Western Sahara has been on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories since the 1960s when it was a Spanish colony.

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.

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. Since a United Nations-sponsored cease-fire agreement in 1991, most of the territory has been controlled by Morocco, with the remainder under the control of Polisario/SADR.

Internationally, the 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, from largely minor states.

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. In both instances, recognitions have over the past two decades been extended and withdrawn according to changing international trends.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 382,617 note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421) 15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: NA

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Birth rate: NA

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Death rate: NA

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Sex ratio: NA

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Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA

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Total fertility rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)

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

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Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber

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Religions: Muslim

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Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

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Literacy: NA

Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA

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GDP (official exchange rate): $NA

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GDP - real growth rate: NA%

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $NA

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 40%

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Labor force: 12,000

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry and services: 50%

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Unemployment rate: NA%

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

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Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

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Agriculture - products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish

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Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 85 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 79.05 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $NA

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Exports - commodities: phosphates 62%

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Exports - partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

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Imports: $NA

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Imports - commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

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Imports - partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

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Debt - external: $NA

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Economic aid - recipient: $NA

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Currency (code): Moroccan dirham (MAD)

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Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year