  The Local Group (LG) dwarf galaxies offer a unique window to the detailed
properties of the most common type of galaxy in the Universe. In this review, I
update the census of LG dwarfs based on the most recent distance and radial
velocity determinations. I then discuss the detailed properties of this sample,
including (a) the integrated photometric parameters and optical structures of
these galaxies, (b) the content, nature and distribution of their ISM, (c)
their heavy-element abundances derived from both stars and nebulae, (d) the
complex and varied star-formation histories of these dwarfs, (e) their internal
kinematics, stressing the relevance of these galaxies to the dark-matter
problem and to alternative interpretations, and (f) evidence for past, ongoing
and future interactions of these dwarfs with other galaxies in the Local Group
and beyond. To complement the discussion and to serve as a foundation for
future work, I present an extensive set of basic observational data in tables
that summarize much of what we know, and what we still do not know, about these
nearby dwarfs. Our understanding of these galaxies has grown impressively in
the past decade, but fundamental puzzles remain that will keep the Local Group
at the forefront of galaxy evolution studies for some time.
