| Name |
Constitutional form |
Head of state |
Basis of executive legitimacy |
Afghanistan |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Albania |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Algeria |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
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 |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry 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 is independent of legislature |
Bahamas |
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 |
Constitutional monarchy |
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 |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Botswana |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are 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 |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
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 subject to parliamentary confidence |
Central African Republic |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Chad |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Chile |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
China, People's Republic of |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
China, Republic of |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
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 subject to parliamentary confidence |
Congo, Republic of the |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
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 independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Dominica |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Dominican Republic |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
East Timor |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Ecuador |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Egypt |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry 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 |
Ethiopia |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Fiji |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime |
Finland |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
France |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Gabon |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Gambia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Georgia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
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 |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Guinea-Bissau |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Guyana |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Haiti |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
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 and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Korea, North |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
Korea, South |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Kosovo |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is 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 |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Lesotho |
Constitutional monarchy |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Liberia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Libya |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
Liechtenstein |
Constitutional monarchy |
Executive |
Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions |
Lithuania |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Luxembourg |
Constitutional monarchy |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Macedonia |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Madagascar |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry 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 |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Malta |
Republic |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Marshall Islands |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Mauritania |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry 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 and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Moldova |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry 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 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 is independent of legislature |
Myanmar |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime |
Namibia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Nauru |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Nepal |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are 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 subject to parliamentary confidence |
Nigeria |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Norway |
Constitutional monarchy |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Oman |
Absolute monarchy |
Executive |
All authority vested in absolute monarch |
Pakistan |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Palau |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
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 |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Qatar |
Absolute monarchy |
Executive |
All authority vested in absolute monarch |
Romania |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Russia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Rwanda |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
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 |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
São Tomé and Príncipe |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Saudi Arabia |
Absolute monarchy |
Executive |
All authority vested in absolute monarch |
Senegal |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Serbia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry 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 |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
South Africa |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Spain |
Constitutional monarchy |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Sri Lanka |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence |
Sudan |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
Suriname |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Swaziland |
Absolute monarchy |
Executive |
All authority vested in absolute monarch |
Sweden |
Constitutional monarchy |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Switzerland |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency and ministry are subject to parliamentary confidence |
Syria |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
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 |
Ceremonial |
Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence |
Turkmenistan |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
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 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 |
Venezuela |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Vietnam |
Republic |
Executive |
Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement |
Yemen |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Zambia |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Zimbabwe |
Republic |
Executive |
Presidency is independent of legislature |
Note that several states constitutionally deemed to be multiparty republics are broadly described by outsiders as authoritarian states. This chart aims to represent de jure form of government, not de facto degree of democracy. Those more interested in a version reflecting such judgements may be interested in seeing the map below from Freedom House.
.
In full presidential systems, the president is both head of state and head of government. There is generally no prime minister, although if one exists he or she serves purely at the pleasure of the president.
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 leader of the legislature.