Western Sahara
Africa Β· Capital: El AaiΓΊn
How it is run: Western Sahara is a territory or observer, so some decisions about it are made elsewhere. The research links below explain who is in charge.
Western Sahara is home to a community in Northern Africa, where people speak Berber, Hassaniya, Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
Not counted in world data
πΊοΈ Land
266,000 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
Not enough data
π Size in its region
Part of Africa
31st largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Berber, Hassaniya, Spanish
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Algerian dinar (Ψ―Ψ¬), Moroccan dirham (DH), Mauritanian ouguiya (UM)
More than one currency is used here.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+2
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.eh
π§ People here are called
Sahrawi
π·οΈ Name at home
Western Sahara Β· Ψ§ΩΨ΅ΨΨ±Ψ§Ψ‘ Ψ§ΩΨΊΨ±Ψ¨ΩΨ© Β· Sahara Occidental
Also written: TaneαΊroft Tutrimt.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Not a UN member
Neighbours & borders π€
Western Sahara touches 3 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Sahara Occidental
French
Sahara Occidental
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΨ΅ΨΨ±Ψ§Ψ‘ Ψ§ΩΨΊΨ±Ψ¨ΩΨ©
Chinese
θ₯Ώζεζ
Japanese
θ₯Ώγ΅γγ©
Russian
ΠΠ°ΠΏΠ°Π΄Π½Π°Ρ Π‘Π°Ρ Π°ΡΠ°
Portuguese
Saara Ocidental
German
Westsahara
Put it in perspective π
- Western Sahara covers roughly 2,533 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Western Sahara is a territory linked to another country, so some decisions are made elsewhere.
π·οΈ Official name
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
ποΈ Capital
El AaiΓΊn
π Region
Africa Β· Northern Africa
π€ Country code
EH
ποΈ UN status
Not a UN member state
π© Independence
Linked territory
More about Western Sahara π
π§ Where on the map
24.5Β° N, 13.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-1 β when it is noon in London it is about 11:00 in El AaiΓΊn.
- Western Sahara sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- Western Sahara shares its part of the world with Libya. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Western Sahara is not a full UN member state, so it doesn't get its own vote in the General Assembly.
- The capital of Western Sahara is El AaiΓΊn β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Western Sahara sits in Northern Africa, in the northern and western half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Western Sahara has 3 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Western Sahara can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Western Sahara spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Western Sahara?
El AaiΓΊn
Which money do people spend in Western Sahara?
Algerian dinar (Ψ―Ψ¬), Moroccan dirham (DH), Mauritanian ouguiya (UM)
How many countries share a land border with Western Sahara?
3 β Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco.
Roughly how many people live in Western Sahara?
World data does not count this place separately.
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.