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List of countries by system of government

This is a list of countries categorized by system of government currently in use.

Contents

Democratic republics

In which a country is governed by an elected president, or a cabinet appointed by an elected legislature.

Africa

Asia

Europe

North America

South America

Democratic constitutional monarchies

In which a country is governed by an elected legislature and prime minister, with a monarch as a symbolic head of state. (see also Current monarchies)

Africa

  • Lesotho (authoritarian tendencies)
  • Morocco (authoritarian tendencies)

Asia

Europe

North America and the Caribbean

Oceania

Commonwealth realms share Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state.

Absolute monarchies

In which a country is governed solely by an absolute monarch, possibly along with other members of his family.

  • Bahrain (kingdom; slight theocratic tendancies)
  • Brunei Darussalam (sultanate)
  • Kuwait (emirate; slight theocratic tendancies)
  • Oman (sultanate; theocratic tendancies)
  • Nepal (kingdom; chronic political turmoil; civil war between Maoist rebels and royalists)
  • Qatar (emirate; slight theocratic tendancies)
  • Saudi Arabia (kingdom; theocratic monarchy)
  • Swaziland (kingdom)
  • Tonga (kingdom)
  • United Arab Emirates (federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates; slight theocratic tendancies)
  • Vatican City (Holy See; theocratic monarchy)

Authoritarian governments

Country is governed by single-party hierarchy that does not allow for effective popular opposition.

Africa

Asia

Europe

Military governments

In which a country is governed by the military which has seized control of the nation's political institutions.

Communist states

Transitional governments

In which a country is governed by a recently-established caretaker administration, and thus cannot be accurately identified as one of the above.

This list may be subject to debate. Some countries may fall into more than one category.

See also

External links

Last updated: 06-02-2005 12:13:22
Last updated: 09-12-2005 02:39:13