Laayoune


Laâyoune or El Aaiún is the largest city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara and de facto administered by Morocco. The modern city is thought to have been founded by the Spanish colonizer :es:Antonio de Oro|Antonio de Oro in 1938. In 1940, Spain designated it as the capital of the Spanish Sahara. Laâyoune is the capital of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region administered by Morocco under the supervision of the UN peace-keeping mission in Western Sahara.
The town is divided in two by the dry river of Saguia el-Hamra. On the south side is the old lower town, constructed by Spanish colonists. A cathedral from that era is still active; its priests serve this city and Dakhla further south. Most people in Laayoune have Moroccan heritage.

History

Etymology

Laâyoune or El Aaiún are respectively the French and Spanish transliterations of the Maghrebi Arabic name Layoun which means "the water springs".

Zemla uprising

The town was the scene of the Zemla Intifada that occurred on June 17th, 1970 that culminated in a massacre, resulting in the deaths ranging from 2 to 11 people.

Geography

Climate

Laayoune has a hot desert climate, moderated by the Canary Current with an average annual temperature of.

Demographics

Laayoune has a population of 217,732 and is the largest city in Western Sahara. It is a growing economic hub.

Economy and status

The city is a hub for fishing and for phosphate mining in the region. In 2010 the country was negotiating a new fishing agreement with Europe over offshore fishing.

Sport

The football club of the city is Jeunesse Massira. The club plays in the Moroccan Premier League, the highest football league in the country. Jeunesse Massira uses Stade Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf for training and games.

Transport

Laayoune is served by Hassan I Airport.

Education

There is a Spanish international school, Colegio Español La Paz, owned by the Spanish government. It occupies a property. In 2015 the parents' association, Asociación de Madres, Padres y Tutores de Alumnos del Colegio Español La Paz, asked for the establishment of secondary education so their children would not have to go to Las Palmas or Morocco to continue their education.

Diplomatic missions

On 18 December 2019, Comoros became the first nation to open a consulate in Laayoune in support of Moroccan claims to Western Sahara. In January 2020, Gabon opened a consulate general in Laayoune. Later on, São Tomé and Príncipe, the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast and Burundi also opened consulates in Laayoune.

Gallery

Twin towns and sister cities