Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references Africa

Area
total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline 1,110 km

Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold 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: 19%
permanent crops: 24%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 47%
other: 10% (1993 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 arable land

Environment - international agreements
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

NOTE: The information regarding Western Sahara on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Western Sahara Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Western Sahara Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.