Zug, Western Sahara

For other uses, see Zug (disambiguation).

Zug (also transliterated "Zoug", "Sug"; Arabic: زوك) is a municipality located in the far south-east of Western Sahara, 170 km. from Atar, Mauritania. The only erg or sand sea in Western Sahara (known as "Galb Azefal") is located nearby, where it runs from south-west to north-east from Mauritania into Western Sahara and back into Mauritania, where the border forms a right angle.^[3] Zug is located in the part of Western Sahara that is controlled by the Polisario Front and by them referred to as the Liberated Territories.^[4]

Zug زوك Zoug
Municipality and town
Zug Location in Western Sahara Show map of Western Sahara Zug Zug (Africa) Show map of Africa
Coordinates: 21°36′47″N 14°8′50″W
Country	Western Sahara
Claimed by	Kingdom of Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Controlled by	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Government
• Type	Municipality[1]
• Mayor	Nayem Enna Mahayub[2]
Area
• Total	47.18 km2 (18.22 sq mi)
Elevation	212 m (696 ft)
Population  (2004)
• Total	833
• Density	18/km2 (46/sq mi)

It is the head of the 1st military region of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and holds a SPLA military outpost and a small hospital.

Infrastructure

In June 2009, three friendship associations from Alicante (Spain) had a meeting with Sahrawi ministers, with the intention of building up a hospital in the town.^[5] On September, a solidarity concert with Chambao, Oléfunk & Mario Díaz was held in Altea, with the aim to collect money to finance the project.^[6] On November, an agreement between POLISARIO representatives and members of the friendship associations to build up the building was signed.^[7] In 2011, the construction works had been finished, only lasting the equipment and the medical supplies to open it.

It is the site of a former Spanish Foreign Legion outpost.

Culture

Near Zug there are some Neolithic engravings with geometrical patterns, similar to others found in Chad and southern Morocco.^[8]

Twin towns - sister cities

• Agullent, Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain (since December 1998)^[9]
• Ajangiz, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain^[10]
• Campo nell'Elba, Livorno, Tuscany, Italy^[11]
• Cantagallo, Prato, Tuscany, Italy (since September 28, 2001)^[11]
• Collesalvetti, Livorno, Tuscany, Italy^[11]
• Crespina, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy (since October 2007)^[12]
• Denia, Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain (since December 1998)^[9]
• Lamporecchio, Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy^[11]
• Lemoiz, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain^[13]
• Maracena, Granada, Andalucía, Spain^[14][15]
• Medina del Campo, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain (since August 10, 2008)^[16]
• Plentzia, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain^[17]
• Reggello, Florence, Tuscany, Italy^[11]
• Rosignano Marittimo, Livorno, Tuscany, Italy (since 1993)^[18]
• Torrelavega, Cantabria, Spain (since July 17, 2008)^[19]
• Valdemoro, Madrid, Spain (since November 20, 2007)^[20]
• Zegama, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain^[21]
• Zierbena, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain^[22]
• Zumaia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain^[23][24]