Spanish Sahara
- proper noun
:
Sahara Español
- After Spain withdrew from the Spanish Sahara, the territory became the subject of dispute between Morocco and local groups.
Examples
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The rich phosphate resources of the Spanish Sahara have attracted international interest for decades.
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Maps from the early 20th century still label the region as Spanish Sahara.
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The Spanish Sahara was rich in natural resources.
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Many people are unaware of the history of the Spanish Sahara.
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After Spain withdrew from the Spanish Sahara, the territory became the subject of dispute between Morocco and local groups.
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Maps from the early 20th century still label the region as Spanish Sahara.
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The rich phosphate resources of the Spanish Sahara have attracted international interest for decades.
Synonyms
A region in northwest Africa on the Atlantic coast that many countries disagree about and that Morocco mostly controls
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'Spanish Sahara' is a straightforward compositional name: 'Spanish' specifies a connection to Spain and 'Sahara' names the desert region, so together they indicate the part of the Sahara associated with Spain (i.e., a former Spanish territory). This nationality+place naming pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the basic meaning even if they lack the historical details.
Etymology
Spanish Sahara comes from the time when Spain controlled part of the Sahara desert. People called the land 'Spanish' because it was under Spain's rule, so the name refers to the territory now often called 'Western Sahara'.
