Laayoune

Laâyoune لعيون  (Hassaniyya) ⵍⵄⵢⵓⵏ  (Berber languages) El Aaiún
Laâyoune Location in Western Sahara Laâyoune Laâyoune (Africa) Show map of Western SaharaShow map of AfricaShow all
Coordinates: 27°9′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.15361°N 13.20333°W / 27.15361; -13.20333Coordinates: 27°9′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.15361°N 13.20333°W / 27.15361; -13.20333
Non-Self-Governing Territory	Western Sahara
Region	Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
Province	Laâyoune
Claimed by	Kingdom of Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Controlled by	Kingdom of Morocco
Settled	1934
Founded	1938
Founded by	Antonio de Oro
Area
• Total	21 km2 (8 sq mi)
Population  (2014)[1]
• Total	217,732
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)

Laâyoune (/lɑːˈjuːn/ lah-YOON,^[2][3] also UK: /laɪˈ-/ ly-,^[4] French: [la.ajun]) or El Aaiún (/ˌɛl aɪˈ(j)uːn/ EL eye-(Y)OON,^[3][5][6] Spanish: [el (a)aˈʝun]; Hassaniya Arabic: لعيون, romanized: Laʕyūn/Elʕyūn; Berber languages: ⵍⵄⵢⵓⵏ, romanized: Leɛyun; Literary Arabic: العيون‎, romanized: al-ʿUyūn/el-ʿUyūn, lit. 'The Springs') is the largest city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, with a population of 217,732 in 2014. The city is under de facto administration by Morocco. The modern city is thought to have been founded by the Spanish captain Antonio de Oro in 1938.^[7] In 1940, Spain designated it as the capital of the Spanish Sahara.^{[citation needed]} Laâyoune is the capital of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region administered by Morocco, under the supervision of the UN peacekeeping mission MINURSO.

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.^{[citation needed]} A cathedral from that era is still active; its priests serve this city and Dakhla further south.^{[citation needed]}

History[]

Laâyoune or El Aaiún are respectively the French and Spanish transliterations of the Maghrebi Arabic name Layoun, which means "the springs", in reference to the oases that furnish the town's water supply.^[8]

The town was the scene of the Zemla Intifada that occurred on June 17, 1970 that culminated in a massacre, resulting in the deaths ranging from 2 to 11 people.^{[citation needed]}

Climate[]

Laayoune has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), moderated by the Canary Current,^{[citation needed]} with an average annual temperature just over 21 °C (70 °F).

Demographics[]

Laayoune has a population of 217,732^[1] and is the largest city in Western Sahara.

Economy and status[]

The city is a hub for fishing and for phosphate mining in the region.^[11] In 2010, the country was negotiating a new fishing agreement with Europe over offshore fishing.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

Transport[]

Laayoune is served by Hassan I Airport.

Education[]

Schools in Laâyoune include a Spanish international school, , owned by the Spanish government.^[12]

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.^[13] In January 2020, Gabon opened a consulate general in Laayoune.^[14] Later on, São Tomé and Príncipe,^[15] the Central African Republic,^[16] Ivory Coast,^[17] Burundi,^[18] Eswatini,^[19] Zambia,^[20] the United Arab Emirates,^[21] and Bahrain,^[22] also opened consulates in Laayoune.

Gallery[]

• 

  Mosque of Moulay Abd el Aziz

• 

  The old Spanish Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, chiefly serves European UN personnel

• 

  Avenue Makkah al-Mukarramah

• 

  Monumental arch near the airport

• 

  Road to Laayoune Port

• 

  Laayoune bus station.

See also[]

• List of cities in Western Sahara

References[]

External links[]

• Official TV channel
• Official radio channel