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El Aaiún العيون al-ʾAyūn
Downtown view of El Aaiún
El Aaiún Location in Western Sahara
Coordinates: 27°9′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.15361°N 13.20333°W / 27.15361; -13.20333
Country	Western Sahara
Claimed by	Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Controlled by	Morocco
Population (2009)
- Total	194,668

El-Aaiún (also transliterated "Laâyoune" or "El Ayun"; Arabic: العيون, transliterated al-ʾAyūn), is a city in Western Sahara founded by the Spanish in 1928. Recovered by Morocco since 1976^[1], El-Aaiún is the capital of the Moroccan region of Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra. It is also claimed by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as their de jure capital.

The city is located at 27°09′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.1536°N 13.2033°W / 27.1536; -13.2033Coordinates: 27°09′13″N 13°12′12″W / 27.1536°N 13.2033°W / 27.1536; -13.2033.^[2]

Contents 1 Demographics 2 Etymology 3 Status 4 Climate 5 Sport 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Demographics

The city has a population of 194,668^[3] and is the largest city in Western Sahara. It is a growing economic pole 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.

[edit] Etymology

"El Aaiún" is the transliteration of the Arabic name used as the Spanish name for the city. "Laâyoune" is a French transliteration even used in Moroccan literature. The Arabic name means "the springs".

[edit] Status

The United Nations mission for the referendum, turned to simply await for an political solution, instead of referendum which was obsolet after UN voted for the last resolution 1813 MINURSO, which administers the ceasefire settlement of 1991 between Morocco and the Polisario Front, has its headquarters in the city.

[edit] Climate

Weather 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 (0.71)	18.51 (0.73)	6.74 (0.27)	2.54 (0.1)	3.21 (0.13)	0.31 (0.01)	0.0 (0)	0.0 (0)	1.21 (0.05)	7.47 (0.29)	16.90 (0.67)	18.60 (0.73)
Avg. precipitation days	3	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	2	1	3	18
Source: Weatherbase[4]

[edit] Sport

A football club in El Aaiun is Jeunesse Massira. The club played in the Botola/GNF 1. Jeunesse Massira use Mohamed Laghdaf stadium in training and games.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: El Aaiún

• (French) Investir dans la région de Laâyoune "Invest in the region of Laâyoune"
• Entry in Lexicorient
• Entry in Travel-Images

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