This is a list of countries categorized by system of government.
Alphabetical list of countries
| Name | Constitutional basis | Head of state | Basis of executive legitimacy |
|---|
| Constitutional monarchy | No constitutional basis to current regime |
Systems of Governance
Presidential / Separated republics
These are systems in which a
president is the active head of the
executive branch of government and is elected and remains in office independently of the
legislature. The following list includes democratic and non-democratic states:
Full presidential systems
In full presidential systems, the president is both head of state and head of government. There is no prime minister.
★
Afghanistan
★
Argentina
★
Benin
★
Bolivia
★
Brazil
★
Burundi
★
Cameroon
★
Central African Republic
★
Chad
★
Chile
★
Colombia
★
Comoros
★
Democratic Republic of the Congo
★
Republic of the Congo
★
Costa Rica
★
Côte d'Ivoire
★
Cyprus
★
Djibouti
★
Dominican Republic
★
Ecuador
★
El Salvador
★
Equatorial Guinea
★
Gabon
★
The Gambia
★
Ghana
★
Guatemala
★
Guinea
★
Guinea-Bissau
★
Honduras
★
Indonesia
★
Iran [1] (to some degree)
★
Kenya
★
Kiribati
★
Liberia
★
Madagascar
★
Malawi
★
Maldives
★
Marshall Islands
★
Mexico
★
Federated States of Micronesia
★
Nauru
★
Nicaragua
★
Nigeria
★
Palau
★
Panama
★
Paraguay
★
Philippines
★
Rwanda
★
Seychelles
★
Sierra Leone
★
Sudan
★
Suriname
★
Tanzania
★
Togo
★
Tunisia
★
Turkmenistan
★
Uganda
★
United States of America
★
Uruguay
★
Venezuela
★
Zambia
★
Zimbabwe
Semi-presidential systems
In semi-presidential systems, there is usually both a president and a prime minister. In such systems, the President has genuine executive authority, unlike in a parliamentary republic, but some of the role of a head of government is exercised by the prime minister, who is also head of the
legislature.
★
Algeria
★
Angola [2]
★
Armenia
★
Azerbaijan
★
Belarus[2]
★
Bosnia and Herzegovina[4]
★
Burkina Faso
★
Cape Verde
★
Egypt
★
France
★
Georgia
★
Guyana
★
Haiti
★
Kazakhstan
★
Republic of Korea
★
Kyrgyzstan
★
Lebanon
★
Mali
★
Moldova
★
Mongolia
★
Mozambique
★
Namibia
★
Niger
★
Pakistan
★
Peru[2]
★
Romania
★
Russia
★
São Tomé and Príncipe
★
Senegal
★
Serbia
★
Sri Lanka[2]
★
Republic of China (Taiwan)
★
Tajikistan
★
Ukraine
★
Uzbekistan
★
Western Sahara [7]
★
Yemen
Parliamentary republics
A
parliamentary republic is a system in which a
prime minister is the active head of the
executive branch of government and also leader of the
legislature. The president's degree of executive power may range from being reasonably significant (eg. Poland) to little or none at all (eg. Ireland). Where the president holds little executive power, their function is primarily that of a symbolic
figurehead.
★
Albania
★
Austria
★
Bangladesh [8]
★
Bulgaria
★
Croatia
★
Czech Republic
★
Dominica
★
East Timor
★
Estonia
★
Ethiopia
★
Finland
★
Germany
★
Greece
★
Hungary
★
Iceland
★
India
★
Ireland
★
Iraq
★
Israel
★
Italy
★
Latvia
★
Lithuania
★
Macedonia
★
Malta
★
Mauritius
★
Mauritania
★
Montenegro
★
Poland
★
Portugal
★
Singapore
★
Slovakia
★
Slovenia
★
Trinidad and Tobago
★
Turkey
★
Vanuatu
Mixed republican systems
Prime minister is also head of state and given title of president
★
Botswana [9]
★
South Africa [9]
★
Switzerland [11]
★
San Marino [12]
Constitutional monarchies
Systems in which a
prime minister is the active head of the
executive branch of government and also leader of the
legislature. The
head of state is a
constitutional monarch who only exercises his or her powers with the consent of the government, the people or their representatives.
★
Andorra [13]
★
Belgium
★
Cambodia
★
Denmark
★
Japan
★
Lesotho
★
Luxembourg
★
Malaysia
★
Netherlands
★
Norway
★
Samoa
★
Spain
★
Sweden
Commonwealth realms
Constitutional monarchies, in which
Queen Elizabeth II serves as head of state over an independent government. In each Realm, she acts as the monarch of that state, and is usually titled accordingly - for example,
Queen of Australia. The Queen appoints a
Governor-General to each country other than the United Kingdom to act as her representative. The
prime minister is the active head of the
executive branch of government and also leader of the
legislature.
★
Antigua and Barbuda
★
Australia
★
The Bahamas
★
Barbados
★
Belize
★
Canada
★
Grenada
★
Jamaica
★
New Zealand
★
Papua New Guinea
★
Saint Kitts and Nevis
★
Saint Lucia
★
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
★
Solomon Islands
★
Tuvalu
★
United Kingdom
Semi-constitutional monarchies
The
prime minister (or equivalent) is the nation's active executive, but the monarch still has considerable political powers that can be used at his/her own independent discretion.
★
Bahrain
★
Jordan
★
Kuwait
★
Liechtenstein
★
Monaco
★
Morocco
★
Nepal [14]
★
Tonga
Absolute monarchies
Monarchies in which the monarch is the active head of the
executive branch and exercises all powers.
★
Bhutan [15]
★
Brunei
★
Oman
★
Qatar
★
Saudi Arabia
★
Swaziland
★
United Arab Emirates [16]
★
Vatican City State
Theocracies
States based on a
state religion where the
head of state is selected by some form of religious hierarchy.
★
Iran [1] (to some degree)
★ the
Holy See (
Vatican City)
One-party states
States in which political power is concentrated within a single
political party whose operations are largely fused with the government hierarchy. However, some do have elected governments.
★
People's Republic of China (
Communist Party) (
list)
★
Cuba (
Communist Party) (
list)
★
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (
Workers' Party) (
list)
★
Laos (
Revolutionary Party) (
list)
★
Syria (
Arab Socialist Ba'th Party) (
list)
★
Turkmenistan (
Democratic Party) (
list)
★
Vietnam (
Communist Party) (
list)
Military junta states
The nation's armed forces control the organs of government and all high-ranking political executives are also members of the military hierarchy.
★
Fiji[18] (until 2010)
★
Libya
★
Myanmar
Transitional
States which have a system of government which is in transition or turmoil and cannot be accurately classified. (with current direction of change)
★
Somalia (semi-presidential republic)
★
Sudan (bipartisan
Government of National Unity)
★
Thailand (constitutional monarchy)
★
Nepal (constitutional monarchy or parliamentary republic)
★
Iraq (parliamentary republic)
★
Eritrea (presidential republic)
Systems of Internal Governance
Federal
States in which the
federal government shares power with semi-independent regional governments. In many cases, the central government is (in theory) a creation of the regional governments; a prime example is the United States.
★
Argentina (23 provinces and 1 autonomous city)
★
Australia (
6 states and 2 territories)
★
Austria (9 states)
★
Belgium (
Flemish Region,
Walloon Region and
Brussels Capital Region)
★
Bosnia and Herzegovina (
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Republika Srpska)
★
Brazil (26 states and 1
federal district)
★
Canada (10 provinces and 3 territories)
★
Comoros (
Anjouan,
Grande Comore,
Mohéli)
★
Ethiopia (9 regions and 2 chartered cities)
★
Federated States of Micronesia (
Chuuk,
Kosrae,
Pohnpei and
Yap)
★
Germany (16 states)
★
India (28 states and 7
union territories)
★
Malaysia (13 states and 3
federal territories)
★
Mexico (31 states and 1
federal district)
★
Nigeria (36 states and
1 federal capital territory)
★
Pakistan (4 provinces and 2 territories)
★
Palau (16 states)
★
Papua New Guinea (20 provinces)
★
Russia (46
oblasts, 21 republics, 6
autonomous okrugs, 8
krays, 2 federal cities, 1
autonomous oblast)
★
Saint Kitts and Nevis (
Saint Kitts and
Nevis)
★
South Africa (9 provinces)
★
Switzerland (26
cantons)
★
United Arab Emirates (7 emirates)
★
United States (50
states, one
District (of Columbia), two
Commonwealths, and 12
Territories of the United States)
★
Venezuela (23 states and 1
capital district)
Devolved
States in which the
central government has delegated some of its powers to self-governing subsidiary governments, creating a ''de facto'' federation.
★
Spain (17
autonomous communities and the autonomous cities of
Ceuta and
Melilla)
★
United Kingdom (
Scotland,
Northern Ireland, and
Wales;
England remains under full control of the central government)
Regionalized unitary
States in which the
central government has delegated some of its powers to regional governments.
★
Chile (13 regions, each one divided into smaller provinces, which are sub-divided into several municipalities).
★
Italy (20
regions, five granted 'autonomous' status)
★
New Zealand (12
regions, 4
unitary authorities)
★
People's Republic of China (22
provinces, 5
autonomous regions, 4
municipalities, and 2
Special Administrative Regions:
Hong Kong and
Macau)
★
Philippines (79
provinces grouped into 17
regions, one granted 'autonomous' status)
Federacy
A
federacy is a country in which some substates function like states in a federation and others like states in a unitary state.
★
Denmark with 2 autonomous regions and 5
regions;
★
Finland with 1 autonomous province and 19
regions;
★
Kingdom of the Netherlands with 2 states and 12
provinces.
★
France with 1 sui generis collectivity and
26 ''régions'',
4 ''collectivités d'outre-mer'',
1 ''territoire d'outre-mer''
★
Serbia, significant autonomy granted to
Vojvodina;
Kosovo-Metohija under
UN protectorate, future status being negotiated.
★
Ukraine, 24 oblasts, 2 special-status cities, and the
Autonomous Republic of Crimea
★
Tanzania, 21 mainland regions, 5 regions under autonomous government of
Zanzibar
Unitary
''see
Unitary state''
Notes
1. Iran combines the forms of a presidential republic, with a president elected by universal suffrage; and a theocracy, with a Supreme Leader who is ultimately responsible for state policy, chosen by the elected Assembly of Experts. Candidates for both the Assembly of Experts and the presidency are vetted by the appointed Guardian Council.
2. While the office of Prime Minister exists, the President is both the Head of State and Head of Government.
3. While the office of Prime Minister exists, the President is both the Head of State and Head of Government.
4. Collective (3 member) presidency.
5. While the office of Prime Minister exists, the President is both the Head of State and Head of Government.
6. While the office of Prime Minister exists, the President is both the Head of State and Head of Government.
7. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is a government in exile, located in Tindouf, Algeria. Most of the territory of Western Sahara is under military occupation by Morocco; the rest is administered by the SADR.
8. In Bangladesh, a Caretaker government takes over for three months during parliamentary elections. The Caretaker government is headed by a Chief advisor (the last Chief Justice to retire), and a group of neutral, non-partisan advisors chosen from the civil society. During this time, the president has jurisdiction over the Ministry of defense and the Ministry of foreign affairs.
9. Combines aspects of an executive presidency with a parliamentary system. President is elected by parliament and holds a parliamentary seat, much like a prime minister. The President is both head of state and government.
10. Combines aspects of an executive presidency with a parliamentary system. President is elected by parliament and holds a parliamentary seat, much like a prime minister. The President is both head of state and government.
11. There is neither a prime minister nor a president of Switzerland. The President of the Swiss Confederation is merely primus inter pares in the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member executive council which constitutes the government as well as the head of state of Switzerland.
12. Collective presidency (two captains-regents). Captains-regents are both Head of State and Government simultaneously.
13. Bishop of Urgell and President of France serve as ex-officio co-princes
14. The King of Nepal gave himself absolute authority for three years in 2005; he has given up absolute power on April 21, 2006, but constitutional government has not yet resumed
15. Bhutan is in the process of democratization by request of the king.
16. UAE is a federation of absolute monarchies, with the federal president drawn from hereditary emirs
17. Iran combines the forms of a presidential republic, with a president elected by universal suffrage; and a theocracy, with a Supreme Leader who is ultimately responsible for state policy, chosen by the elected Assembly of Experts. Candidates for both the Assembly of Experts and the presidency are vetted by the appointed Guardian Council.
18. The President of Fiji is the actual leader who on 4 December 2006 dissolved the parliament without the prime minister's consent, thereby setting the stage for a coup by the military commander.
See also
★
List of forms of government
★
List of countries by date of transition to republican system of government
External links
★
Global Scan- Election Tracker
★
Countries categorized by system of government in 20th century at Historical Atlas of 20th Century
★
[1] A Chronology of political history based on Government form
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