Western Sahara is a territory in Northwest Africa occupied primarily by the Sahara desert with scarce water and plant/animal life. It was colonized by Spain in 1884 and fought for independence by the Polisario Front beginning in 1973. When Spain withdrew in 1975, Morocco took control of most of Western Sahara over Sahrawi opposition, and the region remains in dispute with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic seeking independence through the United Nations.

1. Western Sahara (Sáhara occidental)

2. Location
● Western Sahara is a
territory situated to
the North West of the
African continent.
● It occupies an
extension of
approximately
250,000 square km.

3. Its territory is basically occupied by
the Sahara desert

4. Water is scarce, so plants and animals are
also scarce and have to adapt to the lack of
water

5. Its main economic resources are
phosphates, fishing and dromedary
shepherding

6. Most of the population are of berber origin,
although there is a minority of people who
descend from the Spanish, and some African
blacks.

7. Most people are muslims.
People speak hassaniyya, an Arabic
dialect. Arabic is the official
language.
But Spanish is also spoken! Why?

8. Western Sahara was occupied by
Spain in 1884

9. Since then, the territory was considered a
colony by Spain. But it wasn't occupied
effectively until 1934

10. In 1973 the Frente Polisario was
created

11. Their aim was to fight for the independence
of Western Sahara from Spain.

12. In 1975, Morocco organised the so-
called Marcha Verde

13. It was the time when the Spanish
dictator Franco was seriously ill, so
Morocco decided to invade Western
Sahara, and they did it illegaly.
Their intention was to incorporate
Western Sahara to Morocco.

14. In November 1975 (six days before the
death of the Spanish dictator Franco),
Spain decided to leave Western
Sahara.
Spain decided that the territory of
Western Sahara would be divided
between Morocco and Mauritania.

15. However, Spain mantained that the inhabitants of
Western Sahara had the right to decide about
their future democratically.
Thus, the Western Saharans would vote in a
referendum in order to decide if they wanted to
become and independent country.
But that referendum has never been celebrated.

16. On February 27th, 1976 the Moroccan army
occupied Western Sahara illegaly.

17. As a consequence, Frente Polisario
proclaimed the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic

18. A war between Morocco, Mauritania and the
SADR broke out.
However, Mauritania signed a peace treaty with
the Saharawis in 1978.

19. And Algeria allowed thousands of Saharawi
refugees to settle in Tinduf, a refugee camp.

20. Between 1980 and 1987, the
Moroccans built a wall that separated
the territory controlled by the Saharawi
Arab Democratic Republic and the
territory invaded by the Moroccans.

22. This wall is controlled by 100,000 Moroccan
soldiers.
The Moroccans have also fixed anti personnel
mines, which can cause the death of the innocent
people who step on them.
Also, Morocco has allowed about 200,000
Moroccans to settle in Western Sahara.

23. War between Morocco and SADR
officially ended in 1991

24. The SADR wants the United Nations plan of
organising a referendum to be acomplished.
Meanwhile, the Saharawi people survive in
the refugee camps in Algeria, or have to
suffer the illegal occupation of their territory
by Morocco.
Morocco does not allow demonstrations of
people who demand the independence of
Western Sahara. Torture and repression is
applied to citizens who complain.

25. However, Saharawi and Spanish protesters
usually organise demonstrations in our country
against this illegal occupation.