Official name

República da Guiné-Bissau

Form of state

Unitary republic

Legal system

Based on the 1984 constitution, which was revised in 1993 and 1999; a new constitution was passed by parliament in April 2001 but has yet to be enacted by the head of state

National legislature

Assembléia Nacional Popular, with 100 members, elected for a four-year term

National elections

November 2008 (legislative); July 2009 (presidential); the next legislative election is scheduled for 2012 and the next presidential election for 2014

Head of state

President, Malam Bacai Sanhá, elected in July 2009

National government

The president appoints the prime minister, who presides over a Council of Ministers; a government was appointed in January 2009 following the legislative election of November 2008, and reshuffled in October 2009; the government's 28 members all hail from the Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC)

Main political parties

Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC; 67 seats); Partido da Renovação Social (PRS; 28 seats); Partido Republicano para a Independência e o Desenvolvimento (PRID; three seats); Partido para a Nova Democracia (PND; one seat); Aliança Democrática (AD; one seat)

President: Malam Bacai Sanhá

Prime minister: Carlos Gomes Júnior

Key ministers

Agriculture, fisheries & rural development: Barros Bacar Banjai

Civil service, labour & state modernisation: Fernando Gomes

Defence & veterans' affairs: Aristides Ocante da Silva

Economy, planning & regional integration: Maria Helena Nosolini Embaló

Education, culture, science, youth & sports: Artur Silva

Energy & natural resources: Higino Lopes Cardoso

Finance: José Mário Vaz

Foreign affairs: Adelino Mano Queta

Health: Camilo Simões Pereira

Infrastructure, transport & communications: José António da Cruz Almeida

Interior: Dinis Kablon Na Fantchamna

Justice: Mamadu Djalo Pires

Presidency of the council of ministers, social communication & parliamentary affairs: Maria Adjatu Djalo Nandigna

Territorial administration: Luís de Oliveira Sanca

Trade, industry, tourism & crafts: Botche Candé

Women, family & fight against poverty: Lurdes Vaz

Regional central bank governor

Jean-Baptiste Compaoré (interim)