EL AAIN

also spelled Aain, Aiun, or Layoune, town, capital of Western Sahara from 1940 to 1976 (when Western Sahara was a northwest African overseas province of Spain) and capital since 1976 of the not internationally recognized Layoune province of Morocco. El Aain lies in the Wadi Hamra region, in the northern part of Western Sahara, 8 miles (13 km) inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The town, whose Arabic name means water sources, was developed by the Spaniards in 1938 as the administrative, military, and European population centre of the former province. Nearby oases supply water. Before 1976, phosphate deposits were exploited at Bu Craa (Bou Craa) to the southeast, and a conveyor 65 miles (104 km) long was constructed to bring the ore from there to a loading pier at El Aain beach. During the guerrilla warfare conducted against Morocco by the Polisario Front, the conveyor was often damaged. El Aain was the site of talks between the Polisario Front and Moroccan officials. Pop. (1982) 93,875.