Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab
Region of Western Sahara
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab[a] is one of the twelve regions of Morocco.[2] Before September 2015 it was known as Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira (Arabic: وادي الذهب لكويرة). It is situated in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, considered by Morocco to be the southern part of the country. The Polisario Front and other independence-seeking Sahrawis consider this to be a part of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The United Nations and most countries do not recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the area.
Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab Region
Región de Dajla-Río de Oro | |
|---|---|
|
Seal | |
.svg) Location in territory claimed by Morocco | |
| Coordinates: 23°0′N 15°0′W | |
| Countries |  Morocco Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic |
| Capital | Dakhla |
| Government | |
| • Type | Governor–regional council |
| • Wali | Ali Khalil |
| • President | Yanja Khattat (PI) |
| Area | |
• Total | 142,865 km2 (55,160 sq mi) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 219,965 |
| • Density | 1.53967/km2 (3.98773/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| ISO 3166 code | MA-12 |
The region covers an area of 50,880 km2 and had a population of 219,965 according to the 2024 Moroccan census.[3] The capital is the coastal city of Dakhla, formerly known as Villa Cisneros.
The region comprises two provinces.[4]
History
On 15 December 2023, the Polisario Front carried out an operation in the Aousserd Province of the region, dropping four explosive projectiles 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) away from residential areas that did not cause any casualties.[5][6][7]
Subdivisions
Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab consists of two provinces: