not rise significantly the odds were slightly on the RASD side" [2]. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially By 2001, the process had effectively stalemated and the UN Secretary-General asked the parties for the first time to explore other, third-way solutions. Indeed, shortly after the Houston Agreement (1997), Morocco officially declared that it was "no longer necessary" to include an option of independence on the ballot, offering instead autonomy. Erik Jensen, who played an administrative role in MINURSO, wrote that neither side would agree to a voter registration in which they were destined to lose (see Western Sahara: Anatomy of a Stalemate).

Baker Plan

As personal envoy of the Secretary-General, James Baker (who also had John R. Bolton in his delegation) visited all sides and produced the document known as the "Baker Plan". See also James Addison Baker James Addison Baker III (born April 28 1930) is a American attorney politician political John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American public servant who has served in several Republican presidential administrations The Baker Plan (formally Peace Plan for Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara) is a United Nations initiative to grant Self-determination ^[6] This was discussed by the United Nations Security Council in 2000, and envisioned an autonomous Western Sahara Authority (WSA), which would be followed after five years by the referendum. The Baker Plan (formally Peace Plan for Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara) is a United Nations initiative to grant Self-determination Every person present in the territory would be allowed to vote, regardless of birthplace and with no regard to the Spanish census. It was rejected by both sides, although it was initially derived from a Moroccan proposal. According to Baker's draft, tens of thousands of post-annexation immigrants from Morocco proper (viewed by Polisario as settlers, but by Morocco as legitimate inhabitants of the area) would be granted the vote in the Sahrawi independence referendum, and the ballot would be split three-ways by the inclusion of an unspecified "autonomy", further undermining the independence camp. An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority Also, Morocco was allowed to keep its army in the area and to retain the control over all security issues during both the autonomy years and the election. In 2002, the Moroccan king stated that the referendum idea was "out of date" since it "can not be implemented";^[7] Polisario retorted that that was only because of the King's refusal to allow it to take place.

In 2003, a new version of the plan was made official, with some additions spelling out the powers of the WSA, making it less reliant on the Moroccan devolution. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level It also provided further detail on the referendum process in order to make it harder to stall or subvert. This second draft, commonly known as Baker II, was accepted by the Polisario as a "basis of negotiations" to the surprise of many. ^[8] This appeared to abandon Polisario's previous position of only negotiating based on the standards of voter identification from 1991 (i. e. the Spanish census). After that, the draft quickly garnered widespread international support, culminating in the UN Security Council's unanimous endorsement of the plan in the summer of 2003.

Western Sahara today

Today the Baker II document appears politically redundant, with Baker having resigned his post at the UN in 2004. His resignation followed several months of failed attempts to get Morocco to enter into formal negotiations on the plan, but he met with rejection. The new king, Mohammed VI of Morocco, opposes any referendum on independence, and has said Morocco will never agree to one: "We shall not give up one inch of our beloved Sahara, not a grain of its sand". King Mohammed VI (محمد السادس born in 1963 is the King of Morocco. ^[9]

Instead, he proposes, through an appointed advisory body Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), a self-governing Western Sahara as an autonomous community within Morocco. The Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (المجلس الملكي الاستشاري للشؤون الصحراوية or Corcas, from the French abbreviation Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of Organization. Autonomy ( Greek: Auto- Nomos - nomos meaning "law" one who gives oneself his/her own Law) is the right to Self-government His father, Hassan II of Morocco, initially supported the referendum idea in principle in 1982, and in signed contracts with Polisario and the United Nations in 1991 and 1997; Morocco is thus bound to hold the referendum, but it appears unlikely that any major power will attempt to force its hand. King Hassan II (صاحب الجلالة الملك الحسن الثاني class

The UN has put forth no replacement strategy after the breakdown of Baker II, and renewed fighting may be a possibility. In 2005, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported increased military activity on both sides of the front and breaches of several cease-fire provisions against strengthening military fortifications. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. Kofi Atta Annan, GCMG (born 8 April 1938 is a Ghanaian Diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations

Morocco has repeatedly tried to get Algeria into bilateral negotiations, receiving vocal support from France and occasionally (and currently) from the United States. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the These negotiations would define the exact limits of a Western Sahara autonomy under Moroccan rule, but only after Morocco's "inalienable right" to the territory was recognized as a precondition to the talks. The Algerian government has consistently refused, claiming it has neither the will nor the right to negotiate on the behalf of the Polisario Front.

Demonstrations and riots by supporters of independence and/or a referendum broke out in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara in May 2005, and in parts of southern Morocco (notably the town of Assa). They were met by police. Several international human rights organizations have expressed concern at what they termed abuse by Moroccan security forces, and a number of Sahrawi activists have been jailed. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled Pro-independence Sahrawi sources, including the Polisario, have given these demonstrations the name "Independence Intifada", while sources supporting the Moroccan claims have attempted to minimize the events as being of limited importance. International press and other media coverage has been sparse, and reporting is complicated by the Moroccan government's policy of strictly controlling independent media coverage within the territory.

Demonstrations and protests are still occurring, after Morocco declared in February 2006 that it was contemplating a plan for devolving a limited variant of autonomy to the territory, but still explicitly refused any referendum on independence. As of January 2007, the plan has not been made public, even if the Moroccan government claims that it is more or less completed. [3] [4].

The Polisario Front has intermittently threatened to resume fighting, referring to the Moroccan refusal of a referendum as a breach of the cease-fire terms, but most observers seem to consider armed conflict unlikely without the green light from Algeria, which houses the Sahrawis' refugee camps and has been the main military sponsor of the movement. The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute an expression of Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's

In April 2007 the government of Morocco has suggested that a self-governing entity, through the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), should govern the territory with some degree of autonomy for Western Sahara. The Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (المجلس الملكي الاستشاري للشؤون الصحراوية or Corcas, from the French abbreviation The project was presented to the United Nations Security Council in mid-April 2007. The stalemating of the Moroccoan proposal options has led the UN in the recent "Report of the UN Secretary-General" to ask the parties to enter into direct and unconditional negotiations to reach a mutually accepted political solution. Report of the Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara (13 April 2007)(ped). UN Security Council. Retrieved on 2007-05-18. )

Politics

See also: Politics of Western Sahara and Foreign relations of Morocco

The legal status of the territory and the question of its sovereignty remains unresolved; the territory is contested between Morocco and Polisario Front. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa It is considered a non self-governed territory by the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

The government of Morocco is a formally constitutional monarchy under Mohammed VI with a bicameral parliament. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The Parliament of Morocco is located in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. The last elections to the lower house were deemed reasonably free and fair by international observers. Certain powers such as the capacity to appoint the government and to dissolve parliament remain in the hands of the monarch. The Morocco-controlled parts of Western Sahara are divided into several provinces treated as integral parts of the kingdom. The Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra The Moroccan government heavily subsidizes the Saharan provinces under its control with cut-rate fuel and related subsidies, to appease nationalist dissent and attract immigrants - or settlers - from loyalist Sahrawi and other communities in Morocco proper. ^[10]

The exiled government of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is a form of single-party parliamentary and presidential system, but according to its constitution, this will be changed into a multi-party system at the achievement of independence. A government in exile is a political group that claims to be a country's legitimate government but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power and instead resides in a foreign The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. It is presently based at the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria, which it controls. Tindouf, also written Tinduf, (تندوف is the westernmost province of Algeria, having a population of 58193 as of the 2008 census A refugee camp is a temporary camp built by a government the United Nations, international organizations (such as the Red Cross) or NGOs to receive Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's It also claims to control the part of Western Sahara to the east of the Moroccan Wall, known as the Free Zone. See also Western Sahara The Free Zone is a term used by the Polisario Front to describe the part of Western Sahara that lies to the east of the Moroccan This area has a very small population, estimated to be approximately 30,000 nomads. ^[11] The Moroccan government views it as a no-man's land patrolled by UN troops. No man's land is a term for land that is not occupied or more specifically land that is under dispute between countries or areas that will not occupy it because of fear or uncertainty The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The SADR government whose troops also patrol the area regard it as the liberated territories and have proclaimed a village in the area, Bir Lehlou as SADR's provisional capital. Bir Lehlou ( Bir Lehlu, Arabic: بير لحلو is a small town in north-eastern Western Sahara, east of the border wall, in Polisario

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Western Sahara

The Western Sahara conflict has resulted in severe human rights abuses, most notably the displacement of tens of thousands of Sahrawi civilians from the country, the expulsion of tens of thousands of Moroccan civilians by the Algerian government from Algeria^{[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]}, and numerous casualties of war and repression. Introduction Morocco sees Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces, and has been claiming it since its independence in 1956 Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race

During the war years (1975-91), both sides accused each other of targeting civilians. A civilian under International humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her Country 's Armed forces. Moroccan claims of Polisario terrorism has generally little to no support abroad, with the USA, EU and UN all refusing to include the group on their lists of terrorist organizations. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security " Foreign Terrorist Organization " is a designation of non- United States -based organizations declared terrorist by the United States Secretary of State Polisario leaders maintain that they are ideologically opposed to terrorism, and insist that collective punishment and forced disappearances among Sahrawi civilians [5] should be considered state terrorism on the part of Morocco [6]. A forced disappearance occurs when an organization forces a person to vanish from Public view either by Murder or by simple Sequestration. State terrorism refers to acts of Terrorism conducted by governments Both Morocco and the Polisario additionally accuse each other of violating the human rights of the populations under their control, in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara and the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria, respectively. The Southern Provinces or Moroccan Sahara are the Moroccan names for Western Sahara in reference to the provinces of Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra Tindouf (تندوف is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Morocco and organizations such as France Libertés consider Algeria to be directly responsible for any crimes committed on its territory, and accuse the country of having been directly involved in such violations. ^[20]

• Morocco has been repeatedly criticized for its actions in Western Sahara by international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International [7] [8] [9], Human Rights Watch [10] [11] and the World Organization Against Torture [12] [13] [14], Freedom House [15], Reporters Without Borders [16], the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [17]

• Polisario has received criticism from the French organization France Libertes on its treatment of Moroccan prisoners-of-war^[21], and on its general behaviour in the Tindouf refugee camps in reports by the Belgian organization ESISC, or European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. The World Organisation Against Torture (Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture OMCT is the world’s largest coalition of non-governmental organisations fighting against Arbitrary Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political "ICRC" redirects here For other uses see ICRC (disambiguation. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ( OHCHR) is a United Nations agency that works to promote and protect the human The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those ^[22][23][24]. A number of former Polisario officials who have defected to Morocco accuse the organisation of abuse of human rights and sequestration of the population in Tindouf^{[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]}. Since the end of the 1980's several members of Polisario have decided to discontinue their military or political activities for the Polisario Front.

Regions

Three Moroccan regions overlap the territory of Western Sahara:

• Guelmim-Es Semara – also includes Moroccan territory outside of Western Sahara
• Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra
• Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira

Dispute

Main article: Legal status of Western Sahara

The Western Sahara was partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring the northern two-thirds of the territory. Guelmim-Es Semara (كلميم السمارة is one of the sixteen Regions of Morocco. Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra (العيون بوجدور الساقية الحمراء is one of the sixteen Regions of Morocco. Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira (وادي الذهب لكويرة is one of the sixteen Regions of Morocco. Western Sahara, formerly the Spanish colony of Spanish Sahara, is a disputed territory claimed by the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country ^[33] When 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 over the whole territory. The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa ^[34] The official Moroccan government name for Western Sahara is the "Southern Provinces", which indicates Río de Oro and Saguia el-Hamra.

Not under control of the Moroccan government is the area that lies between the border wall and the actual border with Algeria. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's (for map [18] see external links) The Polisario Front claims to run this as the Free Zone on behalf of the SADR. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially The area is patrolled by Polisario forces ^[35], and access is restricted, even among Sahrawis, due to the harsh climate of the Sahara, the military conflict and the abundance of land mines. The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest A land mine is an Explosive device designed to be placed on or in the ground to explode when triggered by an operator or the Proximity of a vehicle person ^[36] Still, the area is traveled and inhabited by many Sahrawi nomads from the Tindouf refugee camps of Algeria and the Sahrawi communities in Mauritania. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that Tindouf (تندوف is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria. A refugee camp is a temporary camp built by a government the United Nations, international organizations (such as the Red Cross) or NGOs to receive Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Both Moroccan and United Nations MINURSO forces are also present in the area. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security MINURSO is the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The UN forces oversee the cease-fire between Polisario and Morocco agreed upon in the 1991. A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees Settlement Plan. The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute an expression of ^[37].

The Polisario forces (of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, SPLA) in the area are divided into seven "military regions", each controlled by a top commander reporting to the President of the Polisario proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic^[38]. The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The office of President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a Head of state position over the Government of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab The total size of the Polisario's guerrilla army present in this area is unknown, but it is believed to number a few thousand men, despite many combantants being demobilized due to the cease-fire^[39]. Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees These forces are dug into permanent positions, such as gun emplacements, defensive trenches and underground military bases, as well as conducting mobile patrols of the territory. ^[40]

Major Sahrawi political events, such as Polisario congresses and sessions of the Sahrawi National Council (the SADR parliament in exile) are held in the Free Zone (especially in Tifariti and Bir Lehlou), since it is considered politically and symbolically important to conduct political affairs on Sahrawi territory. Tifariti is a small town or village located in Polisario -controlled Western Sahara, east of the Moroccan Berm. The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The Sahrawi National Council or simply National Council (SNC is the legislature of the Government in exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Tifariti is a small town or village located in Polisario -controlled Western Sahara, east of the Moroccan Berm. A concentration of forces for the commemoration of the Saharawi Republic’s 30th anniversary ^[41] were however subject to condemnation by the United Nations^[42], as it was considered an example of a cease-fire violation to bring such a large force concentration into the area. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Both parties have been accused of such violations by the UN, but to date there has been no serious hostile action from either side since 1991.

Annual demonstrations against the Moroccan Wall are staged in the region by Sahrawis and international activists from Spain, Italy and other mainly European countries. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest These actions are closely monitored by the UN. ^[43]

During the joint Moroccan-Mauritanian control of the area, the Mauritanian-controlled part, roughly corresponding to Saquia el-Hamra, was known as Tiris al-Gharbiyya. Tiris al-Gharbiyya ( Arabic for Western Tiris) was the Mauritanian name for the area of Western Sahara under its control between 1975 and 1979

Geography

Main article: Geography of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is located in Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa It also borders Algeria to the northeast. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The land is some of the most arid and inhospitable on the planet, but is rich in phosphates in Bou Craa. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Bou Craa (Bo Craa Bu Craa Boukra is a town in the Saguia el-Hamra region of northern Western Sahara, south and slightly east of the city of El Aaiún

Economy

Main article: Economy of Western Sahara

Aside from its rich phosphate deposits and fishing waters, Western Sahara has few natural resources and lacks sufficient rainfall for most agricultural activities. The majority of the territory of Western Sahara is currently administered by the Kingdom of Morocco. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. There is speculation that there may be rich off-shore oil and natural gas fields, but the debate persists as to whether these resources can be profitably exploited, and if this would be legally permitted due to the non-decolonized status of Western Sahara (see below). Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Decolonization refers to the undoing of Colonialism, the establishment of governance or authority through the creation of settlements by another country or jurisdiction

Western Sahara's economy is centred around nomadic herding, fishing, and phosphate mining. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group ( Herd) maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place&mdashor any combination of Most food for the urban population is imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan government. The government has encouraged citizens to relocate to the territory by giving subsidies and price controls on basic goods. In Economics, a subsidy (also known as a subvention is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector These heavy subsidies have created a state-dominated economy in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara, with the Moroccan government as the single biggest employer.

Exploitation debate

After reasonably exploitable oil fields were located in neighbouring Mauritania, speculation intensified on the possibility of major oil resources being located off the coast of Western Sahara. Despite the fact that findings remain inconclusive, both Morocco and the Polisario have made deals with oil and gas exploration companies. US and French companies (notably Total and Kerr-McGee) began prospecting on behalf of Morocco. Total SA () is an oil company headquartered in Paris, France, and one of the six " Supermajor " oil companies in the world The Kerr-McGee Corporation was an energy company involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas resources

In 2002, Hans Corell, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and head of its Office of Legal Affairs issued a legal opinion on the matter. In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. Hans Corell (born July 7, 1939) is a Swedish lawyer and diplomat The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[44] This opinion stated that while exploration of the area was permitted, exploitation was not, on the basis that Morocco is not a recognized administrative power of the territory, and thus lacks the capacity to issue such licenses. After pressures from corporate ethics-groups, Total S. A. pulled out.

In May 2006 the remaining company Kerr-McGee also left following sales of numerous share holders like the National Norwegian Oil Fund, due to continued pressure from NGOs and corporate groups.

Despite the UN report and the development regarding the exploration of oil, the European Union wants to exploit fishing resources in waters outside Western Sahara and has signed a fishing treaty with Morocco.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Western Sahara

The indigenous population of Western Sahara is known as Sahrawis. Population 267405 (July 2004 est Age structure 0-14 years NA 15-64 years NA 65 years and over NA Population growth These are Hassaniya-speaking tribes of mixed Arab-Berber heritage, effectively continuations of the tribal groupings of Hassaniya speaking Moorish tribes extending south into Mauritania and north into Morocco as well as east into Algeria. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim (and earlier non-Muslim people of Berber and Arab descent Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The Sahrawis are traditionally nomadic bedouins, and can be found in all surrounding countries. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously War and conflict has led to major displacements of the population.

As of July 2004, an estimated 267,405 people (excluding the Moroccan army of some 160,000) live in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Morocco has engaged in "Moroccanization" of the area, bringing in large numbers of settlers in anticipation of a UN-administered referendum on independence. While many of them are from Sahrawi tribal groups extending up into southern Morocco, some are also non-Sahrawi Moroccans from other regions. The settler population is today thought to outnumber the indigenous Western Sahara Sahrawis. The precise size and composition of the population is subject to political controversy.

The Polisario-controlled parts of Western Sahara are barren. This area has a very small population, estimated to be approximately 30,000. ^[45] The population is primarily made up of nomads who engage in herding camels back and forth between the Tindouf area and Mauritania. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the Tindouf (تندوف is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country However, the presence of mines scattered throughout the territory by both the Polisario and the Moroccan army makes it a dangerous way of life.

The Spanish census and MINURSO

A 1974 Spanish census claimed there were some 74,000 Sahrawis in the area at the time (in addition to approximately 20,000 Spanish residents), but this number is likely to be on the low side, due to the difficulty in counting a nomad people, even if Sahrawis were by the mid-1970s mostly urbanized. Despite these possible inaccuracies, Morocco and the Polisario Front agreed on using the Spanish census as the basis for voter registration when striking a cease-fire argeement in the late 1980s, contingent on the holding of a referendum on independence or integration into Morocco. A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees

In December of 1999 the United Nations' MINURSO mission announced that it had identified 86,425 eligible voters for the referendum that was supposed to be held under the 1991 Settlement plan and the 1997 Houston accords. MINURSO is the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute an expression of The Houston Agreement was the result of negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a Referendum, which would constitute By "eligible voter" the UN referred to any Sahrawi over 18 years of age that was part of the Spanish census or could prove his/her descent from someone who was. These 86,425 Sahrawis were dispersed between Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara and the refugee camps in Algeria, with smaller numbers in Mauritania and other places of exile. These numbers cover only Sahrawis 'indigenous' to the Western Sahara during the Spanish colonial period, not the total number of "ethnic" Sahrawis (i. e, members of Sahrawi tribal groupings), who also extend into Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria. The number was highly politically significant due to the expected organization of a referendum on self-determination.

The Polisario has its home base in the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria, and declares the number of Sahrawi population in the camps to be approximately 155,000. Tindouf (تندوف is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria. Morocco disputes this number, saying it is exaggerated for political reasons and for attracting more foreign aid. The UN uses a number of 90,000 "most vulnerable" refugees as basis for its food aid program.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Western Sahara

The major ethnic group of the Western Sahara are the Sahrawis, a nomadic or Bedouin tribal or ethnic group speaking Hassānīya dialect of Arabic, also spoken in much of Mauritania. The people of Western Sahara speak the Ḥassānīya Dialect of Arabic, also spoken in northern Mauritania. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country They are of mixed Arab-Berber descent, but claim descent from the Beni Hassan, a Yemeni tribe supposed to have migrated across the desert in the 11th century. Beni Ḥassān ( Arabic: بني حسان "sons of Ḥassān" was a Bedouin group one of several Yemeni Maqil Arab Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya

Physically indistinguishable from the Hassaniya speaking Moors of Mauritania, the Sahrawi people differ from their neighbors partly due to different tribal affiliations (as tribal confederations cut across present modern boundaries) and partly as a consequence of their exposure to Spanish colonial domination. The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim (and earlier non-Muslim people of Berber and Arab descent Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism Surrounding territories were generally under French colonial rule.

Like other neighboring Saharan Bedouin and Hassaniya groups, the Sahrawis are Muslims of the Sunni sect and the Maliki law school. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Maliki Madhhab ( Arabic مالكي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam Local religious custom 'urf is, like other Saharan groups, heavily influenced by pre-Islamic Berber and African practices, and differs substantially from urban practices. For example, Sahrawi Islam has traditionally functioned without mosques in the normal sense of the word, in an adaptation to nomadic life. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger

The originally clan- and tribe-based society underwent a massive social upheaval in 1975, when a part of the population was forced into exile and settled in the refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria. A clan is a group of People united by Kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race Tindouf (تندوف is the main town in Tindouf Province, Algeria. Families were broken up by the fight. For developments among this population, see Sahrawi and Tindouf Province. Tindouf, also written Tinduf, (تندوف is the westernmost province of Algeria, having a population of 58193 as of the 2008 census

The Moroccan government considerably invested in the social and economic development of the Moroccan controlled Western Sahara with special emphasis on education, modernisation and infrastructure. El-Aaiun in particular has been the target of heavy government investment, and has grown rapidly. Several thousand Sahrawis study in Moroccan universities. Literacy rates are appreciated at some 50% of the population.

To date, there have been few thorough studies of the culture due in part to the political situation. Some language and culture studies, mainly by French researchers, have been performed on Sahrawi communities in northern Mauritania. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

See also

• Communications in Western Sahara
• List of cities in Morocco and Western Sahara
• MINURSO
• Music of Western Sahara
• Transportation in Western Sahara
• Sahraoui Scout Association

Notes and references

Cited references

General references

• Tony Hodges (1983), Western Sahara: The Roots of a Desert War, Lawrence Hill Books (ISBN 0-88208-152-7)
• Anthony G. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Pazzanita and Tony Hodges (1994), Historical Dictionary of Western Sahara, Scarecrow Press (ISBN 0-8108-2661-5)
• Toby Shelley (2004), Endgame in the Western Sahara: What Future for Africa's Last Colony?, Zed Books (ISBN 1-84277-341-0)
• Erik Jensen (2005), Western Sahara: Anatomy of a Stalemate, International Peace Studies (ISBN 1-58826-305-3)

External links

Overviews

• BBC - Country profile: Western Sahara
• CIA World Factbook - Western Sahara
• Open Directory Project - Western Sahara directory category

News

• allAfrica.com - Western Sahara news headline links
• The Yahoo! Sahara Update group

Special topics

• Western Sahara, Landmine Monitor Report 2003
• Jacob Mundy - "Seized of the Matter". The UN and the Western Sahara Dispute.PDF On the Baker Plan debate
• Western Sahara Project: archaeology and past environmental change in Western Sahara

Maps

• http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/dpko/minurso.pdf Minurso Deployment as of October 2006, Map No. The Baker Plan (formally Peace Plan for Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara) is a United Nations initiative to grant Self-determination 3691 Rev. 53 United Nations, October 2006 (Colour), Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Cartographic Section

Tourism

• Western Sahara travel guide from Wikitravel

Other

• Association de soutien à un référendum libre et régulier au Sahara Occidental, a multilingual resource
• Moroccan Governmental site
• Western Sahara Online (pro-Polisario)
• Western Sahara Online (pro-Morocco)
• Sahara-Update · News from and about Western Sahara
• Western Sahara - A Forgotten Country!PDF (99. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. 8 KiB)

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