A Complete Timeline of the Sahara Question
From Spain's 19th-century colonization to the recognitions of the 2020s, here is the Sahara question at a glance — the events that drew and redrew the map.
1884–1975
Spain colonizes the territory (1884), then withdraws after the Green March and the Madrid Accords of 1975.
Mauritania renounces its share in 1979.
1991–2026
A UN ceasefire and MINURSO arrive in 1991; Morocco proposes autonomy in 2007; the US (2020), Spain (2022) and France (2024) back Morocco's position.
Consulates multiply in the south through the 2020s.
Frequently asked
When did Spain leave?
In 1975–76, after the Madrid Accords.
What changed in 2020?
The US recognized Moroccan sovereignty, shifting global diplomacy.
See it on the map: explore the full territory of Morocco — coast to Sahara — on our interactive map of Morocco →