Portal:Monarchy/Monarchies today

Constitutional monarchy      Commonwealth realm      Semi-Constitutional monarchy      Absolute monarchy      Monarchy in some sub-state level entities

Since 1800, most of the world's monarchies have been abolished by dismemberment or annexation, or have been transformed into republics; most current countries that are monarchies are constitutional ones. Among the few states that retain aspects of absolute monarchy are Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and the Vatican City (the papal city-state, an electoral theocracy). In Jordan and Morocco, the monarch also retains considerable power. There are also recent (2003) developments in Liechtenstein, wherein the regnant prince was given the constitutional power to dismiss the government at will. Nepal had several swings between constitutional rule and direct rule related to the Maoist rebel movement and killings by a suicidal crown prince. In December 2007 the Nepalese government agreed to abolish the country's monarchy after the Constituent Assembly elections in 2008. The monarchy was formally abolished on the 28 May, 2008.

Monarchy and Oligarchy

Currently 44 nations in the world have monarchs as heads of state, 16 of which are Commonwealth Realms that formally recognize Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state and Prince Charles as heir.

State	Title	Extent	Currently	Notes
Andorra	Co-Princes	Constitutional Monarchy	Nicolas Sarkozy and Joan Enric Vives Sicília	Political structure in place since 1278.
Antigua and Barbuda	King/Queen of Antigua and Barbuda	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Dame Louise Lake-Tack
Australia	King/Queen of Australia	Federal Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Michael Jeffery, and six Governors
Bahamas	King/Queen of the Bahamas	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Arthur Dion Hannat
Bahrain	King, styled Malik	Semi-Constitutional Monarchy	Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah	Known as "emir" until 2002.
Barbados	King/Queen of Barbados	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Clifford Husbands
Belgium	King/Queen of the Belgians	Constitutional Monarchy	Albert II	Ruled by the king of the Netherlands until 1830. At the 1830 independence the constitution was a model of how to limit royal power.
Belize	King/Queen of Belize	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Colville Young
Bhutan	Druk Gyalpo 'Dragon King'	Constitutional Monarchy	Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck	Buddhist constitutional monarchy.
Brunei	Sultan	Absolute sultanate	Hassanal Bolkiah
Cambodia	King; individual throne styles, but most Kings include the titles of Brhat Pada, Samdach Brhat, Varman, Rajadhiraja, Parama, and Adipati	Constitutional Monarchy	Norodom Sihamoni	Reinstituted in 1993.
Canada	King/Queen of Canada	Federal Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor General, currently Michaëlle Jean, and by ten Lieutenant Governors, one in each province.
Denmark	King/Queen	Constitutional Monarchy	Margrethe II of Denmark	Also queen of Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Act of Succession revised in 1953 to allow for female monarchs.
Grenada	King/Queen of Grenada	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Daniel Williams
Jamaica	King/Queen of Jamaica	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Kenneth Hall
Japan	Emperor	Constitutional Monarchy/Empire	Akihito	World's only remaining emperor.
Jordan	Hashemite King, styled Malik	Semi-constitutional Hashemite monarchy	Abdullah II	Monarchy established by United Kingdom in 1921.
Kuwait	Emir, styled Amir ad-Dawlat al-Kuwayt "Emir of the State of Kuwait"	Semi-constitutional emirate	Sabah Al-Sabah	Was Hakim al-Kuwayt "Ruler of Kuwait" until 1961; still prefixed "sheikh", as every member of a Gulf dynasty).
Lesotho	King	Constitutional Monarchy	Letsie III	Known as Paramount Chief until 1965. Regarded as a symbol of national unity, the King does not exercise any executive or legislative powers.
Liechtenstein	Prince	Semi-constitutional principality	Hans-Adam II	Some powers delegated to Prince Alois.
Luxembourg	Grand Duke/Duchess	Constitutional grand duchy	Henri	Only remaining Grand Duchy. Ruled by the king of the Netherlands until 1890.
Malaysia	Yang di-Pertuan Agong or "Paramount Ruler"	Constitutional federation	Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin	Position electoral amongst -de facto tends to rotate between- the nine hereditary rulers of the peninsular Malay states, only for 5 years.
Monaco	Sovereign Prince/Princess	Semi-constitutional principality	Albert II	Last sovereign monarchy under (French, amical) protection
Morocco	King, styled Malik	Semi-Constitutional Monarchy	Mohammed VI	Morocco currently administers the disputed region of Western Sahara.
Netherlands	King/Queen	Constitutional Monarchy	Beatrix	Also queen of both overseas autonomous areas: Aruba and Netherlands Antilles.
New Zealand annex Cook Islands and Niue	King/Queen of New Zealand	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by Governor-General Anand Satyanand
Norway	King/Queen	Constitutional Monarchy	Harald V	Act of Succession revised in 1990 to allow for female monarchs (full cognatic primogeniture).
Oman	Sultan	Absolute sultanate	Qaboos
Papua New Guinea	King/Queen of Papua New Guinea	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Paulias Matane
Qatar	Emir	Absolute emirate	Hamad bin Khalifa	Formerly Hakim Qatar "Ruler of Qatar", from 3-9-1971: Amir Dawlat Qatar "Emir of the State of Qatar"
Saint Kitts and Nevis	King/Queen of Sain Kitts and Nevis	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Cuthbert Sebastian
Saint Lucia	King/Queen of Saint Lucia	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Dame Pearlette Louisy
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	King/Queen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Frederick Ballantyne
Saudi Arabia	King styled Malik but also The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (خادم الحرمين الشريفين), i.e. Protector of the Holy Cities	Absolute Monarchy	Abdullah	Saudi Arabia was unified in 1932.
Solomon Islands	King/Queen of the Solomon Islands	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Sir Nathaniel Waena
Spain	King/Queen	Constitutional Monarchy	Juan Carlos I	Monarchy was restored in 1975; and holds the title King of Jerusalem.
Swaziland	King (also Indovuzaki -lit. She-Elephant- or Queen Mother)	Absolute Monarchy	Mswati III (and Ntombi)	Currently democratizing.
Sweden	King/Queen	Constitutional Monarchy	Carl XVI Gustaf	Act of Succession revised in 1979 to allow for female monarchs (full cognatic primogeniture).
Thailand	King	Constitutional Monarchy	Bhumibol Adulyadej	The world's longest-serving current head of state. Known as Rama, the throne name with numeral officially used by every king of the present Chakri dynasty, currently Rama IX; Buddhist monarchy.
Tonga	King/Queen	Constitutional Monarchy	George Tupou V	The traditional Polynesian style of Tu'i Tonga, still the dynasty's birthright, was superseded by the western royal style in 1865, i.e. before the British protectorate
Tuvalu	King/Queen of Tuvalu	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. The Monarch is represented by a Governor-General, currently Filoimea Telito
United Arab Emirates	President	Constitutional federation	Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan	Position formally elected amongst the seven rulers of the Trucial states, de facto always from premier state Abu Dhabi.
United Kingdom	King/Queen of the United Kingdom	Constitutional Monarchy	Elizabeth II	Commonwealth realm. Also Sovereign of Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, and the non-sovereign states of the British overseas territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It was under complete Parliamentary control between 1649 and 1660 (see "The Protectorate").
Vatican City (Holy See)	Supreme Pontiff, more commonly as "Pope"	Absolute theocracy	Benedict XVI	Electoral (by Cardinals in conclave), sovereign Prince of the church