offshore air currents
produce fog and heavy dew

Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy
surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point:
unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time,
often severely restricting visibility

Environment - current issues: sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the waters off the coast
are particularly rich fishing areas

People Western Sahara

Population: 256,177 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Population growth rate: NA (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian,
Sahraouian

Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber

Religions: Muslim

Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Western Sahara

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara

Government type: legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular
Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in
February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi
Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ and
recognized by 54 nations; territory partitioned between Morocco and
Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds;
Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all
claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that secto