Welcome to Western Sahara 🇪🇠— a remarkable destination in Northern Africa. Its official name is Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and today around 600,000 people call this Africa nation home, spread across roughly 266,000 km² of territory.
Below is your complete country profile for Western Sahara: key statistics, an introduction to El Aaiún, an interactive map, cultural notes and answers to the questions people most often ask about this corner of Africa.
Geography of Western Sahara
Geographically, Western Sahara belongs to Northern Africa within Africa. Its territory spans approximately 266,000 km², which makes it the 79th largest country or territory on Earth.
Western Sahara has a coastline as well as land borders with Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco — a crossroads position that has influenced its culture and economy for centuries.
The capital city is El Aaiún, the political and cultural heart of the country and usually the first stop for visitors who want to understand how sahrawi life really works.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, language and culture
Around 600,000 people live in Western Sahara, making it the 172nd most populous country or territory in the world. A person from Western Sahara is called a Sahrawi.
Western Sahara is multilingual: the languages spoken include Berber, Hassaniya and Spanish. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Beyond the numbers, everyday culture in Western Sahara — from markets and music to family traditions — is what makes discovering it through a random spin so rewarding.
Currency, travel and practical facts
The official currency is the Algerian dinar (DZD, symbol دج). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Western Sahara is +2. Websites from the country typically use the .eh internet domain.
Quiz tip: the three facts most worth memorising about Western Sahara are its flag, its capital El Aaiún, and its approximate population of 600,000.
Neighbouring countries
Western Sahara shares borders with 3 countries:
Fun facts about Western Sahara
- Western Sahara's flag emoji is 🇪🇠— its two-letter country code is EH and its three-letter code is ESH.
- Western Sahara covers 266,000 km², ranking 79th in the world by area.
- With about 600,000 people, Western Sahara holds the 172nd spot in the world population ranking.
- Western Sahara is not a full member state of the United Nations.
- Western Sahara shares borders with 3 countries.
Western Sahara — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Western Sahara?
- The capital of Western Sahara is El Aaiún.
- What is the population of Western Sahara?
- Western Sahara has a population of approximately 600,000 people, ranking 172nd in the world.
- Where is Western Sahara located?
- Western Sahara is located in Northern Africa, part of the Africa region.
- What language is spoken in Western Sahara?
- The languages spoken in Western Sahara include Berber, Hassaniya and Spanish.
- What currency is used in Western Sahara?
- Western Sahara uses the Algerian dinar (DZD).
