El Aaiún
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| El Aaiún العيون al-ʾAyūn |
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  El Aaiún
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| Coordinates: 27°9′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.15361°N 13.20333°W | |
| Country | Morocco |
| Claimed by | Western Sahara and Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic |
| Region | Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra |
| Population (2009) | |
| - Total | 194,668 |
El-Aaiún (also transliterated "Laâyoune" or "El Ayun"; Arabic: العيون, transliterated al-ʾAyūn), is a city in Western Sahara founded by the Spanish in 1928. Managed by Morocco since 1976[1], El-Aaiún is the capital of the Moroccan region of Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra. It is also claimed by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as their de jure capital.
The city is located at 27°09′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.1536°N 13.2033°WCoordinates: 27°09′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.1536°N 13.2033°W.[2]
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[edit] Demographics
The city has a population of 194,668[3] and is the largest city in Western Sahara. It is a growing economic pole in what Morocco sees as its Southern Provinces. Its population is a mixture of Moroccans from the North as well as Sahrawis from Southern Saharan Morocco and natives of Western Sahara.
[edit] Etymology
"El Aaiún" is the transliteration of the Arabic name used as the Spanish name for the city. "Laâyoune" is a French transliteration even used in Moroccan literature. The Arabic name means "the springs".
[edit] Status
The United Nations mission for the referendum, MINURSO, which administers the ceasefire settlement of 1991 between Morocco and the Polisario Front, has its headquarters in the city.
[edit] Climate
| Weather data for Laâyoune" also "El Ayun" | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
22 (72) |
22 (72) |
24 (75) |
26 (79) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
20 (68) |
23 (73) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 16 (61) |
17 (63) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
22 (72) |
20 (68) |
17 (63) |
20 (68) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 12 (54) |
13 (55) |
16 (61) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
18 (64) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
18 (64) |
16 (61) |
13 (55) |
17 (63) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 17.97 (0.71) |
18.51 (0.73) |
6.74 (0.27) |
2.54 (0.1) |
3.21 (0.13) |
0.31 (0.01) |
0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
1.21 (0.05) |
7.47 (0.29) |
16.90 (0.67) |
18.60 (0.73) |
|
| Avg. precipitation days | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 18 |
| Source: Weatherbase[4] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Sport
A football club in El Aaiun is Jeunesse Massira. The club played in the Botola/GNF 1. Jeunesse Massira use Mohamed Laghdaf stadium in training and games.
[edit] References
- ^ UN General Assembly Resolution 34/37 and UN General Assembly Resolution 35/19.
- ^ "Country files". NGA. http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html.
- ^ Stefan Helders (2009). "Morocco - largest cities (per geographical entity)" (in English). World Gazetteer. http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&lng=de&dat=32&geo=-70&srt=npan&col=aohdq&men=gcis&lng=en. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for El Aaiún". http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=33006&refer=&units=metric.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: El Aaiún |
- (French) Investir dans la région de Laâyoune "Invest in the region of Laâyoune"
- Entry in Lexicorient
- Entry in Travel-Images
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