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Glite Dictionary
Western Sahara

Western Sahara

5.3
A region in northwest Africa on the Atlantic coast that many countries disagree about and that Morocco mostly controls
  • proper noun
translation icon : Sahara Occidental
  • Many Sahrawis live in refugee camps outside Western Sahara due to the ongoing conflict.

Examples

  • Phosphate mining is a major industry in Western Sahara.

  • Western Sahara is beautiful.

  • The United Nations continues to discuss the political status of Western Sahara.

  • Don't forget about Western Sahara!

  • The United Nations has been involved in discussions about the future of Western Sahara, aiming to resolve the long-standing dispute over its status.

  • Various organizations advocate for the self-determination of the people living in Western Sahara, highlighting the region's complex political situation.

  • Residents of Western Sahara have been affected by the ongoing conflict, leading to a humanitarian crisis in the territory.

Synonyms

Spanish Sahara
vsWestern Sahara
7.6

A former Spanish colony in northwest Africa now called Western Sahara

is the modern disputed territory with limited international recognition and mainly controlled by Morocco

Surface Forms

Western Sahara main

Morphology

western + Sahara

The compound is a straightforward combination of 'western' (toward the west) + 'Sahara' (the desert), so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it refers to the western part/region of the Sahara. While the term also denotes a specific disputed political territory, that political nuance is extra knowledge; the basic locational meaning is transparently derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Western Sahara comes from Western (meaning 'west') and Sahara, an Arabic word for 'desert'. It literally means 'the western desert', so the name refers to the desert region on the Atlantic coast of northwest Africa.