List of countries by system of government

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This is a list of countries categorized by system of government.

Alphabetical list of countries

Name	Constitutional form	Head of state	Basis of executive legitimacy

Notes on color-code

orange - parliamentary republics
green - presidential republics, presidential system linked to a parliamentary system
yellow - presidential republics, semi-presidential system
blue - presidential republics, presidential system
red - parliamentary system constitutional monarchy in which the monarch does not personally exercise power
magenta - constitutional monarchy in which the monarch personally exercises power, often (but not always) alongside a weak parliament
purple - absolute monarchy
brown - republics where the dominant role of a single-party state is codified in the constitution
beige - states where constitutional provisions for government have been suspended
grey - countries which do not fit any of the above systems

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 this map from Freedom House. .

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 generally no prime minister, although if one exists he or she serves purely at the pleasure of the president.

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 leader of the legislature.

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.

Mixed republican systems

Prime minister is also head of state and given title of president

Constitutional monarchies

These are systems in which the head of state is a constitutional monarch; the existence of their office and their ability to exercise their authority is established and constrained by constitutional law.

Constitutional monarchies with ceremonial monarchs

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.

Constitutional monarchies with active monarchs

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.

Absolute monarchies

Monarchies in which the monarch's exercise of power is unconstrained by any constitutional law.

Theocracies

States based on a state religion where the head of state is selected by some form of religious hierarchy.

Iran (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 military control the organs of government and all high-ranking political executives are also members of the military hierarchy.

Fiji (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)

Eritrea (presidential republic)
Iraq (parliamentary republic)
Nepal (constitutional monarchy or parliamentary republic)
Somalia (semi-presidential republic)
Sudan (bipartisan Government of National Unity)

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.