- Preface - History of the Saharawi

- Part 1 - The Spanish Protectorate (1884-1958)

- Part 2 - Disputed Borders

- Part 2a - Moroccan Controlled Territories

- Part 2b - SADR Controlled Territories - Algerian Currency

- Part 2c - SADR Controlled Territories - Mauritanian Currency

- Part 2d - SADR Controlled Territories - Saharawi Peseta Currency

Part 1 - The Spanish Protectorate (1884-1958)

Spain's presence and influence was considerable so that in 1884 Spain declared a protectorate along the coast from Cape Bojador in the north to Cape Blanc in the south, as seen on the map. The area that was claimed by Spain amounted to 97,344 sq. miles. During the years, 1884 to 1958, the coins used were Spanish. The Spanish had just retired the Spanish reale in 1868 and introduced the peseta. The peseta, just like our dollar, is made up of 100 cents called centimo's. Spain, in 1958, then changed its relationship with its protectorate in two ways. First, the Spanish increased the size of the area and second, the Spanish changed the status of the area from being a colony to becoming an overseas province. Part of the reason for this is that various groups, including Morocco and Mauritania, were opposed to the Spanish rule in the region. One of these groups was the Moroccan Army of Liberation whose goal was to bring the area into unification with Morocco since Morocco tended to see this area as traditionally theirs. To oppose the influence of the Moroccan Army of Liberation a Socialist-nationalist organization came into being called the Polisario Front, in 1971.

By 1973, the Polsario Front was fighting the Spanish colonial forces and on January 12, 1976 the Spanish forces withdrew from the western Sahara in compliance with the Madrid Accords which was a treaty between Spain, Morocco and Mauritania to end the Spanish presence in the Spanish Sahara. The Polisario Front then declared this area to be the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic or the SADR, in February 1976. This resulted in an unstable situation with the Spanish forces now gone and both Morocco and Mauritania eager for territorial gain. However, the SADR, even though it was recognized by about 80 other countries, mostly third world, was not admitted to the UN. The UN, however, through the International court of Justice ruled that the area did have the right to self-determination. But both Morocco and Mauritania ignored this ruling and Morocco invaded the western portions which was called the Green Wave while the Mauritanians invaded from the east and took over the eastern portion.

The Polisario Front, through guerilla tactics, opposed the occupation of its claimed territory by both Morocco and Mauritania. Morocco invaded in a series of 6 steps as seen on the map. The first two moves were to the south, then the next two went to the east. Finally, the last two advances again went to the south. These advances for the most part happened without firing a shot. The reason for this is that the Morocco planned the invasions quite well by having Moroccans move into an area they wished to take over and literally overwhelm the local population. There was then little the local population could do.

The Moroccans then built a literal wall or sand berm along the border between the newly occupied territory and the SADR. This 2700km long wall has been called the longest continuous minefield in the world. There are more than 7 million landmines throughout the Saharawi Territory in addition to large quantities of explosive remnants of war and cluster munitions. Serious injuries, loss of limbs and deaths from accidental detonation of these landmines is frequent among civilians.

The map below shows the progression of Morocco's slow six step invasion of the region from June of 1982 through April of 1987, and the photo shows the "Moroccan Wall" as it looks today:


Mauritania, however, found the occupation of the eastern areas to be too costly, so they withdrew their forces. The area that Mauritania vacated is now called the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. The actual area controlled by the SADR, also called the "Free Zone", is about 20 to 25% of the original territory claimed by the SADR.

The result of the fighting from 1976 to 1991 along with a very confused situation regarding recognition of the SADR resulted in the UN stepping in to broker a cease fire between Morocco and the SADR. A deal was brokered in anticipation of a free vote taking place to determine the SADR's final status, either a new country or a territory under Moroccan administration, but this vote has not yet taken place, so the situation is still not settled. The major reason for the vote having not taken place is that the Moroccans want everyone in the territory to vote while the SADR wants only those who were originally in the territory, before the Moroccan invasion, to have the right to vote. The region that is occupied by the SADR is administered from Tindouf, in western Algeria, located in the upper right corner of the map, which means that the SADR's existing government is, technically, in exile.

First Issue of Saharawi Pesetas

Even though the first Saharawi pesetas are dated 1990 and 1992, the SADR did not make the Saharawi peseta their official coinage until 1997. Because the SADR is not an officially recognized country the Saharawi peseta is also not an officially recognized currency and may be regarded as a fantasy currency. Even though not officially recognized the Saharawi peseta was originally pegged to the Spanish peseta at a 1 to 1 ratio. However, when Spain changed to the Euro the exchange rate became 1 euro to 166 SADR pesetas. Non-commemorative coins that are meant for circulation are minted by the Polisario Front and are made of cupro-nickel.

The first coins minted for the SADR have the date of 1990 and have a value of 50 and 100 pesetas. The second issue of coins minted for the SADR are dated 1992 and have the values of 1, 2, and 5 pesetas. The designs on all five coins are the same. On the obverse is a picture of a Bedouin and his camel.
Above this scene is some Arabic writing which translates as "traditional transport". Below the right foot of the camel is the date below which is some Spanish writing which translates as "typical transport". On the reverse is the emblem of the SADR with the Spanish words "Republica Arabe Saharaui Democratica" above and the value of the coin below.

Part 2 - Disputed Borders

Since the SADR is not recognized as an official country it has led to a curious situation with the coins and currency of the territory that was originally claimed by the SADR and the territory that is now controlled by the SADR. This has resulted in four different currencies circulating in the SADR's former territory, its current territory and the Saharawi refugee camps. In specifically dealing with the coins of the SADR suffice it to say that the coins and currency circulating in the Moroccan controlled territory is the Moroccan dirham. In the territory currently controlled by the SADR and the Saharawi refugee camps the coins and currency that are circulating there are the Algerian dinar, the Mauritanian ouguiya and the Saharawi peseta.

Part 2a - Moroccan Controlled Territories

Part 2b - SADR Controlled Territories - Algerian Currency

Part 2c - SADR Controlled Territories - Mauritanian Currency

Part 2d - SADR Controlled Territories - Saharawi Peseta Currency