Tindouf
Encyclopedia
Tindouf is the main town in Tindouf Province
, Algeria
, close to the Mauritania
n and Moroccan
borders. The region is considered of strategic significance, and it houses Algerian military
bases. Since 1975, it also contains several Sahrawi refugee camps
operated by the Polisario Front
a guerrilla group seeking the independence of Western Sahara
from Morocco
. The city is served by the Tindouf Airport
, northwest of the town, with regular flights to Algiers
as well as to other domestic destinations. Within the municipal territory of Tindouf, there is Gara Djebilet, a settlement near the border with Mauritania
with a iron mine and a defunct airport
. It is approximately 70 kilometers northwest of Aet Legra
.
in 1852 by members of the Tajakant
tribe
, but sacked and destroyed by Reguibat
, a Sahrawi
tribe in 1895, and the Tajkant tribe were kicked out of the region. It remained deserted until French
troops arrived in the area in 1934. Since Algerian independence
in 1962, the town has been purposely built up, partly because of its importance as a last outpost before the Moroccan
and Mauritania
n borders.
In 1963, the area was the scene of fighting between Algerian and Moroccan forces laying claim to western Algeria, in the Sand War
. The region has since been heavily militarized, increasing its relevance. Since the mid-70s, the Tindouf region served as base for the Polisario Front
, a Sahrawi nationalist organization fighting for Western Sahara
's independence. The Polisario Front is headquartered in self-adminstered refugee camps south of the city, which filled up as Moroccan and Mauritanian forces conquered Western Sahara in 1975. During the war years of 1975-1990, Polisario forces struck in Western Sahara, Mauritania (until 1979) and southern Morocco
(incuding the region of Tata
), using the Tindouf region as their rear base area, with Algerian protection and support. Since 1990 the area has been quiet, although the refugee community remains in Algeria, pending a UN-sponsored peace process and a referendum on independence. (See Minurso.)
refugees.
Tindouf Province
Tindouf, also written Tinduf, is the westernmost province of Algeria, having a population of 58,193 as of the 2008 census. Despite the barren landscape, Tindouf is a resource-rich province, with important quantities of iron ore located in the Gara Djebilet area close to the border with Mali...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, close to the 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 and Moroccan
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...
borders. The region is considered of strategic significance, and it houses Algerian military
Military of Algeria
The People’s National Army is the armed forces of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. Algeria has a large and reasonably well-equipped military to counter foreign and domestic threats...
bases. Since 1975, it also contains several Sahrawi refugee camps
Refugee camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria
The Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, are a collection of refugee camps, set up in the Tindouf Province, Algeria in 1975-76 for Sahrawi refugees fleeing from Moroccan forces, who advanced through Western Sahara during the Western Sahara War...
operated by 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...
a guerrilla group seeking the independence 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...
from 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...
. The city is served by the Tindouf Airport
Tindouf Airport
-Scheduled services:The only airline serving the airport is Air Algérie. As of January 2011 it flies from here to three domestic destinations, as follows...
, northwest of the town, with regular flights to Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
as well as to other domestic destinations. Within the municipal territory of Tindouf, there is Gara Djebilet, a settlement near the border with 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...
with a iron mine and a defunct airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
. It is approximately 70 kilometers northwest of Aet Legra
Aet Legra
Auint Legra is a settlement in the Sahara Desert of western Algeria approximately 160 kilometres south-east of Tindouf. Near by Auint Lagra located Saharawi Refuges camp named Dakhla....
.
History
The town of Tindouf was built near an isolated Saharan oasisOasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
in 1852 by members of the Tajakant
Tajakant
The Tajakant is a Sahrawi-Moorish tribe of Arab-Berber origins. They speak Hassaniya Arabic. They traditionally lived in south western Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Western Sahara. They are Muslims, belonging to the Maliki school of Sunni Islam...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
, but sacked and destroyed by Reguibat
Reguibat
The Reguibat is a Sahrawi tribe of mainly Hassani Arab origins, although a number of Arab tribes have merged with the Reguibat during the last two centuries. They speak Hassaniya Arabic, and are Arabicised in culture...
, a Sahrawi
Sahrawi
Most frequently in English language usage, the term Sahrawi is usually used in reference to populations from the disputed Western Sahara territory, sometimes with a nationalist connotation....
tribe in 1895, and the Tajkant tribe were kicked out of the region. It remained deserted until 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...
troops arrived in the area in 1934. Since Algerian independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
in 1962, the town has been purposely built up, partly because of its importance as a last outpost before the Moroccan
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 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 borders.
In 1963, the area was the scene of fighting between Algerian and Moroccan forces laying claim to western Algeria, in the Sand War
Sand War
The Sand War or Sands War occurred along the Algerian-Moroccan border in October 1963, and was a Moroccan attempt to claim the Tindouf and the Béchar areas that France had annexed to French Algeria a few decades earlier.- Background :...
. The region has since been heavily militarized, increasing its relevance. Since the mid-70s, the Tindouf region served as base for 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...
, a Sahrawi nationalist organization fighting for 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...
's independence. The Polisario Front is headquartered in self-adminstered refugee camps south of the city, which filled up as Moroccan and Mauritanian forces conquered Western Sahara in 1975. During the war years of 1975-1990, Polisario forces struck in Western Sahara, Mauritania (until 1979) and southern 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...
(incuding the region of Tata
Tata, Morocco
Tata is a town in Morocco with a population of around 15,192.It is situated on the Sahara plain, southeast of Agadir and Taroudannt, close to the Algerian border and the mountain range Anti Atlas at the foot of Jebel Bani....
), using the Tindouf region as their rear base area, with Algerian protection and support. Since 1990 the area has been quiet, although the refugee community remains in Algeria, pending a UN-sponsored peace process and a referendum on independence. (See Minurso.)
Demographics
Tindouf has a population of 47,965 (2010 estimates).. Though this figure is of questionable authenticity, given the fact that the exact number is a sensitive issue due to the Western SaharaWestern 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...
refugees.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1977 (Census) | 6,044 |
| 1987 (Census) | 13,084 |
| 1998 (Census) | 32,004 |
| 2010 (Estimate) | 47,965 - 59,898 |