| Economy - overview | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. |
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| GDP - real growth rate | NA% |
|
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: 40% |
|
| Population below poverty line | NA% |
|
Household income or consumption
by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
| Labor force | 12,000 |
|
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 50%
industry and services: 50% |
|
| Unemployment rate | NA% |
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| Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
|
| Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts |
|
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% |
|
Electricity -
production | 85 million kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity -
production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity -
consumption | 79.05 million kWh (2004) |
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Electricity -
exports | 0 kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity -
imports | 0 kWh (2004) |
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| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
|
| Oil - consumption | 1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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| Oil - exports | NA bbl/day |
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| Oil - imports | NA bbl/day |
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| Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish |
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| Exports | $NA |
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| Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% |
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| Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) |
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| Imports | $NA |
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| Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs |
|
| Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) |
|
| Debt - external | $NA |
|
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA |
|
| Currency code | MAD |
|
| Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002) |
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| Fiscal year | calendar year |
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