Official name

République du Cameroun

Form of state

Unitary republic

Legal system

Based on English common law and the Napoleonic Code

National legislature

National Assembly with 180 members; elected by universal suffrage; members sit three times a year, in March, June and November, and serve a term of five years

National elections

October 2004 (presidential) and July 2007 (legislative); next elections due in October 2011 (presidential) and July 2012 (legislative)

Head of state

President; elected by universal suffrage

National government

Consists of the prime minister and Council of Ministers; includes representatives of the RDPC, the UDC and the UNDP; the cabinet was last reshuffled in June 2009

Main political parties

Rassemblement démocratique du peuple camerounais (RDPC), 153 seats in the National Assembly; Social Democratic Front (SDF), 16 seats; Union démocratique du Cameroun (UDC), six seats; Union nationale pour la démocratie et le progrès (UNDP), four seats; and Mouvement progressiste (MP), one seat

President: Paul Biya

Prime minister: Philemon Yang

Deputy prime minister & minister of justice: Amadou Ali

Deputy prime minister & minister of agriculture & rural development: Jean Nkuete

Ministers of state

Post & telecommunications: Jean Pierre Biyiti Bi Essam

Presidency: Laurent Esso

Territorial administration & decentralisation: Marafa Hamidou Yaya

Urban development & housing: Clobert Tchatat

Key ministers

Communications: Issa Tchiroma Bakary

Defence: Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo'o

Economy, planning & regional development: Louis Paul Motaze

Energy & water: Michael Tomdjio Ngako

Environment: Pierre Hele

External relations: Henri Eyebe Ayissi

Finance: Lazare Essimi Menye

Health: André Mama Fouda

Higher education: Jacques Fame Ndongo

Industry, mining & technology: Ndanga Ndinga Badel

Livestock & fisheries: Aboubakary Sarki

Primary education: Youssouf née Adjidja Alim

Public works: Bernard Messengue Avom

Tourism: Baba Hamadou

Trade: Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana

Transport: Maïgari Bello Bouba

Governor of Banque des Etats de l'Afrique centrale

Lucas Abaga Nchama