The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic:
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) – partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, is a former Spanish colony. The SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlou, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about 20-25% of the territory it claims.Cuadro de zonas de división del Sáhara Occidental It calls the territories under its control the Liberated Territories or the Free Zone. Morocco administers the rest of the disputed territory and calls this area its Southern Provinces. The United Nations, the SADR government and most of the countries around the world do not recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the territories occupied by Morocco and its occupation and annexation are illegal under international law.
General reference Pronunciation: Common English country name: Western Sahara Official English country name: The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Common endonyms –
Official endonym(s): Adjectival(s): Demonym(s): Sahrawi, Saharawi, Western Saharan Etymology: Name of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ISO country codes: See the Outline of Western Sahara ISO region codes: See the Outline of Western Sahara Internet country code top-level domain: See the Outline of Western Sahara
Geography of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Geography of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is: a republic in exile, holding but a small portion of the territory they claim Location Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is situated within the following regions of the world: Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere Africa Sahara Desert North Africa Western Sahara Territory claimed: Western Sahara Territory held: Free Zone Location of most of the citizens in exile: Sahrawi refugee camps (self-managed camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria) Time zone: Coordinated Universal Time UTC+00 Atlas of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Environment of Western Sahara
Environment of Western Sahara Climate of Western Sahara Ecoregions in Western Sahara Wildlife of Western Sahara Fauna of Western Sahara Birds of Western Sahara Mammals of Western Sahara
Natural geographic features of Western Sahara
Landforms in Western Sahara Deserts in Western Sahara Sahara Glaciers in Western Sahara: none The only glaciers in Africa are on Mt Kenya (in Kenya), on Kilimanjaro (in Tanzania), and in the Ruwenzori Mountains (which are located in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo). See Proceedings of the Riederalp Workshop, September 1978; Actes de l'Atelier de Riederalp, septembre 1978): IAHS-AISH Publ. no. 126, 1980. World Heritage Sites in Western Sahara: None
Administrative divisions of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Regions of Western Sahara Free Zone – area that lies between the Moroccan Wall and the border with Algeria. Sahrawi refugee camps – self-managed camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria The SADR claims the rest of Western Sahara, but the portion west of the Moroccan Wall is occupied by Morocco. Provinces of Western Sahara Districts of Western Sahara
Municipalities of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Capital of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic: Tifariti – temporary capital and headquarters of the Polisario Front El Aaiún (de jure) – headquarters of Moroccan occupation, but still considered by the SADR to be its true capital Towns within the Free Zone, administered by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Tifariti () – temporary capital and headquarters of the Polisario Front Bir Lehlou () former temporary capital Meharrize () Zug Dougaj Agounit () Mijek (Miyek, ) For the rest of the cities and towns within Western Sahara claimed by the SADR, see List of cities in Western Sahara
Government and politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Politics of Western Sahara
State Polisario Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro Western Sahara Authority Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Capital of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic: Tifariti – temporary provincial capital El Aaiún – claimed capital of the SADR, occupied by Morocco Tindouf, AlgeriaBaehr, Peter R. The United Nations at the End of the 1990s. 1999, page 129. Bir Lehlou – temporary capital of the SADR
Elections Elections in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Sahrawi legislative election, 2008 Political parties in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Former members of the Polisario Front
Branches of the government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Executive branch of the government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Head of state: President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Brahim Ghali Head of government: Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Bucharaya Hamudi Beyun
Legislative branch of the government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sahrawi National Council
Judicial branch of the government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Court system of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Foreign relations of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Diplomatic missions in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Diplomatic missions of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Relations with Algeria Relations with Cuba Relations with East Timor Relations with Mexico Relations with Nigeria Relations with Panama Relations with South Africa Relations with Venezuela
International organization membership African Union (AU) World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
Law and order in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Law of Western Sahara Constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Human rights in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic LGBT rights in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Human rights in Western Sahara Law enforcement in Western Sahara
Military of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Military of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Command Commander-in-chief: Secretary General of the Polisario Front Forces Army: Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, with 6,000 to 7,000 active troops. Navy: none Air Force: none
History of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
History of Western Sahara Hanno the Navigator – Carthaginian explorer c. 500 BC, best known for his naval exploration of the African coast. Sanhaja – a nomadic people who were once one of the largest Berber tribal confederations of the Maghreb region. Almoravid dynasty – during the 11th century, the Sanhaja tribal confederation allied with the Lamtuna tribe to found the Almoravid dynasty.
Trans-Saharan trade – throughout history, some trade routes crossed this region, particularly to and from the Ghana Empire during the Middle Ages.
Spanish Sahara – name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a colonial territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975. Ifni War – series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents and Sahrawi rebels that began in October 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of Sidi Ifni. Polisario Front emerges – formally constituted on May 10, 1973 with the express intention of militarily forcing an end to Spanish colonization. El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed – first Secretary General of the Polisario Front. Green March – strategic mass demonstration in November 1975, coordinated by the Moroccan government, to force Spain to hand over the disputed, autonomous semi-metropolitan Spanish Province of Sahara to Morocco. The demonstration of some 350,000 Moroccans advanced several miles into the Western Sahara territory, escorted by near 100,000 Moroccan troops (camouflaged as civilians and uniformed), and meeting very little response by the Sahrawi Polisario Front. Madrid Accords – treaty between Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania to end the Spanish presence in the territory of Spanish Sahara, which was until the Madrid Accords' inception a Spanish province and former colony. Tropas Nómadas – auxiliary regiment to the colonial army in Spanish Sahara composed of Sahrawi tribesmen, equipped with small arms and led by Spanish officers, guarding outposts and sometimes conducting patrols on camelback. Following the Spanish Government's decision to hand over the territory to Morocco and Mauritania towards the end of 1975, numbers of them deserted. Many of the Tropas Nómadas soldiers are believed to have joined Polisario and Spanish-trained fighters formed the core of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army set up to fight Morocco and Mauritania after the Green March. 1975 United Nations visiting mission to Spanish Sahara – United Nations General Assembly in 1975 dispatched a visiting mission to the territory and the surrounding countries, in accordance with its resolution 3292 (December 13, 1974), to assist in the decolonization process. Western Sahara conflict – ongoing conflict between the Polisario Front of the Sahrawi people and the state of Morocco. The conflict is the continuation of the past insurgency by Polisario against the Spanish colonial forces in 1973-1975 and the subsequent Western Sahara War between the Polisario and Morocco (1975–1991). Western Sahara War – armed struggle between the Sahrawi Polisario Front and Morocco between 1975 and 1991, being the most significant phase of the Western Sahara conflict. Polisario declaration of independence – took place in 1976, establishing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Sahrawi refugee camps – set up in the Tindouf Province, Algeria in 1975-76 for Sahrawi refugees fleeing from Moroccan forces. With most refugees still living in the camps, the refugee situation is among the most protracted ones worldwide. First Battle of Amgala (1976) – Units from the Algerian Army were attacked by units from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces on the night of 27 January. Algeria claimed their troops were providing food and medical supplies to refugees at Amgala, while Morocco said the Algerian troops were heavily armed and were aiding Polisario. Settlement Plan – agreement made in 1991 between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a referendum, which would constitute an expression of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, leading either to full independence, or integration with the kingdom of Morocco. It resulted in a cease-fire which remains in effect (more or less) to this day. United Nations Security Council Resolution 690 – adopted unanimously on 29 April 1991, established MINURSO (see below) to implement the Settlement Plan (see above). United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) – UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara established in 1991 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 690 as part of the Settlement Plan, which had paved way for a cease-fire in the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front (as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) over the contested territory of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara). Independence Intifada – series of disturbances, demonstrations and riots that broke out in May 2005 in the Moroccan-occupied parts of Western Sahara and south of Morocco.