Systems of Government List 2024: Presidents, Monarchies & More

Map created by Wikimedia user Newfraferz87The map above shows the systems of government used by each country around the world in 2023. These include the following:

Presidential republic: Head of state is a president that is the head of government and is independent of legislature
Semi-presidential republic: Head of state is a president that has some executive powers and is independent of legislature; remaining executive power is vested in ministry that is subject to parliamentary confidence
Republic with an executive presidency nominated by or elected by the legislature: President is both head of state and government; ministry, including the president, may or may not be subject to parliamentary confidence
Parliamentary republic: Head of state is a president that is mostly or entirely ceremonial; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Constitutional monarchy: Head of state is a monarch that is mostly or entirely ceremonial; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Semi-constitutional monarchy: Head of state is an executive monarch; monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Absolute monarchy: Head of state is executive; all authority vested in absolute monarch
One-party state: Head of state is executive or ceremonial; power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Countries in which constitutional provisions for government have been suspended (e.g. military juntas)
No constitutionally defined basis to current regime (e.g. transitional governments)

In terms of numbers of the 195 UN member states they fall into the following categories:

Republics: 143 (44 Ceremonial and 99 Executive)
Constitutional monarchies: 38 (28 Ceremonial and 10 executive)
Absolute monarchies: 5
Provisional Governments: 9

For a full list see the following table:

Name	Constitutional form	Head of state	Basis of executive legitimacy
Afghanistan	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Albania	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Algeria	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Andorra	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Angola	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Antigua and Barbuda	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Argentina	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Armenia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Australia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Austria	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Azerbaijan	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Bahamas, The	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Bahrain	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Bangladesh	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Barbados	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Belarus	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Belgium	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Belize	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Benin	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Bhutan	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Bolivia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Botswana	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Brazil	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Brunei	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Bulgaria	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Burkina Faso	Provisional	n/a	All authority vested in a committee of the nation's military leaders for the duration of a state of emergency; constitutional provisions for government are suspended
Burundi	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Cambodia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Cameroon	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Canada	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Cape Verde	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Central African Republic	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Chad	Provisional	n/a	All authority vested in a committee of the nation's military leaders for the duration of a state of emergency; constitutional provisions for government are suspended
Chile	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
China, People's Republic of	Republic	Ceremonial	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Colombia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Comoros	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Congo, Democratic Republic of the	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Congo, Republic of the	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Costa Rica	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Côte d'Ivoire	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Croatia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Cuba	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Cyprus	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Czech Republic	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Denmark	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Djibouti	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Dominica	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Dominican Republic	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
East Timor	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Ecuador	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Egypt	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
El Salvador	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Equatorial Guinea	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Eritrea	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Estonia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Eswatini	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Ethiopia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Fiji	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Finland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
France	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Gabon	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Gambia, The	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Georgia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Germany	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Ghana	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Greece	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Grenada	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Guatemala	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Guinea	Provisional	n/a	All authority vested in a committee of the nation's military leaders for the duration of a state of emergency; constitutional provisions for government are suspended
Guinea-Bissau	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Guyana	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Haiti	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Honduras	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Hungary	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Iceland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
India	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Indonesia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Iran	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Iraq	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Ireland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Israel	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Italy	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Jamaica	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Japan	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Jordan	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Kazakhstan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Kenya	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Kiribati	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Kuwait	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Kyrgyzstan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Laos	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Latvia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Lebanon	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Lesotho	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Liberia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Libya	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Liechtenstein	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Lithuania	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Luxembourg	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Madagascar	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Malawi	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Malaysia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Maldives	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Mali	Provisional	n/a	All authority vested in a committee of the nation's military leaders for the duration of a state of emergency; constitutional provisions for government are suspended
Malta	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Marshall Islands	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Mauritania	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Mauritius	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Mexico	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Micronesia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Moldova	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Monaco	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Mongolia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Montenegro	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Morocco	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Mozambique	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Myanmar	Provisional	n/a	All authority vested in a committee of the nation's military leaders for the duration of a state of emergency; constitutional provisions for government are suspended
Namibia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Nauru	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Nepal	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Netherlands	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
New Zealand	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Nicaragua	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Niger	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Nigeria	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
North Korea	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
North Macedonia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Norway	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Oman	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Pakistan	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Palau	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Palestine	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Panama	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Papua New Guinea	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Paraguay	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Peru	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Philippines	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Poland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Portugal	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Qatar	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Romania	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Russia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Rwanda	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Saint Lucia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Samoa	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
San Marino	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
São Tomé and Príncipe	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Saudi Arabia	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Senegal	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Serbia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Seychelles	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Sierra Leone	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Singapore	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Slovakia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Slovenia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Solomon Islands	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Somalia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
South Africa	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
South Korea	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
South Sudan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Spain	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Sri Lanka	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Sudan	Provisional	n/a	All authority vested in a committee of the nation's military leaders for the duration of a state of emergency; constitutional provisions for government are suspended
Suriname	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Sweden	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Switzerland	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Syria	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Tajikistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Tanzania	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Thailand	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Togo	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Tonga	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Trinidad and Tobago	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Tunisia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Turkey	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Turkmenistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Tuvalu	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Uganda	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Ukraine	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
United Arab Emirates	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
United Kingdom	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
United States	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Uruguay	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Uzbekistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Vanuatu	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Vatican City	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Venezuela	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Vietnam	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Yemen	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Zambia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Zimbabwe	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature

And for other non-UN member states have a look at this table:

Name	Constitutional form	Head of state	Basis of executive legitimacy
Abkhazia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Artsakh	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Cook Islands	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Kosovo	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Niue	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Northern Cyprus	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Somaliland	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
South Ossetia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Taiwan (Republic of China)	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Transnistria	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence

European Systems of Government

Map created by Nerdy MapsThe map above gives you a zoomed in look at Europe.

Key:

Presidential republic (Colored in blue)
Head of state (president) is also head of government and has executive power
Semi-presidential rep. (Colored in green)
Head of state (president) has some executive power – the rest is vested in ministry whose head is the prime minister (head of government)
Parliamentary republic (Colored in yello)
Head of state (president) is ceremonial – prime minister is head of government and has executive power
Constitutional monarchy (Colored in red)
Head of state is a monarch (king, queen, prince, etc.) and is ceremonial – prime minister is head of government and holds executive power
Directorial republic (Colored in dark green)
Group of people constitutes the “head” of state and government with executive power