Western Sahara: Flag and Facts
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in Northern Africa, on the continent's northwest coast, and El Aaiún is listed as its capital.
- Official name
- Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
- Capital
- El Aaiún
- Region
- Northern Africa
- Population
- 652,271
- Languages
- Berber, Hassaniya, Spanish
- Currency
- Algerian dinar, Moroccan dirham, Mauritanian ouguiya
- Area
- 266,000 km² (102,703 sq mi)
- People
- Sahrawi
- Calling code
- +2
- Highest point
- unnamed elevation 805 m
- Borders
- Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco
- Status
- Territory (not a sovereign country)
About Western Sahara
Spain held this area as Spanish Sahara until it pulled out in 1976. Morocco then took the northern two-thirds, and after Mauritania dropped its claim in 1979, Morocco claimed the remainder too. The Polisario Front fought a guerrilla war against Moroccan control until a cease-fire in 1991, when a UN peacekeeping mission arrived. A planned vote on independence never happened because the sides could not agree on who could take part.
Between 1980 and 1987 Morocco built a long sand berm, about 1,600 kilometers, that still splits the territory, with Morocco holding roughly three-quarters west of it. The land is mostly low, flat desert, and rain is rare, though cold ocean air brings fog and heavy dew. About 652,271 people live here, around 232,000 of them in Laayoune.
Did you know?
- Sebjet Tah, the lowest point, sits 55 meters below sea level.
- Three currencies are in use: the Algerian dinar, Moroccan dirham and Mauritanian ouguiya.
- The territory is roughly the size of Colorado.
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Questions about Western Sahara
Is Western Sahara a country?
Its status is unresolved. Morocco and the Polisario Front both claim it.
What languages are spoken in Western Sahara?
Hassaniya, Berber and Spanish are listed.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.