Economy - overview:
Western Sahara has a small market-based economy whose main indutries are fishing, phosphate mining, and pastoral nomadism. The territory's arid desert climate makes sedentary agriculture difficult, and Wstern Sahara imports much of its food. The Moroccan Government administers Western Sahara's economy and is a source of employment, infrstructure development, and social spending in the territory. Western Sahara's unresolved legal status makes the exploitation of its natural resources a contentious issue between Morocco and the Polisario. Morocco and the EU in July 2006 signed a four-year agreement allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Oil has never been found in Western Sahara in commercially significant quantities, but Morocco and the Polisario have quarreled over who has the right to authorize and benefit from oil exploration in the territory. Western Sahara's main long-term economic challenge is the development of a more diverse set of industries capable of providing greater employment and income to the territory.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$900 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
[see also: GDP (purchasing power parity) country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: NA%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - industry country ranks ]
services: 40% (2007 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - services country ranks ]

Labor force:
144,000 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry and services: 50% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
NA%
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $NA
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $NA
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish

Industries:
phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Electricity - production:
90 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
[see also: Electricity - production country ranks ]

Electricity - consumption:
83.7 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
[see also: Electricity - consumption country ranks ]

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
[see also: Electricity - exports country ranks ]

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
[see also: Electricity - imports country ranks ]

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
[see also: Oil - production country ranks ]

Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
[see also: Oil - consumption country ranks ]

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
[see also: Oil - exports country ranks ]

Oil - imports:
1,702 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Oil - imports country ranks ]

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
[see also: Oil - proved reserves country ranks ]

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
[see also: Natural gas - production country ranks ]

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
[see also: Natural gas - consumption country ranks ]

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
[see also: Natural gas - exports country ranks ]

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Natural gas - imports country ranks ]

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Natural gas - proved reserves country ranks ]

Exports:
$NA
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
phosphates 62%

Imports:
$NA
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Debt - external:
$NA
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 8.3619 (2009), 7.526 (2008), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006)