Laayoune (Maghrebi Arabic: لعيون, Laʕyūn ; Spanish: El-Aaiún; Berber: Leɛyun; Literary Arabic: العيون al-ʿuyūn, lit. "The Springs") is the largest city in the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The modern city is thought to have been founded by the Spanish colonizer Antonio de Oro in 1938. In 1940, Spain designated it as the capital of the Spanish Sahara.