• Designated non-self-governing territory by the UN
• Area: 272,000 square kilometers
• Known as Africa's last colony
• Population: 600,000, most sparsely populated in Africa

• Colonized by Francoist Spain until 1975-1976
• Spain tried to transfer administration to Morocco and Mauritania despite UN court ruling
• War broke out; Polisario Front declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)
• Mauritania withdrew in 1979; Morocco gained control of most territory

• 30% controlled by Polisario Front, 70% by Morocco
• Morocco built a 2,700 km wall with land mines
• UN recognizes Polisario Front as legitimate representative
• SADR has partial recognition; Morocco supported by France and the US
• International discussion of Morocco's autonomy proposal increased in 2020s

List of newspapers published in Western Sahara.