President: Mohamed Mubarak (resigned)

President: Mohamed  Mubarak (resigned)

Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali in the early 19th century and one of the longest-serving leaders in the Arab world, stepped down in February 2011 after 30 years in power.

He was responding to weeks of street protests, which began in January 2011, only days after the president of Tunisia fled a popular uprising.

His vice-president announced Mr Mubarak's resignation and said he had handed power to the army.

Mr Mubarak gained a fifth consecutive term in presidential elections in September 2005, when he was aged 77. The poll was the first under a new system which allows multiple candidates to stand. In previous elections Egyptians voted yes or no for a single candidate appointed by parliament.

Mr Mubarak succeeded Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. He is seen as Egyptian politics' great survivor, having escaped no fewer than six assassination attempts.

He is an economic liberal and his government promised economic reforms. But Egypt remains plagued by high unemployment and low standards of living.

In March 2010, Mr Mubarak underwent gall-bladder surgery in Germany, renewing speculation over whether he will run for re-election in 2011.

Since 1952 Army officers led by Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew the monarchy, Egyptian leaders have been drawn from the military.

Hosni Mubarak was born in 1928. his wife called Suzane, they have two sons, Alaa and Gamal.