Western Sahara  
   

to 26 Feb 1976 (Spain) Adopted 27 Feb 1976 SADR Flag SADR Flag Reverse SADR Flag (Alternate) From 26 Feb 1976 (Morocco)   Map of Western Sahara Hear National Anthem "Ya Baniy As-Sahara" (O' Sons of the Sahara) Text of National Anthem Adopted 1976 Constitution   (28 Feb 1976/4 Sep 1999; in French) Capital: Laayoune (El-Aaiún) (Villa Cisneros 1884-1934, Cabo Juby 1934-1949, Villa Bens 1949-1958) SADR Capital: Bir Lehlou (provisional) (El Aaiun official; Polisario HQ: Tindouf, Algeria) Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD); SADR Currency:  Algerian Dinar (DZD) and  from 1990 Saharawi Peseta  (EHP); 1884-1976 Spanish Peseta (ESP) SADR National Holiday: 27 Feb (1976) Eid al-Istiklaal (Independence Day) Population: 565,581 (2022) 73,497 (1974) GDP: $906.5 million (2007) Exports: $75 million (1975) Imports: $1.4 million (1968) Ethnic groups: Arab and Berber 51%, Spanish 49% (1970) Moroccan Armed Forces: 160,000 (2004) POLISARIO Armed Forces: 36,000 (2002 est.) UN MINURSO Force: 469 (2023) Morocco Controls Defense Merchant marine: None (2023) Religions: Sunni Muslim 99.4%, Christian 0.16%, non-religious 0.31% (2000) International Organizations/Treaties SADR: AfCFTA, AU, CAN (observer), IFRCS (observer), NAM (guest), SI (observer), WFTU Western Sahara Index Chronology 11th cent. - 19th cent.    Part of Morocco. 1478 - 1526                Castile/Spanish settlement at Santa Cruz de la                              Mar Pequeña (the modern location of which                              remains disputed).  7 Jun 1494                Spanish-Portuguese Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal                              agrees Spain has the right to occupy Río de Oro                              between Cape Bojador (Boujador) and Cape Blanc. 26 Apr 1860                Río de Oro and Ifni ceded to Spain by Morocco in                              Treaty of Wad-Ras (Tetuan)(not occupied by                              Spain). 19 Apr 1879                Donald Mackenzie and the North-West Africa Company                              Ltd. establish a trading post at Cape Juby                              (Tarfaya), named Port Victoria, under agreement                              with Sheikh Mohamed bin Beyruk (d. 1883).  9 Feb 1883                The Sociedad Española de Africanistas y Colonistas                              & Compañía Mercantil Hispano-Africana anchors                              the Ines, a warehouse on pontoons, off the                              Río de Oro coast at future Villa Cisneros.  3 Nov 1884                Villa Cisneros (Dakhla) settlement founded. 28 Nov 1884                Treaty of protection signed with the chieftains                              of Saharawi tribes in Río de Oro. 26 Dec 1884                Spain formally declares a protectorate over the                              Río de Oro coast between Cape Blanc (20° 51'N)                              and Cape Bojador (26° 8'N). 26 Feb 1885                Spanish claim to Río de Oro recognized by Treaty                              of Berlin. 10 Jul 1885                Spanish protectorate declared over the coast from                              Cape Bojador to Cape Blanc.  6 Apr 1887 - 29 Aug 1934  Spanish Río de Oro coast protectorate is                              subordinate to captains-general of Canary Islands 24 Feb 1895                Sultan of Morocco cedes Cape Juby to Spain. 13 Mar 1895                Anglo-Moroccan Agreement sells the North-West                              Africa Company post at Cape Juby to Morocco. 27 Jun 1900                Franco-Spanish Convention (together with a                              further convention on 27 Nov 1912) establishes                              the borders of Spanish Sahara with Mauritania. 1904 - Jul 1909            Rebellion of Muhamed Mustafa wuld Sheikh Muhammad                              Fadil bin Mamin al-Qalqami "Ma´ al-`Aynayn"                              (b. 1831 - d. 1910) at Smara in Saguia el Hamra.  3 Oct 1904                Saguia el Hamra annexed by Spain. 27 Nov 1912 -  7 Apr 1956  Spanish Morocco protectorate in so-called Southern                              Zone (Cape Juby [Tarfaya] strip, Tétouan and Rif) 29 Jul 1916                Spain occupies Cape Juby (1949 renamed Villa Bens)                              (Tarfaya). 29 Nov 1920                Spain occupies La Agüera (Lagouira). 15 Jul 1934                Spain occupies Smara and goes on to occupy Aargub                              and Daora in the interior of the Sahara. 29 Aug 1934                The High Commissioners for Spanish Morocco become                              governors-general of Infi, Saguia el Hamra and                              Río de Oro (Territory of Sahara; from 17 May 1940                              Territories of Ifni and Sahara). 18 Sep 1936                Spanish Nationalist forces take control. 1938                       Spain establishes El Aaiún (Laayoune). 20 Jul 1946                Spanish West Africa (África Occidental Española)                              (Ifni, Rio de Oro, Saguia el Hamra) established.  1 Jul 1957                Mauritania first officially claims Western Sahara. 12 Nov 1957                Morocco officially claims all Spanish West Africa. 23 Nov 1957 - 25 Feb 1958  Moroccan irregular occupation of parts of Spanish                              Sahara (Edchera to 13 Jan 1958, Tan-Tan to Feb                              1958, Tafurdat and Smara to 10 Feb 1958, Bir                              Nazaran and Ausert to 21 Feb 1958). 10 Jan 1958                Spanish Sahara (Sáhara Español) overseas province                              of Spain (Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro).  2 Apr 1958                Tarfaya (Cape Juby) & Tan-tan (the Cabe Juby strip,                              between Oued Draa & parallel of 27° 40') restored                              to Morocco by Spain in Treaty of Angra de Cintra. 14 Dec 1961                Spanish Sahara renamed Sahara. 29 Apr 1973                The Frente Para la Liberación de Saguia Al Hamra y                              Rio de Oro (Popular Front for the Liberation of                              Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario) is                              founded at Zouerate (Mauritania) to obtain                              independence for Western Sahara. 16 Oct 1975                International Court of Justice advisory opinion                              declares that Western Sahara has historical links                              with Morocco and Mauritania, but contradicts                              Moroccan and Mauritanian claims to sovereignty                              over Sahara and rejects the view of the territory                              as terra nullis upon colonization, rather that it                              belonged to its inhabitants. 31 Oct 1975                Morocco occupies outposts evacuated by Spain.  6 Nov 1975                Morocco launches the "Green March" into Sahara. 19 Nov 1975                Spain agrees to establish an interim tripartite                             (Spain-Morocco-Mauritania) administration, with                              Spanish administration terminated by 28 Feb 1976. 11 Dec 1975                Morocco occupies El Aaiún (Laayoune) and proclaims                              Sahara annexed. 20 Dec 1975                Mauritania occupies Tichla and La Güera (Lagouira). 26 Feb 1976                Spain terminates its administration. 27 Feb 1976                Saharan (Sahrawi) Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)¹                              proclaimed by Polisario in interior regions. 14 Apr 1976                Sahara is partitioned between Morocco and                              Mauritania (Mauritanian sector organized as wilaya                              [region] of Tiris al-Gharbiyya [Western Tiris];                              the Moroccan sector is organized into Boujdour,                              Laâyoune, and Es-Semara provinces [wilayas]).  5 Aug 1979                Mauritania renounces to its claims on Western Sahara                              and cedes all its rights of the Madrid Agreement                              to SADR. Mauritania evacuates Western Sahara                              (except for a small garrison at La Güera). Morocco                              begins the take over the Mauritanian-controlled                              part of Western Sahara. 14 Aug 1979                Former Mauritanian territory is annexed by Morocco                              and renamed Oued ed-Dahab.  2 Mar 1981                Morocco completes first stretch of berm (defensive                              wall) between Smara and the Zini Mountains.  6 Sep 1991 - 13 Nov 2020  United Nations (MINURSO) monitored cease-fire                              implemented. 13 Nov 2020 -              Morocco sends forces into Guerguerat demilitarized                              area in the southern UN patrolled buffer zone                              (following a Sahrawi roadblock begun in Oct 2020)                              to enforce free movement between Moroccan-                              controlled territory and Mauritania. UN MINURSO (from 1991)  SADR Map Historical Maps of Western Sahara Map of Expansion of Moroccan Control (1982-1989) SADR Diplomatic Recognition List

Governors-general of the Territories of Ifni, Spanish Sahara and Rio de Oro
(from 20 Jul 1946, Governors-general of Spanish West Africa)
29 Aug 1934 -  7 Apr 1956  the Spanish High Commissioners
                           for Morocco

Commandant
 3 Nov 1884 - 10 Jul 1885  Emilio Bonelli Hernando            (b. 1855 - d. 1926)
Royal Commissioner on the West Coast of Africa
10 Jul 1885 -  6 Apr 1887  Emilio Bonelli Hernando            (s.a.)
                             (arrives in Rio de Oro on 26 Aug 1885)
Political and Military Subgovernors of Rio de Oro
(subordinated to the captains-general of the Canary Islands)
 6 Apr 1887 - bf.1902      Emilio Bonelli Hernando            (s.a.)
1902 -  1 Dec 1903         Ángel Villalobos
 1 Dec 1903 - 1913         Francisco Bens Argandoña           (b. 1867 - d. 1949)
Delegates of the High Commissioner in the Southern Zone of the Spanish
Protectorate in Morocco (subordinated to Spanish High Commissioners for Morocco)
1913 -  7 Nov 1925         Francisco Bens Argandoña           (s.a.)
 7 Nov 1925 - 19 Jun 1932  Guillermo de la Peña y Cusi        (b. 1877 - d. 19..)
19 Jun 1932 - 30 Aug 1933  Eduardo Cañizares Navarro          (b. 1896 - d. 1980)
30 Aug 1933 -  1 Jul 1934  José González Deleito              (d. 1959)
 1 Jul 1934 - 29 Aug 1934  Benigno Martínez Portillo          (d. 1936)
Government Delegates in the Sahara
(subordinated to Spanish High Commissioners for Morocco)
29 Aug 1934 -  4 May 1936  Benigno Martínez Portillo          (s.a.)
 4 May 1936 -  7 Aug 1936  Carlos Pedemonte Sabín             (b. 1895 - d. 1972)
 7 Aug 1936 - 12 Mar 1937  Rafael Gallego Sainz               (b. 1898 - d. 1937)
12 Mar 1937 - 17 May 1940  Antonio de Oro Pulido              (b. 1904 - d. 1940)
Politico-Military Governor of Ifni and the Sahara and Delegate of the High
Commissioner in the Southern Zone of the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco
(subordinated to Spanish High Commissioners for Morocco)
17 May 1940 - 24 Jul 1946  José Bermejo López                 (b. 1894 - d. 1971)
Governors of the Government of Spanish West Africa
24 Jul 1946 - 17 Aug 1949  José Bermejo López                 (s.a.)
17 Aug 1949 - 29 Mar 1952  Francisco Rosaleny Burguet         (b. 1890 - d. 1973)
29 Mar 1952 - 26 Feb 1954  Venancio Tútor Gil                 (b. 1895 - d. 1959)
26 Feb 1954 - 23 May 1957  Ramón Pardo de Santayana y Suárez  (d. 1967)
23 May 1957 - 10 Jan 1958  Mariano Gómez Zamalloa y Quirce    (b. 1897 - d. 1973)
Governors-general of Spanish Sahara
10 Jan 1958 - 22 Jul 1958  José Héctor Vázquez                (b. 1903 - d. 1977)
27 Jul 1958 -  6 Oct 1961  Mariano Alonso Alonso              (b. 1899 - d. 1974)
13 Oct 1961 - 21 Feb 1964  Pedro Latorre Alcubierre           (b. 1900 - d. 1995)
 6 Mar 1964 -  5 Nov 1965  Joaquín Agulla y Jiménez-Coronado  (b. 1903 - d. 1971)
 5 Nov 1965 - 26 Nov 1965  Adolfo Artalejo Campos             (b. 1905 - d. 1965)
 5 Dec 1965 -  2 Feb 1967  Ángel Enríquez Larrondo            (b. 1905 - d. 1997)
18 Feb 1967 -  4 Mar 1971  José María Pérez de Lema Tejero    (b. 1908 - d. 1984)
 4 Mar 1971 -  6 Jun 1974  Fernando de Santiago y Díaz de     (b. 1910 - d. 1994)
                             Mendívil 
 6 Jun 1974 -  6 Feb 1976  Federico Gómez de Salazar y Nieto  (b. 1912 - d. 2006)
23 Jan 1976 - 26 Feb 1976  Representatives in the Interim
                           Tripartite Administration
                           + Rafael de Valdés Iglesias (Spain)(b. 1923 - d. 1995)  Mil
                           + Ahmed Bensouda (Morocco)         (b. 1920 - d. 2008)  PI
                           + Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh         (b. 1938 - d. 2020)  Non-party
                             Abdallahi (Mauritania)
Chairmen of the Revolutionary Council
27 Feb 1976 -  9 Jun 1976  El Wali Mustafa Sayed              (b. 1948 - d. 1976)  POLISARIO
10 Jun 1976 - 30 Aug 1976  Mahfoud Ali Beiba (acting)         (b. 1953 - d. 2010)  POLISARIO
Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council
30 Aug 1976 - 16 Oct 1982  Mohamed Abdelaziz                  (b. 1947 - d. 2016)  POLISARIO
Presidents
16 Oct 1982 - 31 May 2016  Mohamed Abdelaziz                  (s.a.)               POLISARIO
31 May 2016 - 12 Jul 2016  Khatri Addouh (acting)             (b. 1956)            POLISARIO
12 Jul 2016 -              Ibrahim Ghali                      (b. 1949)            POLISARIO

Prime ministers
 5 Mar 1976 -  4 Nov 1982  Mohamed Lamine Ould Ahmed          (b. 1947)            POLISARIO
                             (1st time) 
 4 Nov 1982 - 18 Dec 1985  Mahfoud Ali Beiba (1st time)       (s.a.)               POLISARIO
18 Dec 1985 - 16 Aug 1988  Mohamed Lamine Ould Ahmed          (s.a.)               POLISARIO
                             (2nd time) 
16 Aug 1988 - 18 Sep 1993  Mahfoud Ali Beiba (2nd time)       (s.a.)               POLISARIO
19 Sep 1993 -  8 Sep 1995  Bushraya Hammudi Bayun (1st time)  (b. 1954)            POLISARIO
                             (= Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun)
 8 Sep 1995 - 10 Feb 1999  Mahfoud Ali Beiba (3rd time)       (s.a.)               POLISARIO
10 Feb 1999 - 29 Oct 2003  Bushraya Hammudi Bayun (2nd time)  (s.a.)               POLISARIO
29 Oct 2003 -  4 Feb 2018  Abdelkader Taleb Omar              (b. 1951)            POLISARIO
 4 Feb 2018 - 13 Jan 2020  Mohamed Wali Akeik                 (b. 1950)            POLISARIO
13 Jan 2020 -              Bushraya Hammudi Bayun (3rd time)  (s.a.)               POLISARIO

 ¹Morocco retains de facto control, however the SADR is currently has diplomatic relations and is recognized by 46 countries and the African Union (1982 [to 2002 Organization of African Unity]): Algeria (1976), Angola (1976), Belize (1986), Bolivia (1982), Botswana (1980), Cambodia (1979), Colombia (1985-2000, 2022), Costa Rica (1980), Cuba (1980), East Timor (2002), Ecuador (1983-2004, 2006), Ethiopia (1979), Ghana (1979), Guyana (1979), Honduras (1989), Iran (1980), Laos (1979), Kenya (2005-2006, 2014), Lesotho (1979), Liberia (1985-1997, 2012), Libya (1980), Mali (1980), Mauritania (1984), Mexico (1979), Mozambique (1976), Namibia (1990), Nicaragua (1979-2000, 2007), Nigeria (1984), North Korea (1976), Panama (1978-2013, 2016), Peru (1984-1996, 2021), Rwanda (1976), Sierra Leone (1980-2003, 2011), South Africa (2004), South Sudan (2011), Syria (1980), Tanzania (1978), Timor-Leste (2002), Trinidad & Tobago (1986), Uganda (1979), Uruguay (2005), Vanuatu (1980-2000, 2008), Venezuela (1982), Vietnam (1979), Zimbabwe (1980);
--- former diplomatic recognition's: Afghanistan (1979-2002), Albania (1987-2004), Antigua & Barbuda (1987-2010), Barbados (1988-2019), Benin (1976-1997), Burkina Faso (1984-1996), Burundi (1976-2006, 2008-2010), Cape Verde (1979-2007, 2012), Chad (1980-1997, 2006), Congo (Brazzaville) (1978-1996), Dominica (1979-2010), Dominican Republic (1986-2002), El Salvador (1989-1997, 2009-2019), Equatorial Guinea (1978-1980), Grenada (1979-2010), Guatemala (1986-1998), Guinea-Bissau (1976-1997, 2009-2010), Haiti (2006-2013), India (1985-2000), Jamaica (1979-2016), Kiribati (1981-2000), Madagascar (1976-2005), Malawi (1994-2002, 2008, 2012-2017), Mauritius (1982-2014), Nauru (1981-2000), Papua New Guinea (1981-2011), Paraguay (2000, 2008-2014), St. Kitts & Nevis (1987-2010), St. Lucia (1979-1989), St. Vincent & the Grenadines (2002-2013), São Tomé & Príncipe (1978-1996), Seychelles (1977-2008), Solomon Islands (1981-1989), South Yemen (1977-1990), Suriname (1982-2016), Swaziland (1980-1997), Togo (1976-1997), Tuvalu (1981-2000), Yugoslavia ([from 2003 Serbia & Montenegro] 1984-2004), Zambia (1979-2011, 2012-2018).

Territorial Disputes: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect from 6 Sep 1991 to 13 Nov 2020, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; many neighboring states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others, support Morocco's proposal to grant the territory autonomy as part of Morocco, although no states (except the U.S from 10 Dec 2020 and Israel from 17 Jul 2023) recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; an estimated 100,000 Sahrawi refugees continue to be sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria, which has hosted Sahrawi refugees since the 1980s; tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag.

Party abbreviations: POLISARIO = Frente Popular de Liberación de Seguía el-Hamra y Río de Oro/ Al-Yabhat Al-Sha'abiyyah li-Tahrir Saqiya al-Hamra' wa Wadi al-Dhahab (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro, Sahrawi nationalist, democratic socialist, Islamic socialist, only legal party of SADR, est.29 Apr 1973); PI = Hizb al-Istiqlal/Parti d'Independence (Independence Party "Istiqlal", Moroccan nationalist, center-right, monarchist, est.1944); Mil = Military

30 Aug 1988                UN and OAU Settlement Plan accepted in principle by Morocco and
                             Polisario, calling for a referendum "for the self-determination"
                             of the Western Saharan people. Once eligible voters were
                             identified for the referendum, the people of Western Sahara would
                             vote on independence or becoming part of Morocco.
24 Apr 1991                United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
                            (Mission des Nations Unies pour l'Organisation d'un Référendum au
                             Sahara Occidental/Misión de las Naciones Unidas para la
                             Organización de un Referéndum en el Sáhara Occidental) established
                             under United Nations Security Council Resolution 690. 
 6 Sep 1991 - 13 Nov 2020  United Nations (MINURSO) monitored cease-fire implemented.

Special Representatives of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and
Heads of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
20 Sep 1988 - 19 Jan 1990  Héctor Gros Espiell (Uruguay)      (b. 1926 - d. 2009)
19 Jan 1990 - 20 Dec 1991  Johannes Jakob Manz (Switzerland)  (b. 1938)
23 Mar 1992 - Aug 1995     Sahabzada Yaqub Khan (Pakistan)    (b. 1920 - d. 2016)
Aug 1995 - 27 Jan 1998     Erik Jensen (Malaysia) (acting)    (b. 1933)
27 Jan 1998 - 31 Mar 1999  Charles Franklin Dunbar (U.S.)     (b. 1937)
 1 Apr 1999 - 18 May 1999  Robin Kinloch (U.K.) (acting)      (b. 1937)    
18 May 1999 -  1 Dec 2001  William Lester Eagleton, Jr. (U.S.)(b. 1926 - d. 2011)   
 1 Dec 2001 -  1 Jul 2003  William Lacy Swing (U.S.)          (b. 1934 - d. 2021)
 7 Aug 2003 -  5 Aug 2005  Álvaro de Soto Polar (Peru)        (b. 1943)
 5 Aug 2005 - 31 Aug 2006  Francesco Bastagli (Italy)
 5 Feb 2007 - 12 Oct 2009  Julian Harston (U.K.)              (b. 1942)   
12 Oct 2009 - 15 Jun 2012  Hany Abdel-Aziz (Egypt)            (b. 1946) 
15 Jun 2012 - 31 Jul 2014  Wolfgang Weisbrod-Weber (Germany)  (b. 1955)       
31 Jul 2014 - 22 Nov 2017  Kim Bolduc (f)(Canada)             (b. 1952)
 1 Dec 2017 - 26 Aug 2021  Colin Stewart (Canada)             (b. 1961)
27 Aug 2021 -              Aleksandr Sergeyevich Ivanko       (b. 1962)
                             (Russia)

Commanders of the UN Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
 5 Sep 1991 - 24 Apr 1992  Armand Roy (Canada)                (b. 1942)
25 Apr 1992 -  1 Oct 1992  Luis Alberto Block Urban (Peru)
                             (acting)
 1 Oct 1992 - 31 Mar 1996  André Van Baelen (Belgium)         (b. 1940)
 1 Apr 1996 - 30 Nov 1996  José Eduardo Martinho García       (b. 1940)
                             Léandro (Portugal)
 1 Dec 1996 - 18 Jul 1997  Jorge Barroso de Moura (Portugal)  (b. 1939)
19 Jul 1997 - 27 Aug 1997  Mohd Isa Ben Said (Malaysia)(acting)
28 Aug 1997 - 31 Oct 1999  Bernd S. Lubenik (Austria)
 1 Nov 1999 - 10 Aug 2002  Claude Buze (Belgium)              (b. 1944)
11 Aug 2002 - 11 Aug 2005  György Száraz (Hungary)            (b. 1946?)
12 Aug 2005 - 27 Aug 2007  Kurt Mosgaard (Denmark)            (b. 1954)
                             (acting to 1 Sep 2005)
28 Aug 2007 - 10 Apr 2011  Jingmin Zhao (China)               (b. 1954)
10 Apr 2011 - 23 Jul 2013  Abdul Hafiz (Bangladesh)           (b. 1957)
                             (acting to 27 Jul 2011)
26 Aug 2013 - 17 Sep 2015  Imam Edy Mulyono (Indonesia)       (b. 1961)
18 Sep 2015 -  7 Nov 2016  Muhammad Tayyab Azam (Pakistan)    (b. 1966)
 6 Dec 2016 - 17 Feb 2019  Wang Xiaojun (China)               (b. 1959)
18 Feb 2019 - 31 Mar 2022  Zia Ur Rehman (Pakistan)           (b. 1969)
 1 Apr 2022 - 20 Dec 2022  Faustina Boakyewaa Anokye (f)      (b. 1976)
                             (Ghana) (acting)
20 Dec 2022 - 31 Mar 2023  Muhammad Main Ullah Chowdhury
                             (Bangladesh) (acting)
 1 Apr 2023 -              Muhammad Fakhrul Ahsan (Bangladesh)(b. 1968)
                             (acting to 4 May 2023)