Definition

Proper noun: * A disputed territory in North Africa: Western Sahara is a region on the northwest coast of Africa, bordered by Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a sparsely populated area largely consisting of desert terrain. Its political status is unresolved, and it is the subject of a territorial dispute between Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), proclaimed by the Polisario Front.

Usage

• As a geographical/political entity: The term is used to refer to the territory itself, its status, or issues related to it.
  • The United Nations has been involved in seeking a resolution for Western Sahara.
  • The climate in Western Sahara is predominantly arid.
• In historical or political context: It is commonly used when discussing decolonization, international law, or regional conflicts.
  • Spain was the colonial administrator of Western Sahara until 1975.

Advanced Usage

• "The Western Sahara conflict": The standard phrase referring to the ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of the territory.
  • The Western Sahara conflict remains one of Africa's longest-running territorial disputes.

Variants and Related Words

• Sahrawi (adj): Relating to the people or culture of Western Sahara.
  • Sahrawi refugees have lived in camps in Algeria for decades.
• Spanish Sahara: The former colonial name for the territory before 1975.

Synonyms

• Disputed territory (descriptive synonym)
• Non-self-governing territory (UN designation)

Related Phrases

• The question of Western Sahara: A formal diplomatic term often used in United Nations documents to describe the issue.
  • The Security Council discussed the question of Western Sahara.

Noun

1. an area in northwestern Africa with rich phosphate deposits; under Moroccan control since 1992