Official name

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Form of state

Islamic republic

The executive

The president is both head of state and head of the government. The cabinet is appointed by the president and approved by the lower house of parliament

National legislature

The electoral law passed in 2004 provides for a National Assembly comprising a 249-seat lower house, the Wolesi Jirga, and a 102-seat upper house, the Mushrano Jirga

National elections

Hamid Karzai began a second five-year term as president in November 2009 after a disputed election held in August of that year. Elections for the lower house and provincial councils were held in 2005; candidates stood as individuals rather than as representatives of parties. A lower house election was held on September 18th 2010; the next presidential election will be held in 2014, and the next legislative and provincial council elections are due in 2015

National government

The president appoints the government, which reflects Afghanistan's ethnic mix

Main political organisations

A number of factions exist (some dating from the war against the Soviet Union in the 1980s), including the Taliban (Sunni Pashtun); the Northern Alliance, primarily consisting of Jamiat-i-Islami (Tajik), Hezb-i-Wahdat (Shia Hazara), Junbish-i-Milli (Uzbek) and the National Islamic Front; and Hezb-i-Islami (Pashtun)

President: Hamid Karzai

First vice-president: Mohammad Qasim Fahim

Second vice-president: Mohammad Karim Khalili

Senior minister in the cabinet: Hedayat Amin Arsala

Key ministers

Agriculture: Mohammad Asef Rahimi

Borders & tribal affairs: Arsala Jamal

Commerce & Industries: Ghulam Mohammad Aylaqi

Counter-narcotics: Zarar Ahmad Muqbel

Defence: Abdul Rahim Wardak

Economy: Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal

Education: Ghulam Farooq Wardag

Finance: Omar Zakhilwal

Foreign affairs: Zalmay Rasul

Information & culture: Sayed Makhdum Rahin

Interior: Mohammad Hanif Atmar

Islamic affairs: Mohammad Yasouf Neyazi

Justice: Habibullah Ghaleb

Mines: Waheedullah Sharani

Public health: Suraiya Dalil

Returnees & refugees: Abdul Rahim

Rural development & rehabilitation: Janullah Mansouri

Telecommunications & information technology: Abdul Qadus Hamidi

Transport: Abdul Rahim Horas

Urban development: Sultan Hussain Nasery