Territory of undetermined status
Spain terminated its presence in the territory on 26 February 1976. Since then the UN has listed no administering power for the territory, and its final status has not been determined.
Listed by the United Nations as a Non-Self-Governing Territory.
DisputedControlled by Morocco (most of the territory, including the main towns) and by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (the eastern part). Both claim the whole territory.
National Identity
- Official name
- Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
- Official name (in Arabic)
- الصحراء الغربي
- Official name (in Arabic, Romanized)
- Aṣ-Ṣaḥrā’ al-Gharbiyyah
- Name etymology
self-descriptive name specifying the territory's western location on the African continent's vast desert
Sources:- History ↗ - SADR Embassy To Ethiopia & The African Union – Sahrawi Arab Democratic
- The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
- National flag
- National anthem
- Yā Banīy As-Saharā (يا بني الصحراء)1:01
- Title (in Arabic)
- يا بني الصحراء
- Title (in Arabic, Romanized)
- Yā Banīy As-Saharā
- Title (in English, translated)
- O Sons of the Sahara
- Lyrics
يابني الصحراء انتم في الوغى حاملي المشعل في الدرب الطويل اصنعوالثورة في أمتنا واسلكوا من أجلها هذا السبيل اقطعوا رأس الدخيل اقطعوا رأس الدخيل أيها الثوار يمجد الوطن اقطعوا الاقطاع في هدا الربوع وانزعو بالحرب أسباب الفتن ورفضوها لا خضوع لا خنوع لا عميل لا دخيل لا عميل لا دخيل أيها السائل عنا إننا من تحدى في الجهاد المستحيل نحن من حطم ذاك الوثنا نحن من لقنه الدرس الجليل إننا شعب نبيل إننا شعب نبيل نحن من أعلناها ضد الغزاة ثورة تحرق كل الغاصبين إنها الحرب التي تمحو الطغات وتقر الحق حق الكادحين إننا شعب نبيل إننا شعب نبيل إنها الثورة من أجل الشعوب وستمضي في البلادالعربية تصنع الوحدة دوما في القلوب وتقيم العدل والديمقراطية كل قرن كل جيل كل قرن كل جيل
Source: - Citizens
- "Sahrawis" or "Sahraouis"
- Official name:History ↗ - SADR Embassy To Ethiopia & The African Union – Sahrawi Arab Democratic
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
- Total area
- 266,000 km²
- Land area
- 266,000 km²
- Water area
- 0.00 km²
- Land borders
- 2,049 km(3 countries)
- Mauritania
- 1,564 km
- Morocco
- 444 km
- Algeria
- 41 km
Source:- The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
- Coastline
- 1,110 km
- Terrain
Mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast - Mean elevation
- 256 m
- Highest point
- 805 m
- Lowest point
- −55 mSebjet Tah
- Climate
Hot, dry desert rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew - Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Pasture18.8%Forest2.0%Other79.2%
- Arable land
- 4,000 hectares (0.0%)
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 5,000,000 hectares (18.8%)
- Forest
- 530,816 hectares (2.0%)
- Other land
- 21,065,184 hectares (79.2%)
Source:
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Mean elevation, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate:The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
Demographics
- Population change2026
- +1.65% per year+9,909 people/yearWorld Rank63rdof 237
- Birth rate
- 14.7 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 6.6 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- +7.7 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 32.8 yearsWorld Rank125thof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years22.7%15-64 years70.3%65 years +7.0%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 7.0%
- Share aged under 18
- 27.0%
- Total dependency ratio
- 42
- Youth dependency ratio
- 32
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 10
- Sex ratio
- 1.22 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 0.3% 0.4% 70-79 1.6% 1.7% 60-69 3.7% 3.0% 50-59 6.7% 4.3% 40-49 10.3% 7.2% 30-39 9.5% 7.2% 20-29 7.6% 6.7% 10-19 7.5% 7.2% 0-9 7.7% 7.4% - 2026
- 0.03 above the replacement level for Western Sahara ()2.13 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank100thof 237
- 1.00 daughters per womanat replacement, each generation about the same size as the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- +8.1 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 8.1 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- +7.7 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 87.0% live in cities531,359 urban residents
- Largest urban areas2026
- Dakhla, Smara, Boujdour, Laayoune (El-Aaiun)RankUrban AreaPopulation (2026 estimate)1Dakhla164,0872Smara63,2793Boujdour52,1244Laayoune (El-Aaiun)51,315
Unlike official city figures, UN urban areas cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.
- Population distribution
- Most of the population lives in the two-thirds of the area west of the berm (Moroccan-occupied) that divides the territory; about 40% of that populace resides in Laayoune.
- Ethnic groups
- Arab, Berber
- Religions
- Muslim
- Languages
- Arabic (العربية)
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization, Largest cities:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- No single form. The territory is divided between Morocco, a constitutional monarchy, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Frente POLISARIO), a republic.
- System of government
- Not statedTwo administrations govern different parts of the territory.Sources:
- UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), S/RES/2797 (2025) ↗
- Advisory Opinion on Western Sahara (1975)
- Territorial control
- ContestedThe Moroccan administration controls the area west of the berm; the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controls the area east of it.
- Capital
- Laayoune262,791 people(2024)
- National holidays
- 11 days in 2026
- FriFeb 27Proclamation of the SADR
- SunMar 8First Martyr
- FriMar 20Eid al-Fitr (estimated)
- SunMay 10Creation of the Polisario Front
- WedMay 20Commencement of the Armed Struggle
- WedMay 27Eid al-Adha (estimated)
- TueJun 9Martyrs' Day
- TueJun 16Islamic New Year (estimated)
- WedJun 17Uprising Day
- TueAug 25Prophet's Birthday (estimated)
- MonOct 12National Unity Day
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- Currency
- Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
- Calling code
- +212
- Internet TLD
- .eh
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- EH, ESH
- Infrastructure
- Airports6 airports
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial control:UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), S/RES/2797 (2025) ↗ - United Nations Security Council
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial control:Advisory Opinion on Western Sahara (1975) - International Court of Justice
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
Economy
- Labor force2024
- 261,638 (44% of population)World Rank170thof 187
- Labor force participation2024
- 57.7% of people aged 15+
- Unemployment2024
- 9.2%
- Youth unemployment2024
- 24.6% ages 15 to 24
- Labor productivity2024
- $7.8 per hour worked at PPP
- Trade2012
- 1phosphates
Source:- The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
- Industries
- phosphate mining, handicrafts
- Labor force, Labor force participation, Unemployment, Youth unemployment, Labor productivity:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Western Sahara - CIA
Cost of Living
Society
Crime & Safety
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 72.0 years
- Infant mortality2026
- 21.2 per 1,000 live births
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 0.3 Mt per yearup 5 percent on the previous year5% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 0.5 t per personWorld Rank176thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- < 0.01%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 0.38 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 0.05 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 0.74 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 5.8 µg/m³ of PM2.50.1 years of life expectancy lost against the WHO guidelineMost polluted176thof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
Food & Water
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 7.58 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- < 0.01%
- Supply
- No domestic productionconsumes 0 EJ in 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- No domestic productionconsumes 1,979 b/d in 2024Consumption20241,979 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Energy consumption, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
