Western Sahara: Forest Cover, 2005
| Total Land Area (ha) | - | | Total Forest Area (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Percent Forest Cover | - | | Primary Forest Cover (ha) | - | | Primary Forest, % total forest | - | | Primary Forest, % total land | - | | Other wooded land (ha) | - |
Western Sahara : Forest types
| Tropical (% forest area) | 100% | | Subtropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Temperate (% forest area) | 0% | | Boreal/polar (% forest area) | 0% |
Western Sahara: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
| Primary forest (ha | %) | - | - | | Modified natural (ha | %) | - | - | | Semi-natural (ha | %) | - | - | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | - | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | - |
Western Sahara: Change in Forest Cover
| TOTAL FOREST COVER | | Forest 1990 (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Forest 2000 (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Forest 2005 (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Change in rate (%) | #DIV/0! | | PRIMARY FOREST COVER | | Primary 1990 (ha) | - | | Primary 2000 (ha) | - | | Primary 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | | OTHER WOODED LAND | | Other 1990 (ha) | - | | Other 2000 (ha) | - | | Other 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | | PLANTATIONS | | Other 1990 (ha) | - | | Other 2000 (ha) | - | | Other 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations | | Other 1990 (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 1,011,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Change in rate (%) | #DIV/0! |
Western Sahara: Primary
| Primary or "old-growth" vegetation | | Primary Forest 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) | - |
Western Sahara: Forest designation
| Ownership of forest land, 2000 | | Public (%) | - | | Private (%) | - | | Other (%) | - | | Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 | | Public (%) | - | | Private (%) | - | | Other (%) | - | | Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 | | Production (%) | - | | Protection (%) | - | | Conservation (%) | - | | Social Services (%) | - | | Multiple Services (%) | - | | None of Unknown (%) | - |
Western Sahara: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
| Forest Area annually affected by | | Fire (%) | - | | Insects (ha) | - | | Diseases (ha) | - | | Other (ha) | - |
Western Sahara: Protected areas
| Protected areas | | Biosphere reserves, 2005 | | Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 | 0 | | World Heritage sites, 2004 | 0 | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land | 0.0% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land | #DIV/0! | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 | #DIV/0! | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 | #DIV/0! |
Western Sahara: Biodiversity - Wildlife
| Amphibians | | total species | 2 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 0 | | Birds | | total species | 163 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 3 | | Mammals | | total species | 28 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 4 | | Reptiles | | total species | 30 | | endemic species | 1 | | threatened species | 0 | | Wildlife diversity | | total species | 223 | | endemic species | 1 | | threatened species | 7 |
Western Sahara: Biodiversity - Plants
| Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | - | | Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | - | | Number of Native tree species | | | Native tree species | - | | Number of tree species in IUCN red list | | Critically Endangered | | - | | Endangered | - | | Vulnerable | - | | Vascular Plant Species, 2004 | | Total | 330 | | Number endemic | 0 | | Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 | | Species threatened | 0 |
Western Sahara: Value of forests
| Biomass stock in forest, 2005 | | Above-ground biomass (M t) | 29 | | Below-ground biomass (M t) | 22 | | Dead wood (M t) | - | | Total (M t) | - | | Carbon stock in forest, 2005 | | Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) | 14 | | Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) | 11 | | Carbon in dead wood (M t) | - | | Carbon in litter (M t) | - | | Soil carbon (M t) | - | | Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) | | 1990-2000 | 0 | | 2000-2005 | 0 | | Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) | | 1990-2000 | 0 | | 2000-2005 | 0 | | Wood removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) | 12 | | Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) | 10 | | Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) | 23 | | Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) | n.s. | | Plant products 2005 | | Food (t) | - | | Fodder (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) | - | | Ornamental plants (t) | - | | Exudates (t) | - | | Other plant products (t) | - | | Animal products 2005 | | Living animals (units) | - | | Hides, skins and trophies (units) | - | | Wild honey and bee-wax (t) | - | | Bush meat (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Other edible animal products (t) | - | | Other non-edible animal products (t) | - | | Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (US$) | $583,000 | | Wood fuel (US$) | - | | Non-wood forest products (US$) | - | | Total value (US$) | $583,000 | | Total value ($USD/ha) | $1 | | Employment in forestry 2000 | | Total people employed | - |
Western Sahara : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
| Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 | | Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 | | Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 | | Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 | | Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 | | Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 |
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Western Sahara: Environment
| Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | | Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility |
Western Sahara: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.98% (2001) | | Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore |
Western Sahara: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. | | GDP - per capita | NA | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | NA | | Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: NA, industry: NA, services: 40% (1996 est.) | | Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | | Economic aid - recipient | NA | | Debt - external | NA | | Population below poverty line (%) | NA | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% |
Western Sahara: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 273,008 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | NA | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 1.0 | | Percent rural (2003) | 6.3% | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | NA | | Ethnic groups (%) | Arab, Berber |
Largest Cities in Western Sahara
Cities and urban areas in Western Sahara with population over 100,000
[For more population information including updated figures and a wider selection of cities please visit The World Gazetteer]
--> All figures are estimates for 2002.
[capitals, land area, total population]
Forest Stats for Selected Countries
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Laayoune | Western Sahara | 190500 | 190500 |
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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