This is a list of European colonial administrators responsible for the territory of Spanish Sahara, an area equivalent to modern-day Western Sahara.
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|
| Spanish suzerainty |
| 3 November 1884 to 10 July 1885 | Emilio Bonelli Hernando, Commandant |
| Royal Commissioner on the West Coast of Africa |
| 10 July 1885 to 6 April 1887 | Emilio Bonelli Hernando, Royal Commissioner | Arrives in Rio de Oro on 26 August 1885 |
Political and Military Subgovernors of Río de Oro
{{small|(subordinated to the captains-general of the Canary Islands)}} |
| 6 April 1887 to bf. 1902 | Emilio Bonelli Hernando, Subgovernor |
| 1902 to 1 December 1903 | Ángel Villalobos, Subgovernor |
| 1 December 1903 to 1913 | Francisco Bens Argandoña, Subgovernor |
Delegates of the High Commissioner in the Southern Zone of the Spanish protectorate in Morocco
{{small|(subordinated to Spanish high commissioners in Morocco)}} |
| 1913 to 7 November 1925 | Francisco Bens Argandoña, Delegate |
| 7 November 1925 to 19 June 1932 | Guillermo de la Peña Cusi, Delegate |
| 19 June 1932 to 30 August 1933 | Eduardo Cañizares Navarro, Delegate |
| 30 August 1933 to 1 July 1934 | José González Deleito, Delegate |
| 1 July 1934 to 29 August 1934 | Benigno Martínez Portillo, Delegate |
Government delegates in the Sahara
{{small|(subordinated to Spanish high commissioners in Morocco)}} |
| 29 August 1934 to 4 May 1936 | Benigno Martínez Portillo, Government Delegate |
| 4 May 1936 to 7 August 1936 | Carlos Pedemonte Sabin, Government Delegate |
| 7 August 1936 to 12 March 1937 | Rafael Gallego Sainz, Government Delegate |
| 12 March 1937 to 17 May 1940 | Antonio de Oro Pulido, Government Delegate |
Politico-Military Governor of Ifni and the Sahara and Delegate of the High Commissioner in the Southern Zone of the Spanish protectorate in Morocco
{{small|(subordinated to Spanish high commissioners in Morocco)}} |
| 17 May 1940 to 24 July 1946 | José Bermejo López, Governor |
| Governors of the Government of Spanish West Africa |
| 24 July 1946 to 17 August 1949 | José Bermejo López, Governor |
| 17 August 1949 to 29 March 1952 | Francisco Rosaleny Burguet, Governor |
| 29 March 1952 to 26 February 1954 | Venancio Tutor Gil, Governor |
| 26 February 1954 to 23 May 1957 | Ramón Pardo de Santayana y Suárez, Governor |
| 23 May 1957 to 10 January 1958 | Mariano Gómez Zamalloa y Quirce, Governor | Served at the start of the Ifni War |
| Governors-general of Spanish Sahara |
| 10 January 1958 to 22 July 1958 | José Héctor Vázquez, Governor-General | Served at the end of the Ifni War |
| 27 July 1958 to 6 October 1961 | Mariano Alonso Alonso, Governor-General |
| 13 October 1961 to 21 February 1964 | Pedro Latorre Alcubierre, Governor-General |
| 6 March 1964 to 5 November 1965 | Joaquín Agulla y Jiménez-Coronado, Governor-General |
| 5 November 1965 to 26 November 1965 | Adolfo Artalejo Campos, Governor-General |
| 5 December 1965 to 2 February 1967 | Ángel Enríquez Larrondo, Governor-General |
| 18 February 1967 to 4 March 1971 | José María Pérez de Lema Tejero, Governor-General | Served at the time of the Zemla Intifada |
| 4 March 1971 to 6 June 1974 | Fernando de Santiago y Díaz de Mendívil, Governor-General |
| 6 June 1974 to 6 February 1976 | Federico Gómez de Salazar y Nieto, Governor-General | Served at the time of the Green March |
| 14 February 1976 | Spain announces it has transferred sovereignty to Morocco |
| 26 February 1976 | Spain terminates its administration |
| 27 February 1976 | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic proclaimed by the Polisario Front |
| 14 April 1976 | Spanish Sahara is partitioned by {{nowrap|Morocco (claiming Southern Provinces)}} and {{nowrap|Mauritania (claiming Tiris al-Gharbiyya)}} |
| 11 August 1979 | Mauritanian part of the territory annexed by Morocco |