Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
Morocco controls the territory of Western Sahara in the west and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in the east, except for a small portion that Mauritania administers. According to the 2014 Moroccan census, the territory covers 54,061 square kilometers (140,018 sq mi) and has a population of 367,758 people. The capital of the region is Laâyoune.
Geography
The Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region is bordered by Guelmim-Oued Noun to the north and Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab to the south. The Tiris Zemmour Region of Mauritania connects its eastern border, and the Atlantic Ocean is to its west. Tarfaya, El Marsa, and Boujdour are coastal towns, and the Canary Islands are offshore. Laâyoune is inland near El Marsa, and Smara is near its geographic center. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controls the area to the region's east. The Moroccan Wall runs through and across the region to the east.
History
In September 2015, the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region was created by connecting Es Semara Province, which had been a part of the Guelmim-Es Semara region, to the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region.
Government
On September 14, 2015, Hamdi Ould Errachid became the first president of the regional council. He is a member of the Istiqlal Party and a previous head of the Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region council. His uncle, the mayor of Laayoune, is the same person. Yahdih Bouchab became governor of the region on October 13, 2015.
Subdivisions
Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra consists of four provinces:
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Boujdour Province
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Es Semara Province
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Laâyoune Province
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Tarfaya Province
