Western Sahara Economy Profile 2009

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)

$900 million (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: 40% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

12,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Budget

revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Industries

phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity - production

90 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption

83.7 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,760 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - imports

1,925 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

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%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Currency (code)

MAD

Currency (code)

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Exchange rates

Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008 est.), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year