Lagouira
Encyclopedia
La Güera or La Gouera (Arabic: الكويرة) is a town on the Atlantic
coast at the southern tip of Western Sahara
, on the western side of the Ras Nouadhibou
peninsula. By 2002, it had been abandoned and partially overblown with sand
, inhabited only by a few Imraguen fishermen and guarded by a Mauritania
n military outpost, despite this not being formally Mauritanian territory.
It is the southernmost town of Western Sahara, claimed by both Morocco
and the Polisario Front
; however, Lagouira is situated south of the Moroccan Wall
, and abandoned by both Moroccan and Polisario forces.
Called La Agüera when it was a Spanish
colonial possession, La Agüera came into existence in 1920, when Spain established an air base on the western side of the peninsula, just a few miles away from the French
Fort Etienne (now Nouadhibou
) on the eastern side of the same peninsula. (In the 1912 Convention of Madrid, Spain and France had agreed on a border between Mauritania
and Spanish possessions that ran down the middle of the peninsula.) The name comes from the Spanish word which is a ditch which carries rainwater to the crops.
Górliz
, Spain
Guadix
, Spain
Leganés
, Spain
Monteriggioni
, Italy
Piteglio
, Italy
El Puerto de Santa María
, Spain
Santa Lucía de Tirajana
, Spain
Valle de Yerri
, Spain
Vitoria
, Spain
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast at the southern tip of Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
, on the western side of the Ras Nouadhibou
Ras Nouadhibou
Ras Nouadhibou is a 40-mile peninsula or headland in the African coast of the Atlantic Ocean by the Tropic of Cancer. It is internationally known as Cap Blanc in French or Cabo Blanco in Spanish .- History :...
peninsula. By 2002, it had been abandoned and partially overblown with sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
, inhabited only by a few Imraguen fishermen and guarded by a Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
n military outpost, despite this not being formally Mauritanian territory.
It is the southernmost town of Western Sahara, claimed by both Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and the Polisario Front
Polisario Front
The POLISARIO, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
; however, Lagouira is situated south of the Moroccan Wall
Moroccan Wall
The Berm of Western Sahara is an approximately 2,700 km-long defensive structure, mostly a sand wall , running through Western Sahara and the southeastern portion of Morocco...
, and abandoned by both Moroccan and Polisario forces.
Called La Agüera when it was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonial possession, La Agüera came into existence in 1920, when Spain established an air base on the western side of the peninsula, just a few miles away from the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Fort Etienne (now Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 75,000 inhabitants expanding to over 90,000 in the larger metropolitan area. It is situated on a 40-mile peninsula or headland called Ras Nouadhibou, Cap Blanc, or Cabo Blanco, of...
) on the eastern side of the same peninsula. (In the 1912 Convention of Madrid, Spain and France had agreed on a border between Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
and Spanish possessions that ran down the middle of the peninsula.) The name comes from the Spanish word which is a ditch which carries rainwater to the crops.
Sister cities
Crevillente, SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Górliz
Gorliz
Gorliz is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, which lies within the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in northern Spain. The town has 5,503 inhabitants .-External links:*...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Guadix
Guadix
Guadix, a city of southern Spain, in the province of Granada; on the left bank of the river Guadix, a sub-tributary of the Guadiana Menor, and on the Madrid-Valdepeñas-Almería railway...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Leganés
Leganés
Leganés is a city in central Spain. Part of the greater Madrid conurbation - mainly a satellite-city with a population of 186,066 it is located about 11 km southwest of the city centre....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It borders on the communes of Casole d'Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi, Siena and Sovicille...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Piteglio
Piteglio
Piteglio is a comune in the Province of Pistoia in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 50 km northwest of Florence and about 15 km northwest of Pistoia.-External links:*...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
El Puerto de Santa María
El Puerto de Santa María
El Puerto de Santa María is a municipality located on the banks of the Guadalete River in the province of Cádiz, Spain. , the city has a population of c...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Santa Lucía de Tirajana
Santa Lucía de Tirajana
Santa Lucía de Tirajana is a Canarian municipality in the southeastern portion of the island of Gran Canaria in the Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands. The population is 53,820 , its density is 882.58/km² and the area is 61.56 km²...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Valle de Yerri
Yerri
Yerri is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Vitoria
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital city of the province of Álava and of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain with a population of 235,661 people. It is the second largest Basque city...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
