Official name

Republic of Liberia

Form of state

Unitary republic

Legal system

Based on 1986 constitution

National legislature

National Legislative Assembly (NLA), consisting of the House of Representatives (lower house, 64 seats) and the Senate (upper house, 30 seats)

National elections

October 11th 2005 (presidential and legislative elections), followed by a second-round run-off on November 8th 2005 to decide the winner of the presidential election; next national elections due in October 2011

Head of state

President; currently Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

National government

The head of state and cabinet of ministers

Main political parties

Congress for Democratic Change (CDC); Unity Party (UP); Alliance for Peace and Democracy (APD); All Liberia Coalition Party (Alcop); National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL); United Democratic Alliance (UDA); National Patriotic Party (NPP); True Whig Party (TWP); Liberia National Union (LINU); National Reformation Party (NRP); National Vision Party (Natvipol); and the Progressive Democratic Party (Prodemp); Liberty Party (LP); New Deal Movement (NDP); the Liberia National Union for Democracy (LNUD)

President: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Vice-president: Joseph Boakai

Key ministers

Agriculture: Florence Chenoweth

Commerce: Miatta Beslow

Defence: Brownie Samukai

Education: Othello Gongar

Finance: Augustine Ngafua

Foreign affairs: Toga McIntosh Gayewea

Health & social welfare: Walter Gwenigale

Internal affairs: Harrison Kahnweah

Justice & attorney-general: Christiana Tah

Labour: Jeremiah Sulunteh

Land, mines & energy: Roosevelt Jayjay

National security: Victor Helb

Planning & economic affairs: Amara Konneh

Public works: Samuel Kofi Woods

Transport: Willard Russell

Central Bank governor

John Mills Jones