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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara
former: Spanish Sahara
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Government type:
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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 OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
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Capital:
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none
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Administrative divisions:
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none (under de facto control of Morocco)
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Suffrage:
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none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
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Executive branch:
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none
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none
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International organization participation:
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none
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
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