Zug, Western Sahara

Zug زوك Zoug
Municipality and town
Zug Location in Western Sahara
Coordinates: 21°36′47″N 14°8′50″W / 21.61306°N 14.14722°W
Country	Western Sahara
Claimed by	Kingdom of Morocco,  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Controlled by	Sahrawi Republic
Government
• Type	Municipality[1]
• Mayor	Nayem Enna Mahayub[2]
Elevation	212 m (696 ft)

Zug (also transliterated "Zoug", "Sug"; Arabic: زوك) is 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 controlled by the Polisario Front and often referred to as the Liberated Territories.^[4] 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

On 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.

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]

References

1. "Allocating seats for the liberated territories in Parliament will be considered in the next election (Official)". Sahara Press Service. 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
2. "Visita de un alcalde del Sahara a Zumaia" (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
3. Geography Website Archived February 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
4. Report to the Frente Polisario and to Ophir Energy plc on environmental and archaeological work in Western Sahara: November-December 2007 Nick Brooks
5. Reunión con ministros Saharauis Dispensario Zug Sahara liberado. June 22, 2009 (Spanish)
6. Concierto solidario de Chambao en Altea September 9, 2009 (Spanish).
7. Firma de convenio con el gobierno Saharaui Dispensario Zug Sahara liberado. November 13, 2009 (Spanish)
8. Cultural Heritage and Conflict: The Threatened Archaeology of Western Sahara Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Nick Brooks
9. Solidaridad a pie de duna El País, 9 December 1998 (Spanish)
10. "Aytº de Ajangiz (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
11. Gemellaggi e Patti di Amicizia Regione Toscana - Consiglio Regionale, 27 March 2010 (Italian)
12. Signature in Toscana of many accords of twining between Italian cities and Saharawi Dairas UPES (Sahara Press Service), 27 October 2007
13. "Aytº de Lemoiz (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
14. "Hermanamientos con Dairas" (in Spanish). Asociación Granadina de Amigos de la R.A.S.D. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
15. Maracena Archived January 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Ygranada.com
16. Patricia González (11 July 2008). "La localidad se hermana con el pueblo saharui en el exilio" (in Spanish). El Norte de Castilla. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
17. "Aytº de Plentzia (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
18. "In arrivo venerdi' 9 settembre le delegazioni delle citta' gemelle: Nel pomeriggio l'incontro di lavoro" (in Italian). Comune di Rosignano Marittimo. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
19. J.I. Arminio (2008-06-18). "Amigos del desierto" (in Spanish). El Diario Montañés. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
20. "Valdemoro y el municipio saharaui de Zug firman un protocolo de hermanamiento" (in Spanish). Ayuntamiento de Valdemoro. 2007-11-20. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
21. "Aytº de Zegama (Gipuzkoa)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
22. "Aytº de Zierbena (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
23. "Zumaia" (in Spanish). Zumaiako Udala. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
24. "Aytº de Zumaia (Gipuzkoa)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2012-01-26.

External links

• Desert picture of Zug
• Spanish territorial police photos on Zug, 1972-1973
• Blog about the construction of Zug's hospital

Coordinates: 21°33′18″N 14°8′52″W / 21.55500°N 14.14778°W