Archive · 12 Nov 2025
Google States Western Sahara Border Display Has Not Changed on Maps
Imagine Google Maps is a big drawing on your screen.
For a place called Western Sahara, the drawing looks a little different depending on if you're looking at it from inside Morocco or from another country.
Google says they haven't changed their drawing recently.
They have always drawn it this way because Western Sahara has a disputed border.
People in Morocco don't see the special dotted line that shows it's disputed.
But people looking from outside Morocco do see that dotted line.
Google explains this is just how they normally show places with border disagreements.
This is like following a rulebook for drawing maps of places that have arguments about their borders.
Google denies making any recent changes to how Western Sahara's borders are displayed on Google Maps.
The company states that border displays have always differed for users inside Morocco compared to those outside.
Google attributes these differing displays to its longstanding policies for handling disputed regions.
Users outside Morocco see Western Sahara with a dotted line indicating a disputed border.
Users within Morocco do not see Western Sahara labeled as a separate entity on Google Maps.
- Who
- What
- Denies recent changes to how Western Sahara's borders are displayed on Google Maps, stating the differences for users inside and outside Morocco have always existed due to policies for disputed regions.
- When
- The company released a statement on Tuesday.
- Where
- The differing displays are observed by users accessing Google Maps within Morocco compared to those outside the country.
- Why
- To clarify that current border displays follow longstanding policies for handling disputed regions, refuting recent media reports that suggested changes.
Media Reports
Google's Statement
Changes to Western Sahara Border Display
Media Reports
Recent media reports implied that Google Maps may have changed how it displays the border of Western Sahara for users in Morocco.
Google's Statement
Google explicitly denies making any recent changes, stating that the differing displays for users inside and outside Morocco have always been the case.
Reason for Differing Displays
Media Reports
The discrepancy in border display was implicitly linked to the UN Security Council endorsing a Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
Google's Statement
Google attributes the differing border displays to its longstanding policies for handling disputed regions, not to recent events or policy changes.
- Company
- Product
- Google Maps
- Issue
- Display of Western Sahara's border
- Statement Date
- Tuesday
- Disputed Territory
- Western Sahara
- Key Parties
- Morocco, Polisario Front, Algeria, Mauritania
