For a country that few people know exists, Western Sahara has had a uniquely tumultuous history. Its modern history starts, as is unfortunately the case with most African nations, with colonialism. Until the mid-70’s, it lived under the thumb of Spanish rule. When Spain ultimately withdrew, it handed the territory to Mauritania and Morocco, sparking a fierce war for independence. Flash forward to 2019. Morocco controls a vast swathe of the country. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controls a smaller chunk. Both sides are divided by a 2,700 kilometer wall. The country is sparsely populated, and economically underdeveloped. But surprisingly,…

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