Spanish Sahara

Spanish Sahara

Spanish Sahara was the name for the area now known as Western Sahara when Spain ruled it from 1884 to 1976. It was one of the last parts of the Spanish Empire, which once included places like the Americas and the Spanish East Indies.

From 1946 to 1958, Spanish Sahara was joined with Spanish-protected Cape Juby and Spanish Ifni to create a new colony called Spanish West Africa. This changed during the Ifni War, when Ifni and the Sahara became separate areas of Spain, and Cape Juby was given to Morocco.

Spain stopped controlling the area after pressure from the United Nations and calls for decolonisation. The local Sahrawi people, led by the Polisario Front, wanted independence. After becoming independent in 1956, Morocco and Mauritania said the land was theirs. In 1976, both countries moved into the area, but the Polisario Front worked for an independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Today, Morocco controls most of the land, while the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic holds the rest. Spain is still the official administrator of the area under international law.

Name

From 1958 to 1976, the area was called the province of Sahara. Before 1958, it had three parts: Rio De Oro, the "occupied zone," and the Southern Protectorate.

History

Beginning

Since the 1700s, Spanish fishermen from the Canary Islands went to the shores of Western Sahara because there was plenty of fish. In the late 1800s, groups wanted to explore and take control of this land. They asked Spain for help. Spain worried other countries might claim the area, so they agreed. In 1884, Spain claimed part of the coast.

Occupation and annexation

In 1881, a company built a small dock in a bay. In 1884, a Spanish person named Emilio Bonelli made an agreement with local leaders to set up trading places. Spain used this to say the area was under their protection. They built a fort called Vila Cisneros. Over time, Spain made more agreements and claimed more land, but could not control all of it.

Ma El Ainin

Spain’s control was limited to just a few places. Other countries, like France, were more active in the area. A leader named Ma El Ainin wanted to stop colonial powers from taking over. He built a city and got help from leaders in Morocco. However, he faced challenges from the French and changes in leadership in Morocco.

French victory

One of Ma El Ainin's sons tried to take control of a city, but the French stopped him. During World War I, there were attempts to get local groups to fight against the French, but these did not succeed. The resistance continued for many years.

Assertion of Spanish control

Spain did not try to control much of the land at first. Later, they tried to settle more areas and set up patrols with help from local groups. By 1934, Spain had fully taken control of their colony.

The Forgotten Colony (1934–1958)

After taking control, Spain did not change much in the lives of the local people. They continued their traditions and ways of living. Spain had few settlers and focused mainly on fishing and trade. During World War II, Spain considered expanding but did not. In 1947, they combined some areas into Spanish West Africa.

Sahrawi insurgency and Moroccan claims

After Morocco gained independence, they claimed the area as their own. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, groups formed to fight for Sahrawi independence. By 1975, Spain could no longer control the area and left. Morocco and Mauritania took over, but disputes over the land continue today.

Present status

Further information: Political status of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a place that still needs to decide its own future. The United Nations says it is not officially part of Morocco, and international rules treat it as land controlled by another country’s forces. Spain still has the official right to manage the area, as decided by a court in 2014. This view is shared by the United Nations, the African Union, and many legal experts. Spain also controls the air above Western Sahara.

Today, most people living in Western Sahara are from Morocco. However, moving people into a place controlled by another country is against international agreements. The United Nations wants to help the people of Western Sahara decide their future through a vote, but this has not happened yet. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is recognized by many countries and the African Union as a nation.