Official name

State of Nepal

Form of state

Republic. Nepal was a constitutional monarchy until parliament approved an interim constitution in January 2007. The constituent assembly (the transitional legislature) voted to abolish the monarchy, and the new state structure was confirmed by the newly elected constituent assembly in May 2008

Head of state

The president, presently Ram Baran Yadav, is head of state, as set out in the interim constitution

The executive

The prime minister is chosen by a ballot of the constituent assembly; the cabinet is chosen by the prime minister in consultation with his party and any coalition partners

National legislature

The constituent assembly has 601 members. Of these, 575 are elected and 26 are appointed by a Council of Ministers. The assembly was charged with drafting a new constitution by May 28th 2010, but the deadline was missed and the assembly's term has been extended for another year

Legal system

The Supreme Court acts as the court of appeal and review and has powers of original jurisdiction; it presides over 16 appellate courts and 75 district courts

National government

The current government is a coalition led by the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), or CPN (UML), and supported by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), or UCPN (M)

National elections

The constituent assembly election was originally planned for June 2007. It was first rescheduled for November of that year, and was finally held in April 2008

Main political organisations

UCPN (M); CPN (UML); Nepali Congress (NC); Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF); Terai Madhesi Loktantrik Party (TMLP); Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP); National Democratic Party (NDP); Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party (the Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party, or NeWPP); Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi), or NSP (A); Jana Morcha Nepal, or People's Front Nepal; Samyukta Baam Morcha (United Left Front), or ULF

Prime minister: Jhala Nath Khanal-CPN (UML)

Deputy prime minister: Krishna Bahadur Mahara-UCPN (M)

Key ministers

Defence: Bishnu Prasad Poudel-CPN (UML)

Education: Gangalal Tuladhar-CPN (UML)

Energy: Gorkarna Bista-CPN (UML)

Finance: Bharat Mohan Adhikari-CPN (UML)

Foreign affairs: Vacant

Home affairs: Vacant

Information & communications: Krishna Bahadur Mahara-UCPN (M)

Labour & transport management: Top Bahadur Rayamajhi-UCPN (M)

Local development: Gangalal Tuladhar-CPN (UML)

Peace & reconstruction: Barshaman Pun-UCPN (M)

Central bank governor

Yubraj Khathiwada