Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra

Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra العيون - الساقية الحمراء
Region
Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 26°08′N 14°30′W / 26.133°N 14.500°WCoordinates: 26°08′N 14°30′W / 26.133°N 14.500°W
Country	Morocco  Western Sahara
Created	September 2015
Capital	Laâyoune
Government
• President	Hamdi Ould Errachid
Area[1]
• Total	121,219 km^2 (46,803 sq mi)
Population (1 September 2014)[1]
• Total	367,758
• Density	3.0/km^2 (7.9/sq mi)
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	WEST (UTC+1)

Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra (Arabic: العيون - الساقية الحمراء‎‎) is one of the twelve regions of Morocco. It is mainly located in the disputed territory of Western Sahara: the western part of the region is administered by Morocco and the eastern part by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The region as a whole covers an area of 121,219 km² and had a population of 367,758 as of the 2014 Moroccan census.^[1] The capital of the region is Laâyoune.^[2]

Geography

Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra borders the region of Guelmim-Oued Noun to the north and Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab to the south. It shares its eastern border with Mauritania's Tiris Zemmour Region, and to its west is the Atlantic Ocean. The towns of Tarfaya, El Marsa and Boujdour are located on the Atlantic coast, and the Canary Islands are located offshore. The regional capital Laâyoune is located inland near El Marsa, and the region's second-largest town Smara is located near its geographic centre. The Moroccan Wall runs through the region and the area to its east is under the control of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

History

Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra was formed in September 2015 by attaching Es-Semara Province, formerly part of Guelmim-Es Semara region, to the former region of Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra.^[2]

Government

The first president of the regional council, Hamdi Ould Errachid, was elected on 14 September 2015.^[3] He is a member of the Istiqlal Party and previously headed the council of the former Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region.^[4] His uncle of the same name is the mayor of Laâyoune.^[5]

Subdivisions

Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra comprises four provinces:^[2]

• Boujdour Province
• Es-Semara Province
• Laâyoune Province
• Tarfaya Province

References

1. Law, Gwillim. "Regions of Morocco". Statoids. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
2. "Décret fixant le nom des régions" (pdf). Portail National des Collectivités Territoriales (in French). 20 February 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
3. "Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid élu président de la région Laâyoune-Sakia Al Hamra" [Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid elected president of Laâyoune-Sakia Al Hamra region]. La Nouvelle Tribune (in French). 14 September 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
4. Laabid, Mohamed (1 October 2012). "Laâyoune: Sidi Hamdi Ould Rachid reconduit à la tête du conseil régional" [Laâyoune: Sidi Hamdi Ould Rachid renewed as head of regional council]. Aujourd'hui Le Maroc (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2015.
5. Alami, Ziad (13 September 2015). "Régionales 2015: le Parti de l'Istiqlal renforce sa poigne sur la région de Laâyoune-Saguia Al Hamra" [Regional elections 2015: the Istiqlal Party reinforces its grip on Laâyoune-Saguia Al Hamra region]. Le360 (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2015.