Smara

Smara lies beside the Saguia el-Hamra, an intermittent watercourse crossing the western Sahara towards the Atlantic. The wadi passes through dry country where water and vegetation are concentrated along its bed. Before the growth of a town, this was a meeting place for travellers and pastoral communities crossing the desert. The Saguia el-Hamra continues west towards Laayoune, linking the interior with the coastal plain.