Official name

Kingdom of Bahrain (known as the State of Bahrain until February 14th 2002)

Form of state

Constitutional monarchy

Legal system

Based on the 2002 amended constitution. The previous constitution was drawn up in 1973

Legislature

Bahrain's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly, consists of the Chamber of Deputies, which has 40 elected members, and the Shura Council, which also has 40 members but is appointed by the king

National elections

Municipal and legislative, October 2010. Next legislative election expected in 2014

Head of state

Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa succeeded to the throne in March 1999 after the death of Sheikh Isa, Bahrain's ruler since 1961; he changed his constitutional status to king from emir in February 2002; Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, King Hamad's son, is the crown prince

Executive

Cabinet, headed by the prime minister, appointed by the king. Most recent reshuffle: 2011

Main political parties

Political parties are not permitted, but political societies have been legal since late 2001. The largest legal opposition group is the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, an Islamist-leaning, Shia-based movement

The government

Prime minister: Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa

Deputy prime ministers:

;Mohammed bin Mubarak al-Khalifa

;Jawed bin Salem al-Arayyed

;Ali bin Khalifa al-Khalifa

;Khalid bin Abdullah al-Khalifa

Key ministers

Communications: Ali bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa

Culture & tourism: Mai bint Mohammed al-Khalifa

Education: Majid bin Ali al-Nuaimi

Energy: Abdel-Hussain bin Ali Mirza

Finance: Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Khalifa

Foreign affairs: Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa

Health: Nazar al-Baharnah

Industry & commerce: Hassan bin Abdullah Fakhro

Interior: Rashid bin Abdullah bin Ahmed al-Khalifa

Justice & Islamic affairs: Khalid bin Ali al-Khalifa

Labour: Jameel Humaidan

Minister of state for cabinet affairs: Kamal Ahmed

Prime minister's court: Khalid bin Abdullah al-Khalifa

Public works: Esam bin Abdullah

Shura Council & parliamentary affairs: Abdulaziz al-Fadhel

Social affairs: Fatima Mohammed al-Beloushi

Head of the Royal Court

Ali bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa

Central Bank governor

Rashid al-Maraj