|RConstitution:|N Formerly a Spanish colony, it is today occupied by Morocco.
|RNature and climate:|N Desertarea along the African Atlantic coast.
Apart from the coastal strip the area is a plateau with a highest point above sea level of 600 metres.
Along the most important river, Seguia el Hamra, is sparse vegetation. In the desert many saltswamps.
Average temperature in January 17 to 19°C and in July 21 to 23°C.
Percipitation 50 mm.
|RPeople:|N 65% Arabians, in the south mixed with negroes. And some Berbs.
|REconomy:|N Up to 1963 the population were fishermen or nomadic cattleraisers. In 1963 very big phosphate areas were found in the northern parts. Extraction started in 1973.
|RHistory:|N Portuguese sailors visited Western Sahara in 1436 and called it Rio de Oro.
First colonized by Spanish merchants in the 19th century and was made a Spanish dependency in 1884. A Spanish province from 1958.
In the early 1970:es the liberationmovement Polisario was founded.
When Spain in 1973 announced the plans of independence for Western Sahara the neighboring nations Morocco and Mauritania both claimed the whole area, and in 1976 Morocco occupied 2/3 of the area and Mauritania the rest.
The Polisario continued, with military help from Algeria, the liberation fight and in 1979 Mauritania withdrew.
Morocco then occupied the whole area.
Now Morocco controls most of the populated areas, while Polisario controls most of the deserts.
In 1990 a cease-fire was signed and a referendum will be conducted by the UN to decide whether Western Sahara should become independent or remain a part of Morocco.
