Smara

Smara is an inland city in Western Sahara, a Non-Self-Governing Territory whose final status remains unresolved under the United Nations process. West of the berm and administered by Morocco, the city functions as a provincial centre in a desert environment where water, roads and public facilities strongly shape the possibilities for urban growth.

Recent municipal programmes have focused on upgrading existing districts rather than major outward expansion. Works announced in 2025–2026 include improvements to neighbourhoods, public lighting, green spaces, Boulevard Hassan II, local markets and public squares, together with studies for under-served areas. MINURSO maintains a team site at Smara as part of its territory-wide monitoring mission. Any account of the city’s current development therefore has to distinguish its physical urban changes from the unresolved political status of Western Sahara.