| El-Aaiún العيون al-ˁūyūn ⵍⵄⵢⵓⵏ Laayoune |
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| Avenue Mecka Al Mokarrama in El-Aaiún | |
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El-Aaiún
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| Coordinates: | |
| Non-Self-Governing Territory | Western Sahara |
| Region | Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra |
| Province | Laayoune Province |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 196,331 |
| Time zone | UTC |
El-Aaiún (also transliterated "Laâyoune" or "El Ayun"; Arabic: العيون, transliterated al-ˁūyūn, lit. "The Springs"), is a city in Western Sahara founded by the Spanish in 1928.[1] Administered by Morocco since 1976,[2] which considered it a part of its territory. El-Aaiún is the capital Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region. The Polisario front which claims Western Sahara as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic considered it their capital. 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 the Spanish. A cathedral from that era is still in operation, with priests dividing their time between this town and Dakhla further south.
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The city has a population of 196,331[3] and is the largest city in Western Sahara. It is a growing economic hub 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 (who make up a fifth of the population).[4]
"El Aaiún" is the Spanish transliteration of the Arabic name "Layoun" which means "the water sources". "Laâyoune" is a French transliteration also used in English literature and in Morocco.
Although the city is administered by Morocco, it is part of Western Sahara which is considered a territory with unresolved sovereignty pending a solution between the two parties that claim it. The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) which monitors the 1991 ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front is headquartered in the city. They're no longer conducting the identification process for the referendum which was supposed to happen to decide on Western Sahara future status which became obsolete after the UN voted the Resolution 1813.
El Aaiún has a mild desert climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream with an average annual temperature of 20°C.
| Climate 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 (0.7075) |
18.51 (0.7287) |
6.74 (0.2654) |
2.54 (0.1) |
3.21 (0.1264) |
0.31 (0.0122) |
0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
1.21 (0.0476) |
7.47 (0.2941) |
16.90 (0.6654) |
18.60 (0.7323) |
93.46 (3.6795) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 18 |
| Source: Weatherbase[5] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for El Aaiún (Laayoune) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 22 (72) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
28 (82) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
28 (82) |
25 (77) |
22 (72) |
26.3 (79.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.5 (63.5) |
18.5 (65.3) |
19.5 (67.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
21.5 (70.7) |
23.5 (74.3) |
26.0 (78.8) |
26.5 (79.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
23.5 (74.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
21.75 (71.15) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 13 (55) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
19 (66) |
21 (70) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
19 (66) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
17.3 (63.1) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 8 (0.31) |
9 (0.35) |
4 (0.16) |
2 (0.08) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
4 (0.16) |
4 (0.16) |
6 (0.24) |
10 (0.39) |
47 (1.85) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 38 |
| Sunshine hours | 217 | 232 | 248 | 270 | 279 | 270 | 279 | 279 | 240 | 248 | 210 | 217 | 2,989 |
| Source: weather2travel.com[6] | |||||||||||||
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 Mohamed Laghdaf stadium in training and games.
El-Aaiún is served by Hassan I Airport.
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