Atlantic coast, Western Sahara. (Photograph by SaharaMet)
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008.
Maggie Surface (Lead Author);CIA (Content Source);Lakhdar Boukerrou (Topic Editor) "Western Sahara country profile". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 25, 2008; Last revised Date August 25, 2008; Retrieved May 26, 2012 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Western_Sahara_country_profile>
The Author
Maggie Surface, originally from Nashville, TN, graduated in May of 2007 from Allegheny College with a double B.S. in physics and environmental studies. Her senior thesis at Allegheny focused on bringing solar energy to campus. She interned with American Rivers in the summer of 2006, helping plan River Lobby Day, and with the Meadville Area Local Growers and the Meadville Redevelopment Authority in the summer of 2005. Maggie served as the Earth Portal Program Coordinator for the National Counc ... (Full Bio)
Atlantic coast, Western Sahara. (Photograph by SaharaMet)
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008.
Source: CIA
Atlantic coast, Western Sahara. (Photograph by SaharaMet)
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