Western Sahara:
Government


Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara
Government type	legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
Capital	none time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions	none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Suffrage	none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
Executive branch	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	none
International organization participation	none
Diplomatic representation in the US	none
Diplomatic representation from the US	none