Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Western Sahara

Western Sahara

Type: legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved—territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring the northern two-thirds, including the rich phosphate reserves at Bu Craa; Mauritania, under pressure from the 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 there; the Polisario’s government in exile seated as an OAU member in 1984, while guerrilla activities continued in 1985

Government leader: Muhamad ABDELAZIZ, President, Sahara Democratic Arab Republic (since October 1982), and secretary general, Polisario (since August 1976)

NOTE: The information regarding Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.