Western Sahara Economy Profile 2008

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$NA

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$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%

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

12,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 50%
industry and services: 50% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

Industries

phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity - production

85 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - consumption

79.05 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,750 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports

1,698 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

phosphates 62%

Exports - partners

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006)

Imports

$NA

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)

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year