In November 1984, the Polisario Front's SADR was recognised by the Organisation for African Unity leading to the withdrawal of Morocco from the OAU in protest. In May 1991, the Polisario Front and Morocco ended many years of fighting following a UN sponsored peace settlement. The final future of the state of Western Sahara will be settled when the forthcoming UN-supervised referendum is held in which the country's inhabitants must choose between independence and integration with Morocco. The capital is El-Aaiun and the official language is Arabic. The Saharawi Republic has potential deposits of oil, natural gas, uranium, iron and phosphates.
Agriculture includes fruit, vegetables, camels, sheep and goats.
Fishing holds a great potential, it has one of the richest fishing grounds in the world.