a town north of Western Sahara, 100 km southeast of the city of Laayoune in the area controlled by Morocco. The major economic activity is the excavation of phosphate. Economy: The Western Sahara is well known for almost half a century for its mining activity. Boukraa is exploited by open pit Phosboucraa, a subsidiary of the Moroccan Phosphates Office, which holds a monopoly on operating in Morocco. It alone produces annually 1.86 million tonnes (1997) phosphate. This production is directed by the longest band conveyor of the world (96 km) to the port city of Laayoune, and then exported to the U.S. and Europe 45% to 20% [2].
Population: 2,519 inhabitants in 2004, consisting primarily of Saharawi workers in mining.
History: The discovery of phosphate mining in 1947 by the Spaniards makes Western Sahara economically viable, and delays the decolonization by Spain. Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria clash, the last two successively supporting the Polisario Front independence (anti-English and anti-Moroccan).
The conveyor belt is sabotaged several times in the 1970s, which led Morocco to build the "Moroccan wall" to prevent raids by the Polisario. Surrounds Boukraa, part of the Sahara desert, are surrounded by minefields.
source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bou_Craa
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