About Western Sahara:
- Western Sahara is a vast, sparsely-populated desert region in Northwest Africa.
- It is part of the Maghreb region of North and West Africa.
- Bordering Countries: It shares its land borders with Morocco and Algeria to the north and northeast respectively, and Mauritania to the east and south.
- Water Body: It also has a long coast with the Atlantic Ocean in the West and Northwest.
- It is a region rich in phosphates and other minerals and has a lucrative fishing industry on its Atlantic coast.
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
- It was established in 1991 to support the settlement proposals and ceasefire reached by Morocco and Frente Polisario.
- Since the establishment of the Mission, MINURSO headquarters has been located in Laayoune, the main city in Western Sahara.
- Focus: It contributes to peace and stability in Western Sahara by monitoring, investigating and reporting on the ongoing situation, and working with the parties to reduce tensions as they arise.
