Laâyoune ( ,
, ) or El Aaiún ( ,
;
Hassaniya Arabic
Hassānīya ( ar, حسانية '; also known as , , , , and ''Maure'') is a variety of Maghrebi Arabic spoken by Mauritanian Arabs and the Sahrawi. It was spoken by the Beni Ḥassān Bedouin tribes, who extended their authority over most of M ...
: ,
romanized: ; ber, ⵍⵄⵢⵓⵏ, Leɛyun; ar, label=
Literary Arabic
Literary Arabic (Arabic: ' ) may refer to:
* Classical Arabic
* Modern Standard Arabic
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) or Modern Written Arabic (MWA), terms used mostly by linguists, is the variety of Standard language, standardized, Literary ...
, العيون, al-ʿUyūn/el-ʿUyūn, lit=The
Springs
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...
) 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. In 1940, Spain designated it as the capital of the
Spanish Sahara. 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. A cathedral from that era is still active; its priests serve this city and
Dakhla further south.
History
''Laâyoune'' or ''El Aaiún'' are respectively the French and Spanish transliterations of one of the possible Romanized
Maghrebi Arabic names for the city: ''Layoun'', which means "the springs", in reference to the oases that furnish the town's water supply.
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.
Climate
Laayoune has a
hot desert climate (
Köppen climate classification ''BWh''), moderated by the
Canary Current, with an average annual temperature just over .
Demographics
Laayoune has a population of 217,732
[ 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.
Sport
The football club of the city is Jeunesse Massira. The club plays in the Moroccan Second Division, the second highest football league in the country. Jeunesse Massira uses Stade Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf
Stade Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf (Arabic: ملعب الشيخ محمد لغضف) is a multi-use stadium located in Laayoune, Western Sahara. It is used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a maximum capacity of 15,000 people and is home the JS ...
for training and games.
Transport
Laayoune is served by Hassan I Airport.
Education
Schools in Laâyoune include a Spanish international school, Colegio Español La Paz, owned by the Spanish government.
Diplomatic missions
On 18 December 2019, Comoros
The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...
became the first nation to open a consulate in Laayoune in support of Moroccan claims to Western Sahara. In January 2020, Gabon opened a consulate general in Laayoune. Later on, São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe (; pt, São Tomé e Príncipe (); English: " Saint Thomas and Prince"), officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe ( pt, República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe), is a Portuguese-speaking i ...
, the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
, Burundi
Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
, Eswatini
Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...
, Zambia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain,
Gallery
File:Mosque moulay abd el aziz laayoune.jpg, Mosque of Moulay Abd el Aziz
File:Laayoune Cathedral 2011.jpg, The old Spanish Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, chiefly serves European UN personnel
File:Street view from Laayoune 2011.jpg, Avenue Makkah al-Mukarramah
File:Monumental Arch, Laayoune.jpg, Monumental arch near the airport
File:Road to Laayoune Port.jpg, Road to Laayoune Port
File:Laayoune Bus Station.jpg, Laayoune bus station.
See also
* List of cities in Western Sahara
References
External links
Official TV channelOfficial radio channel
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Morocco
Populated places in Laâyoune Province
Populated places in Western Sahara
Capitals in Africa
Regional capitals in Morocco
Provincial capitals in Morocco
Populated places established in 1938
1938 establishments in the Spanish Empire
1938 establishments in Africa