Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra (Arabic: العيون - الساقية الحمراء, romanized: al-ʿuyūn as-sāqiya l-ḥamrāʾ) is one of the twelve administrative regions of Morocco. It is mainly located in the disputed territory of Western Sahara: the western part of the region is occupied by Morocco and the eastern part is controlled by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The region as claimed by Morocco covers an area of 140,018 square kilometres (54,061 sq mi) and had a population of 451,028 as of the 2024 Moroccan census. The capital of the region is Laâyoune.
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👉 Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra in the context of Laayoune
Laayoune or El Aaiún (Arabic: العيون, al-ʕuyūn [alʕujuːn], Hassaniyya: [ˈləʕjuːn] , lit. 'The Springs') is the largest city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, with a population of 271,344 in 2023. The city is the de jure capital of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, though it is under de facto Moroccan administration as occupied territory. The modern city is thought to have been founded by the Spanish captain Antonio de Oro in 1938. From 1958, it became the administrative capital of the Spanish Sahara, administered by the Governor General of Spanish West Africa.
In 2023, Laayoune is the capital of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region administered by Morocco, it is still under the supervision of MINURSO, a UN mission.
In this Dossier
Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra in the context of Regions of Morocco
Regions are currently the highest administrative divisions in Morocco. Since 2015, Morocco officially administers 12 regions, including one (Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab) that lies completely within the disputed territory of Western Sahara and two (Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Guelmim-Oued Noun) that lie partially within it. The regions are subdivided into a total of 75 second-level administrative divisions, which are prefectures and provinces.
A region is governed by a directly elected regional council. The president of the council is responsible for carrying out the council's decisions. Prior to the 2011 constitutional reforms, this was the responsibility of the Wali, the representative of the central government appointed by the King, who now plays a supporting role in the administration of the region.
Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra in the context of Tarfaya Province
Tarfaya (Arabic: طرفاية) is a province in the Moroccan economic region of Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, which includes the southwestern part of the territory of Morocco as of before 1975, and the northern part of the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Its population in 2004 was 10420. Its main town is Tarfaya.
In the north-east of the province, Khenifiss National Park is located.