Prime Minister:
Ibrahim Jaafari -- Shiite, 58, earned medical degree from Mosul University. Lived in Iran and the U.K. from 1980s to fall of Hussein. Lead spokesman for Islamic Daawa Party. Seen as unifying figure between varying political and religious factions within Iraq.

Deputy Prime Minister, acting Minister of Oil:
Ahmad Chalabi -- Shiite, 59, a mathematician and banker, he earned degrees from MIT and the University of Chicago. Belongs to a powerful Mideast banking family with strong ties to the Iranian government. One of lead informers to the U.S. before invasion and previously considered front-runner for president. Corruption charges and a bloody U.S. occupation have diminished his popularity.

Deputy Prime Minister, acting Minister of Electricity:
Rowsch Shaways -- Kurd, vice president of 2003 transitional government. President of Kurdistan National Assembly during Hussein's reign; now a senior member of Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Deputy Prime Minister:
Abid Mutlak Al-Jubari -- Sunni, former general in Hussein's army. Rose to prominence in the 1980s during Iran/Iraq war. Holds degrees in military engineering and law.

Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation:
Barham Salih -- Kurd, became prime minister of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in 2001 -- a regional government under Hussein's rule. Earned a BSc in civil and structural engineering at Cardiff University and a doctorate in statistics and computer modeling at Liverpool University. Survived a 2002 assassination attempt.

Minister of Higher Education:
Samil al-Mudhaffer -- Shiite, 65, received B.A. in science from Baghdad University and a doctorate in biochemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Published more than 250 scientific papers and patented around 50 inventions. Served as Education Minister in 2003 transitional government. President of Baghdad University in 2003.

Minister of Public Works:
Nisrin Barwari -- Kurd, 38, political prisoner at age 14; fled Iraq in 1991 after Kurdish uprising. Earned master's at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Returned to Iraq where she served as Minister of Reconstruction and Development for Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Held position of Minister of Public Works for 2003 transitional government.

Minister of Telecommunications:
Jwan Maasoum -- Kurd, 35, a member of PUK, she earned a doctorate in communications from King's College in London. Has been an active member in the push for Kurds' civil rights.

Minister of Water Resources:
Latif Rashid -- Kurd, 60, holds a doctorate in engineering from Manchester University. Former PUK official and spokesman for the Kurdistan Front Union in the United Kingdom since 1978. Minister of Water Resources for 2003 transitional government.

Minister of Environment, acting Minister of Human Rights:
Narmin Othman -- Kurd, former member of peshmerga, militant group fighting for Kurdish independence. Former Minister of Social Affairs in the PUK. Has served as interim Minister for Women's Affairs.

Minister of Trade:
Abdul Basit Karim Molud -- Kurd, former member of peshmerga and current member of PUK. Was a former legal adviser to Barham Salih and holds a B.A. in commercial law.

Minister of Transport:
Salam Al-Maliki -- Shiite, former deputy governor of Basra for administrative affairs; a member of anti-U.S. cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's political movement. In 2004, threatened to shut down Basra's oil exports in protests of U.S.-led military campaign against Sadr's followers in Najaf. Called on Shiites in southern cities to secede from transitional government to form autonomous region.

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs:
Idris Hadi -- Kurd, former Minister of Human Rights and Communications for the KDP. Former president of Salahaddin University based in Iraqi Kurdistan. Holds a doctorate in engineering and communications from Leningrad University in the former Soviet Union.

Minister of Health:
Abdul Mutalib Mohammed Ali -- Shiite, earned a bachelor's degree in medicine from Baghdad University. Major in the first Gulf War and later served as Iraq's commercial attaché to Germany. Has ties with Moqtada al-Sadr.

Minister of Electricity:
Mohsen Shlash -- Shiite, holds a doctorate in power-system analysis and control from the University of Manchester.

Minister of Industry:
Usama al-Najafi -- Sunni Arab, has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Involved with building Iraqi power stations.

Minister of Construction and Housing:
Jasim Mohammed Jaafar -- Turkmen, has degree in civil engineering from Salahaddin University. Founded Turkmen Islamic Union, the leading Turkmen political organization. Sentenced to death in 1981 for anti-Baath Party activity; fled to Iraqi Kurdistan.

Minister of Education:
Abdel Falah Hassan -- Shiite, holds doctorate in biochemistry from University of Wales.

Minister of Agriculture:
Abdel Falah Hassan -- Shiite, 62, received doctorate in agriculture from University of California. Professor at several universities, including Baghdad University.

Minister of Justice:
Abdel Hussein Shandal -- Sunni Arab, hold law degree. Served as president of Baghdad's special-crimes and appellate courts during Hussein's rule.

Minister of Culture:
Nuri Farhan al-Rawi -- Sunni Arab, member of opposition to Hussein's regime.

Minister of Science and Technology:
Basimah Yusuf Butrus -- Christian, earned master's degree in science from Salahaddin University; now professor of science there. She is a human rights activist in Kurdistan and a Catholic humanitarian organization named Caritas.

Minister of Migration and Displacement:
Suhaylah Abd-Jaafar -- Shiite Kurd, earned law degree from Baghdad University. She has worked as a lawyer for public and private sector and is also involved with several human rights organizations.

Minister of Youth and Sport:
Taleb Aziz Zayani -- Shiite, member of the Iraqi Olympic Committee.

Minister of Sate for National Security Affairs:
Abd-al-Karim al-Anzi -- Shiite, 51, leading member of Dawa party. Earned a civil engineering degree from Baghdad University.

Minister of State for Province Affairs:
Saad Nayif Mujhim al-Hardan -- Sunni Arab, 45, a sheik and leader of al-Dulaimi tribe. Holds much sway in Sunni triangle, a breeding ground for insurgency. Arrested in 2003 by U.S. forces during sweep of region and held for 12 days.

Minister of State for Civil Society Affairs:
Ala Habib Kazim -- Shiite, hold electrical engineering degree from Baghdad University. Formerly worked in private sector in Germany.

Minister of State for Women's Affairs:
Azhar Abdel Karim al-Shaikhli -- Sunni Arach, 42, she earned doctorate in constitutional law from Baghdad University. Active participant in women's rights activist groups. Served on Independent Electoral Commission to supervise Jan. 30, 2005, elections.

Minister of State for Tourism and Antiquities:
Hashim al-Hashimi -- Shiite, 45, leader of Fadila Party, a moderate Shiite group against U.S. occupation. He has electrical engineering and computer science degrees from Baghdad University.

Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs:
Safa al-Din Mohammed al-Safi -- Shiite, has law degree from University of Kuwait and a doctorate in international law from Ein Shams University in Egypt. Has worked in private sector and was a Shiite member of the constitutional committee of the Iraqi Governing Council.

- Compiled by Alex Lurie