The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a government-in-exile that administers the disputed territory of Western Sahara in West Africa. It was formed after Spain handed over control of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania in 1975. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic seeks independence through a referendum, but Morocco has rejected this possibility. Algeria has supported the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and it currently holds less than 1/5 of the territory it claims. Violence could potentially break out at any moment, and overland travel is dangerous due to landmines.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is the name of the government-in-exile that administers the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Western Sahara is a large nation in West Africa. It covers 102,700 square miles (266,000 square km), making it roughly the same size as the state of Colorado. It borders Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco and has coastlines along the Atlantic Ocean.
Various Berber nomadic groups inhabited Western Sahara for many centuries, and expanding Arabs took control of the region in the 8th century. In the 11th century groups within the region formed a unified group and expanded, conquering large parts of Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula in the north and expanding to the borders of the Mali Empire in the south. When this empire fell in the 12th century, Morocco took control of much of Western Sahara. By the 16th century Morocco had driven the Portuguese off their lands and regained control of all of Western Sahara.
In the late 19th century, when European powers divided up Africa, Morocco was divided between France and Spain, with Spain receiving the portion that is now Western Sahara. In 19th Spain united all of her disparate holdings into a single province, which she called the Spanish Sahara. Rebellions plagued the Spanish at the time, orchestrated by the Sahrawi group inhabiting the Sahara, and they eventually joined the nationalist movement of the Polisario Front.
In 1975 Spain met with the Polisario group to discuss a transition of power. At the same time, independent Morocco claimed lands it claimed were historically its own. A United Nations mission visited the Sahara that year and reported that a majority of the inhabitants favored independence, rather than remaining a Spanish holding company or being transferred to Morocco. Soon after, the International Court of Justice told Morocco that the historical possessions of the region did not grant the nation the right to claim them, affirming instead that the Sahrawi people had the right to self-determination.
At the end of the year Morocco began massing troops along the border, prompting the Spanish to capitulate and hand over control of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania. The following day, the Polisario Front declared the formation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, creating a government-in-exile based in Algeria. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic first targeted the southern third of the region, which had been ceded to Mauritania, eventually seizing it. Morocco responded by claiming that region as well and massing troops along the border.
A ceasefire was reached in 1991, with Morocco agreeing to hold a referendum to determine whether Western Saharans desired independence. To date, this referendum has not taken place, with Morocco rejecting a number of further plans, essentially rejecting the possibility of a future referendum. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has so far respected the ceasefire, but has made it very clear that if it does not move towards a referendum, it may need to fight once more.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is based in Algeria, and since its formation the Algerian government has funded and helped train them, sometimes supplying them with weapons. Although Algeria attempts to downplay its role in the conflict, positioning itself simply as a party interested in self-determination, many observers have stressed that its actions are those of a heavily invested nation.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic currently holds less than 1/5 of the territory it claims. As part of the political maneuvering to gain international support, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic sought and obtained the recognition of a number of nations and some international organizations. Most notable is its acceptance into the African Union, while Morocco is the only African nation not a member of the AU.
Visiting the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is not recommended at this time, as violence could potentially break out at any moment. Large swathes of Western Sahara territory are also mined, particularly along the Morocco Wall, making overland travel dangerous.
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