Government type (Country profile category: Government)

Afghanistan:
no functioning central government, administered by factions

Albania:
emerging democracy

Algeria:
republic

American Samoa:
NA

Andorra:
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola:
transitional government, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system

Anguilla:
NA

Antarctica:
Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. Administration is carried out through consultative member meetings - the 23rd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in Peru in May 1999. At the end of 1999, there were 44 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 17 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and some other nations that have made no claims have reserved the right to do so. The US does not recognize the claims of others. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Acceding (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1988), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora (1964); Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but was subsequently rejected; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes on marine pollution, fauna, and flora, environmental impact assessments, waste management, and protected areas; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Antigua and Barbuda:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Argentina:
republic

Armenia:
republic

Aruba:
parliamentary democracy

Australia:
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign

Austria:
federal republic

Azerbaijan:
republic

Bahamas, The:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain:
traditional monarchy

Bangladesh:
republic

Barbados:
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Belarus:
republic

Belgium:
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Belize:
parliamentary democracy

Benin:
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Bermuda:
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-government

Bhutan:
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia:
republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
emerging democracy

Botswana:
parliamentary republic

Brazil:
federative republic

British Virgin Islands:
NA

Brunei:
constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria:
parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso:
parliamentary

Burma:
military regime

Burundi:
republic

Cambodia:
multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993

Cameroon:
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada:
confederation with parliamentary democracy

Cape Verde:
republic

Cayman Islands:
British crown colony

Central African Republic:
republic

Chad:
republic

Chile:
republic

China:
Communist state

Christmas Island:
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
NA

Colombia:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros:
independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the:
republic

Cook Islands:
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica:
democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire:
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Croatia:
presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba:
Communist state

Cyprus:
republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified following the Turkish intervention in July 1974 following a Greek junta-based coup attempt, which gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), which has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the resolution of intercommunal differences and creation of a new federal system (Greek Cypriot position) or confederate system (Turkish Cypriot position) of government

Czech Republic:
parliamentary democracy

Denmark:
constitutional monarchy

Djibouti:
republic

Dominica:
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Dominican Republic:
representative democracy

Ecuador:
republic

Egypt:
republic

El Salvador:
republic

Equatorial Guinea:
republic

Eritrea:
transitional government
note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in August 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; those elections have been postponed indefinitely following the start of the border conflict with Ethiopia

Estonia:
parliamentary democracy

Ethiopia:
federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
NA

Faroe Islands:
NA

Fiji:
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Finland:
republic

France:
republic

French Guiana:
NA

French Polynesia:
NA

Gabon:
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

Gambia, The:
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Georgia:
republic

Germany:
federal republic

Ghana:
constitutional democracy

Gibraltar:
NA

Greece:
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Greenland:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Guadeloupe:
NA

Guam:
NA

Guatemala:
constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey:
NA

Guinea:
republic

Guinea-Bissau:
republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guyana:
republic within the Commonwealth

Haiti:
elected government

Holy See (Vatican City):
monarchical-sacerdotal state

Honduras:
democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong:
NA

Hungary:
parliamentary democracy

Iceland:
constitutional republic

India:
federal republic

Indonesia:
republic

Iran:
theocratic republic

Iraq:
republic

Ireland:
republic

Israel:
parliamentary democracy

Italy:
republic

Jamaica:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan:
constitutional monarchy

Jersey:
NA

Jordan:
constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan:
republic

Kenya:
republic

Kiribati:
republic

Korea, North:
authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship

Korea, South:
republic

Kuwait:
nominal constitutional monarchy

Kyrgyzstan:
republic

Laos:
Communist state

Latvia:
parliamentary democracy

Lebanon:
republic

Lesotho:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia:
republic

Libya:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Liechtenstein:
hereditary constitutional monarchy

Lithuania:
parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg:
constitutional monarchy

Macau:
NA

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
emerging democracy

Madagascar:
republic

Malawi:
multiparty democracy

Malaysia:
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Maldives:
republic

Mali:
republic

Malta:
parliamentary democracy

Man, Isle of:
parliamentary democracy

Marshall Islands:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986

Martinique:
NA

Mauritania:
republic

Mauritius:
parliamentary democracy

Mayotte:
NA

Mexico:
federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986

Moldova:
republic

Monaco:
constitutional monarchy

Mongolia:
republic

Montserrat:
NA

Morocco:
constitutional monarchy

Mozambique:
republic

Namibia:
republic

Nauru:
republic

Nepal:
parliamentary democracy

Netherlands:
constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles:
parliamentary

New Caledonia:
NA

New Zealand:
parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua:
republic

Niger:
republic

Nigeria:
republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Niue:
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island:
NA

Northern Mariana Islands:
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway:
constitutional monarchy

Oman:
monarchy

Pakistan:
federal republic

Palau:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama:
constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea:
parliamentary democracy

Paraguay:
constitutional republic

Peru:
constitutional republic

Philippines:
republic

Pitcairn Islands:
NA

Poland:
republic

Portugal:
parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico:
commonwealth

Qatar:
traditional monarchy

Reunion:
NA

Romania:
republic

Russia:
federation

Rwanda:
republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena:
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Saint Lucia:
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Samoa:
constitutional monarchy under native chief

San Marino:
republic

Sao Tome and Principe:
republic

Saudi Arabia:
monarchy

Senegal:
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Serbia and Montenegro:
republic

Seychelles:
republic

Sierra Leone:
constitutional democracy

Singapore:
parliamentary republic

Slovakia:
parliamentary democracy

Slovenia:
parliamentary democratic republic

Solomon Islands:
parliamentary democracy

Somalia:
none

South Africa:
republic

Spain:
parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka:
republic

Sudan:
transitional - previously ruling military junta; presidential and National Assembly elections held in March 1996; new constitution drafted by Presidential Committee, went into effect on 30 June 1998 after being approved in nationwide referendum

Suriname:
constitutional democracy

Svalbard:
NA

Swaziland:
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Sweden:
constitutional monarchy

Switzerland:
federal republic

Syria:
republic under military regime since March 1963

Tajikistan:
republic

Tanzania:
republic

Thailand:
constitutional monarchy

Togo:
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau:
NA

Tonga:
hereditary constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago:
parliamentary democracy

Tunisia:
republic

Turkey:
republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan:
republic

Turks and Caicos Islands:
NA

Tuvalu:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

Uganda:
republic

Ukraine:
republic

United Arab Emirates:
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

United Kingdom:
constitutional monarchy

United States:
federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Uruguay:
republic

Uzbekistan:
republic; effectively authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch; executive power concentrated in the presidency

Vanuatu:
republic

Venezuela:
federal republic

Vietnam:
Communist state

Virgin Islands:
NA

Wallis and Futuna:
NA

Western Sahara:
legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Yemen:
republic

Zambia:
republic

Zimbabwe:
parliamentary democracy

Taiwan:
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president