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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. Managed 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, 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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