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| 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 | |
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