Countries
Western Sahara
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Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory in north-western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the northwest, Morocco to the north-northeast, Algeria to the east-northeast, and Mauritania to the east and south. Most of the territory has been administered by Morocco since 1975, while the pro-independence Polisario Front proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on 27 February 1976, governing the remainder from Tifariti and claiming the whole territory. Its international status remains disputed: as of this entry's writing (source accessed 2026-08-29), the SADR is recognised diplomatically by 36 UN member states (and South Ossetia), and it holds African Union membership, but the territory itself remains a UN-listed Non-Self-Governing Territory with no UN member recognising Moroccan sovereignty over it either.
Facts
CapitalLaayoune (SADR's de jure claimed capital, held and administered by Morocco); Tifariti (SADR's actual provisional seat of government, in SADR-controlled territory) 1 The SADR infobox names Laayoune as its de jure capital even though Morocco controls and administers that city; Tifariti and Bir Lehlou are named as the SADR's actual and former provisional seats in the territory it controls. Population2021 estimate for the whole Western Sahara territory, from its own Wikipedia infobox; this differs from the SADR's own infobox figures, which describe Sahrawi refugee-camp (173,600, 2023) and Free Zone (40,000, 2010) populations specifically rather than the whole territory. Population Estimate Year Area (sq km)Whole-territory figure from the Western Sahara page's own infobox; the SADR government-in-exile separately claims 266,000 sq km and controls roughly 90,000 sq km of it (the "Free Zone"). Independence or Founding YearThe Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on 27 February 1976, in Bir Lehlou, Western Sahara. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Algeria, Countries Algeria borders Western Sahara to the east-northeast.
Morocco, Countries Morocco borders Western Sahara to the north-northeast and administers most of the territory.
The Maghreb, Regions Western Sahara is in north-western Africa, the Maghreb region.
On Continent
In the Other Atlases
Politics and foreign relations
- Politics and foreign relations: this country's government, institutions, parties and foreign-policy positions are recorded on Political Atlas (section "Foreign relations and policy," ruling 722), linked here by a same-as edge. Geography mints and owns none of that content. Western Sahara.
Sources
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationGovernment and politics section, capitalQuote, Government and politics section, capital
proclaimed a village in the area, Bir Lehlou and Tifariti, as SADR's former and actual temporary factual capitals
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, areaQuote, Infobox, area
Area, Total 272,000 km2 (105,000 sq mi)
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, populationQuote, Infobox, population
Population, Total 565,581
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, SADR proclamationQuote, History section, SADR proclamation
The SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on 27 February 1976, in Bir Lehlou, Western Sahara.
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, SADR recognitionQuote, Lead section, SADR recognition
It is recognised by 36 UN member states and South Ossetia.
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationGeography section, bordersQuote, Geography section, borders
bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the northwest, Morocco to the north-northeast, Algeria to the east-northeast, and Mauritania to the east and south
1. Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead paragraph, non-self-governing statusQuote, Lead paragraph, non-self-governing status
non-self-governing territory in north-western Africa
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