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History of Western Sahara
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Western Sahara.
Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Ancient Berber Era
1000 BCE – 700
Sanhaja Berber peoples migrated into the Western Sahara region, establishing nomadic communities adapted to the harsh desert environment. These groups formed the foundational ethnic and cultural fabric of the territory. Tribal confederations controlled trans-Saharan caravan routes, facilitating trade in gold, salt, and other commodities across North and West Africa.
Medieval Tribal Period
700 – 1500
Zenata Berbers assumed control of the northwestern Saharan fringes, gradually displacing or absorbing earlier Sanhaja populations. The region became integrated into wider Islamic North African networks following the Arab conquests. The Almoravid movement, which emerged partly from Sanhaja confederations in this region, briefly united the western Sahara under a single militant Islamic polity before fragmenting.
Early European Contact
1500 – 1884
European maritime powers, including Portugal, the Netherlands, England, and France, competed for influence along the Atlantic coast, drawn by the gold trade, ostrich feathers, and gum arabic. The island of Arguin changed hands repeatedly — Dutch, English, and finally French — reflecting broader colonial rivalries. Spain also negotiated treaties with Moroccan sultans, including the 1727 Marrakesh and 1799 Meknes agreements, establishing early diplomatic frameworks over the territory.
Spanish Colonization
1884 – 1975
Spain formally colonized the territory in 1884, establishing administrative headquarters at Laayoune and designating the region Spanish Sahara. The colonial period saw limited economic development centered on phosphate extraction at Bou Craa, one of the world's largest deposits. Resistance among the indigenous Sahrawi population intensified through the mid-twentieth century, culminating in the founding of the Polisario Front in 1973 to fight for self-determination.
Annexation & Conflict
1975 – 1991
In 1975, despite the International Court of Justice rejecting territorial sovereignty claims by Morocco and Mauritania, King Hassan II organized the Green March, sending 350,000 civilians into Western Sahara to assert Moroccan control. Spain withdrew in 1976, and Morocco annexed the northern two-thirds of the territory while Mauritania claimed the south. A prolonged guerrilla war between Morocco and the Polisario Front — backed by Algeria — devastated the Sahrawi population until a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991.
Unresolved Status
1991 – present
Following the 1991 ceasefire, the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established to oversee a promised self-determination vote, which has never been held. Morocco administers the majority of the territory behind a fortified sand wall known as the berm, while the Polisario Front governs Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria. The territory remains one of the world's longest-standing and most intractable decolonization disputes.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1000 BCE
Beginning of Sanhaja Berber migrations into Western Sahara
Beginning of Berber migrations into Western Sahara
700
Zenata berbers assume control of the north-western fringes of the Sahara
Zenata berbers assume control of the north-western fringes of the Sahara
1500
Portugal and other countries were interested in the region: gold trade, ostrich feathers and gum ara
Portugal and other countries were interested in the region: gold trade, ostrich feathers and gum arabic.
1638
The Dutch seized the Island of Arguin , which the English temporarily controlled in 1665.
The Dutch seized the Island of Arguin , which the English temporarily controlled in 1665.
1727
By the Treaty of Hague, The Dutch ceded Arguin to France
By the Treaty of Hague, The Dutch ceded Arguin to France
1727
Marrakesh Treaty signed between Spain and Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah of Morocco.
Marrakesh Treaty signed between Spain and Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah of Morocco.
1799
.Meknes Treaty: A treaty signed between Spain and Sultan Sidi Moulay Souleiman of Morocco.
Meknes Treaty signed between Spain and Sultan Sidi Moulay Souleiman of Morocco.