ARCHIVE // EH // 1996

Western Sahara

1996 Edition — disputed

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Communications
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
NA
Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability [time series]
males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
2,000
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
2
Televisions [time series]
NA Defense
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by the nomads)
Budget [time series]
revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic overview [time series]
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 [time series]
capacity: 60,000 kW production: 79 million kWh consumption per capita: 339 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates [time series]
Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1 - 8.607 (January 1996), 8.540 (1995), 9.203 (1994), 9.299 (1993), 8.538 (1992), 8.707 (1991)
Exports [time series]
$NA commodities: phosphates 62% partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$NA
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]
$NA
Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Imports [time series]
$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 [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
phosphate mining, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
NA%
Labor force [time series]
12,000 by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA%
Geography
Area [time series]
total area: 266,000 sq km land area: 266,000 sq km comparative area: about the size of Colorado
Climate [time series]
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline [time series]
1,110 km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
current issues: sparse water and arable land 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 international agreements: NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
24 30 N, 13 00 W
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
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
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 0% other: 81%
Location [time series]
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Natural resources [time series]
phosphates, iron ore
Terrain [time series]
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (under defacto control of Morocco)
Capital [time series]
none
Data code [time series]
WI
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
none
Executive branch [time series]
none
International organization participation [time series]
none
Country name (Name of country) [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara
Government type (Type of government) [time series]
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
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
none
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate [time series]
46.51 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate [time series]
18.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
Arab, Berber
Infant mortality rate [time series]
145.82 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages [time series]
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 47.01 years male: 46 years female: 48.34 years (1996 est.)
Literacy [time series]
NA
Nationality [time series]
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Net migration rate [time series]
-3.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Population [time series]
222,631 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.46% (1996 est.)
Religions [time series]
Muslim
Sex ratio [time series]
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 all ages: NA male(s)/female
Total fertility rate [time series]
6.85 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
total: 12 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 (1995 est.)
Heliports [time series]
1 (1995 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 6,200 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6,200 km
Ports [time series]
Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, El Aaiun
Railways [time series]
0 km