Western Sahara

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

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

2,000

Television broadcast stations

2

Televisions

NA

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid

recipient : ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and having little 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 - capacity

56,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

85 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 9.018 (January 1997), 8.716 (1996), 8.540 (1995), 9.203 (1994), 9.299 (1993), 8.538 (1992)

Exports

$NA commodities: phosphates 62% 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%

Imports

$NA commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs 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 price index

NA%

Labor force

total: 12,000 by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 266,000 sq km land: 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

lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point : unnamed location 463 m

Environment - current issues

sparse water and 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

total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Land use

arable land : 19% permanent crops: 24% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 47% other: 10% (1993 est.)

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

Administrative divisions

none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western 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

National capital

none

Suffrage

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

Military branches

NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49 : NA

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: NA

Age structure

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

Birth rate

46.14 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

17.53 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab, Berber

Infant mortality rate

142.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 47.71 years male: 46.66 years female: 49.09 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Net migration rate

-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

228,138 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.43% (1997 est.)

Religions

Muslim

Sex ratio

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

6.8 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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 WESTERN SAMOA

Airports

12 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Heliports

1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 6,200 km paved : 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.)

Ports and harbors

Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, El Aaiun

Railways

0 km