List of countries by system of government - wikipedia List of countries by system of government This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2007 ) Part of the Politics series Basic forms of government Power structure Separation Associated state Dominion Chiefdom Federalism Federation Confederation Devolution Integration Empire Hegemony Unitary state Administrative division Power source Democracy power of many Direct Representative Semi others Oligarchy power of few Aristocracy Military junta Plutocracy Stratocracy Timocracy Theocracy Kritarchy Particracy Autocracy power of one Despotism Illiberal democracy Semi-authoritarian Dictatorship Hybrids Anocracy Power ideology Monarchy vs. republic socio - political ideologies Absolute Constitutional Directorial Legalist Parliamentary Semi-presidential Presidential Authoritarian vs. libertarian socio - economic ideologies Capitalism Colonialism Communism Distributism Feudalism Socialism Anarchism vs. statism civil - liberties ideologies Anarchy Minarchy Totalitarianism Global vs. local geo - cultural ideologies Central City - state National unity World Politics portal This is a list of countries by system of government. There is also a political mapping of the world that shows what form of government each country has, as well as a brief description of what each form of government entails. The list is colour - coded according to the type of government, for example : blue represents a republic with an executive head of state, and pink is a constitutional monarchy with a ceremonial head of state. The colour - coding also appears on the following map, representing the same government categories. The legend of what the different colours represent is found just below the map. Contents 1 List of countries 1.1 UN member states and observers 1.2 Unrecognized states 2 Map 2.1 Legend 3 Systems of governance 3.1 Presidential / Separated republics 3.1. 1 Full presidential systems 3.1. 1.1 Presidential systems 3.1. 1.2 Presidential systems with a prime minister 3.1. 2 Semi-presidential systems 3.2 Parliamentary republics 3.2. 1 Mixed republican systems 3.3 Directorial systems 3.4 Constitutional monarchies 3.4. 1 Constitutional monarchies with ceremonial monarchs 3.4. 2 Constitutional monarchies with active monarchs 3.5 Absolute monarchies 3.6 Theocracies 3.7 One - party states 3.8 Military junta states 3.9 Transitional 4 Systems of internal governance 4.1 Federal 4.2 Unitary states 4.2. 1 Regionalised unitary states 4.3 Confederation 5 European Union 6 See also 7 Notes 8 External links List of countries UN member states and observers 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 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 Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; 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 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 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 Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence 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 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 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 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 Ethiopia Republic Ceremonial Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Federated States of Micronesia Republic Executive Presidency is elected by legislature ; ministry may be, or not be, 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 Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; 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 Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature Guinea - Bissau Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Guyana Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature 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 Korea, North Republic Executive Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement Korea, South Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature Kuwait Constitutional monarchy Executive Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions Kyrgyzstan Republic Ceremonial Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence 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 n / a 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 Macedonia Republic 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 Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence 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 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 Republic Executive Presidency is elected by legislature ; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence 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 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 independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Philippines Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature Poland Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Portugal Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Qatar Absolute monarchy Executive All authority vested in absolute monarch 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 Constitutional monarchy Ceremonial Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence San Marino Republic Executive Presidency is elected by legislature ; ministry may be, or not be, 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 independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence 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 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 Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature Suriname Republic Executive Presidency is elected by legislature ; ministry may be, or not be, 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 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 n / a n / a No constitutionally - defined basis to current regime 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 independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Turkey Republic Ceremonial Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence 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 Absolute monarchy Executive All authority vested in absolute monarch 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 n / a 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 Note that Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Mauritania are Islamic Republics. Unrecognized states The following states control their territory and are recognized by at least one UN member state. Name Constitutional form Head of state Basis of executive legitimacy Abkhazia Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence China, Republic of Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence 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 South Ossetia Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence The following states / governments control their territory, but are not recognised by any UN member states. Name Constitutional form Head of state Basis of executive legitimacy Artsakh Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature Somaliland Republic Executive Presidency is independent of legislature Transnistria Republic Executive Presidency independent of legislature ; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Map Legend Presidential republics with a full presidential system Presidential republics with a semi-presidential system Parliamentary republics with an executive presidency dependent on the legislature Parliamentary republics with a ceremonial / non-executive president, where a separate head of government leads the executive Constitutional monarchy with a ceremonial monarch, where a separate head of government leads the executive Constitutional monarchy which have with a separate head of government, but where royalty still hold significant executive and / or legislative power Absolute monarchy Countries where the dominant role of political party is codified in the constitution Countries in which constitutional provisions for government have been suspended ( e.g. military dictatorship ) Countries which do not fit any of the above systems ( e.g. transitional government or unclear political situations ) No government Note : this chart represent de jure systems of government, not the de facto degree of democracy. Several states constitutionally republics, broadly appear as authoritarian states. Systems of governance Italics indicate states with limited recognition. 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, in most cases, he or she serves purely at the discretion of the president ( with the exceptions being Belarus and Kazakhstan, where the prime minister is effectively the head of government ). Presidential systems Afghanistan Angola Argentina Artsakh Bolivia Brazil Burundi Chile Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cyprus Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Gambia, The Ghana Guatemala Honduras Indonesia Kenya Liberia Malawi Maldives Mexico Nicaragua Nigeria Palau Panama Paraguay Philippines Seychelles Sierra Leone Somaliland South Sudan Turkmenistan United States Uruguay Venezuela Zambia Zimbabwe Presidential systems with a prime minister Belarus Benin Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Djibouti Gabon Guinea Equatorial Guinea Guyana Ivory Coast Kazakhstan Korea, South Rwanda Sudan Tajikistan Tanzania Togo Uganda Uzbekistan Semi-presidential systems In semi-presidential systems, there is always both a president and a prime minister. In such systems, the president has genuine executive authority, unlike in a parliamentary republic, but the role of a head of government may be exercised by the prime minister. President - parliamentary systems Abkhazia Azerbaijan Congo Guinea - Bissau Mauritania Mozambique Namibia Palestine Peru Russia Senegal South Ossetia Syria Taiwan ( Republic of China ) Transnistria Premier - presidential systems Algeria Armenia Burkina Faso Cape Verde Congo, Democratic Republic of the East Timor France Georgia Haiti Lithuania Madagascar Mali Mongolia Niger Northern Cyprus Poland Portugal Romania São Tomé and Príncipe Sri Lanka Tunisia Ukraine 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 to little ( e.g. India ), to only having certain limited reserve powers ( e.g. Ireland ) or none at all. Where the president holds little executive power, his or her function is primarily that of a symbolic figurehead. Albania Austria Bangladesh Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Dominica Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland Germany Greece Hungary Iceland India Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Kosovo Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Macedonia Malta Mauritius Moldova Montenegro Nepal Pakistan Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia Trinidad and Tobago Turkey Vanuatu Mixed republican systems A combined head of state and government is elected by the legislature, however they are not subject to parliamentary confidence during their term ( although their cabinet may be ) ; the exceptions are South Africa, where the president may be forced to resign by the Parliament 's will, and Kiribati, where the president is popularly elected and a successful parliamentary motion of no confidence automatically triggers a new presidential election. Botswana Marshall Islands Federated States of Micronesia Kiribati Myanmar Nauru San Marino South Africa Suriname Switzerland Directorial systems In the directorial system a council jointly exercises both state functions and governmental powers ( the council is the collective head of state and government ). The council is elected by the parliament, but it is not subject to political confidence during its term which has a fixed duration. Switzerland 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 restrained or held back by constitutional law. Constitutional monarchies with ceremonial monarchs Systems in which a prime minister is the active head of the executive branch of government. In some cases the prime minister is also leader of the legislature, in other cases the executive branch is clearly separated from legislature although the entire cabinet or individual ministers must step down in the case of a vote of no confidence. The head of state is a constitutional monarch who normally only exercises his or her powers with the consent of the government, the people or their representatives. Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Barbados Belgium Belize Cambodia Canada Cook Islands Denmark Grenada Jamaica Japan Lesotho Luxembourg Malaysia Netherlands New Zealand Niue Norway Papua New Guinea Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Solomon Islands Spain Sweden Tuvalu United Kingdom Constitutional monarchies with active monarchs The prime minister is the nation 's active executive, but the monarch still has considerable political powers that can be used at their own discretion. Bahrain Bhutan Jordan Kuwait Liechtenstein Monaco Morocco Tonga Thailand Absolute monarchies Specifically, monarchies in which the monarch 's exercise of power is unconstrained by any substantive constitutional law. Brunei Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Swaziland United Arab Emirates Vatican City Theocracies Main article : Theocracy States based on a state religion where the head of state is selected by some form of religious hierarchy. Andorra Iran Vatican City One - party states States in which political power is by law concentrated within one political party whose operations are largely fused with the government hierarchy ( as opposed to states where the law establishes a multi-party system but this fusion is not achieved anyway through electoral fraud or simple inertia ). However, some do have elected governments. China, People 's Republic of ( Communist Party leads the United Front ) ( list ) Cuba ( Communist Party ) ( list ) Eritrea ( People 's Front for Democracy and Justice ) ( list ) Korea, North ( Workers ' Party leads the Democratic Front ) ( list ) Laos ( People 's Revolutionary Party leads the Front for National Construction ) ( list ) Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( Polisario Front ) ( Politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ) Vietnam ( Communist Party leads the Fatherland Front ) ( 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. Thailand ( constitutional monarchy ) Transitional States which have a system of government which is in transition or turmoil and are classified with the current direction of change. Burkina Faso ( semi-presidential system ) Egypt ( semi-presidential system ) Eritrea ( presidential system ) Libya ( provisional government ) Yemen ( provisional government ) Systems of internal governance Federal Main article : Federal state States in which the federal government shares power with semi-independent regional governments. The central government may or may not be ( in theory ) a creation of the regional governments. Argentina ( 23 provinces and one autonomous city : Buenos Aires ) Australia ( six states and three territories ) Austria ( nine states ) Belgium ( three regions and three linguistic communities ) Bosnia and Herzegovina ( two entities and one district ) Brazil ( 26 states and the Federal District ) Canada ( ten provinces and three territories ) Comoros ( Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mohéli ) Ethiopia ( nine regions and two chartered cities ) Germany ( 16 states ) India ( 29 states and seven union territories ) Iraq ( 18 governorates and one region : Kurdistan ) Malaysia ( 13 states and three federal territories ) Mexico ( 31 states and one federal district : Mexico City ) Federated States of Micronesia ( Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap ) Nepal ( seven provinces ) Nigeria ( 36 states and one federal territory : Federal Capital Territory ) Pakistan ( 4 provinces, 2 autonomous areas and 2 territories ) Russia ( 46 oblasts, 22 republics, nine krais, four autonomous okrugs, three federal cities, one autonomous oblast ) Saint Kitts and Nevis ( Saint Kitts, Nevis ) South Sudan ( ten states ) Sudan ( 17 states ) Switzerland ( 26 cantons ) United Arab Emirates ( seven emirates ) United States ( 50 states, one incorporated territory, and one federal district : District of Columbia ) Venezuela ( 23 states, one capital district and one federal dependency ) Unitary states Main article : Unitary state Regionalised unitary states Main article : Regional state States in which the central government has delegated some of its powers to regional authorities. Bolivia ( 9 regions, of which 9 are autonomous ) China, People 's Republic of ( 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 province - level municipalities, 2 special administrative regions, and 1 claimed province ) China, Republic of ( 2 provinces, 6 special municipalities, 33 claimed provinces, 3 claimed special administrative regions, 2 regions, 12 claimed special municipalities, 14 leagues, and 4 special banners ) France ( 18 regions, of which 6 are autonomous ) Indonesia ( 34 provinces, of which 5 provinces have special status ) Italy ( 20 regions, of which 5 are autonomous ) Kingdom of the Netherlands ( 4 constituent countries ) Philippines ( one autonomous region subdivided into 5 provinces and 113 other provinces and independent cities grouped into 17 other non-autonomous regions ) Portugal ( 2 autonomous regions ) Spain ( 17 autonomous communities, 15 communities of common - regime, 1 community of chartered regime, 3 chartered provinces, 2 autonomous cities ) Tanzania ( 21 mainland regions and Zanzibar ) Ukraine ( 24 oblasts, 2 cities with special status, and Crimea ) United Kingdom ( 4 constituent countries, 3 devolved administrations ) Confederation Main article : Confederation European Union Main article : List of European Union member states by political system The exact political character of the European Union is debated, some arguing that it is sui generis ( unique ), but others arguing that it has features of a federation or a confederation. It has elements of intergovernmentalism, with the European Council acting as its collective `` president '', and also elements of supranationalism, with the European Commission acting as its executive and bureaucracy. But it is not easily placed in any of the above categories. See also List of countries List of countries by date of transition to republican system of government List of current heads of state and government Government Notes Jump up ^ Constitution of Belarus from 1994 ( rev. 2004 ) ^ Jump up to : `` Nazarbaev Signs Kazakh Constitutional Amendments Into Law ''. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017. For more information : please see Abdurasulov, Abdujalil ( 6 March 2017 ). `` Kazakhstan constitution : Will changes bring democracy ? ''. BBC News. Retrieved 7 March 2017. Jump up ^ In Bangladesh, a caretaker government during parliamentary elections. The Caretaker government is headed by a Chief Adviser and a group of neutral, non-partisan advisers chosen from the civil society. During this time, the president has jurisdiction over the defence and foreign affairs ministries. Jump up ^ Collective presidency consisting of three members ; one for each major ethnic group. Jump up ^ Formerly a semi-presidential republic, it is now a parliamentary republic according to David Arter, First Chair of Politics at Aberdeen University, who in his `` Scandinavian Politics Today '' ( Manchester University Press, revised 2008 ISBN 9780719078538 ), he quotes Nousiainen, Jaakko ( June 2001 ). `` From semi-presidentialism to parliamentary government : political and constitutional developments in Finland ''. Scandinavian Political Studies. Wiley. 24 ( 2 ) : 95 -- 109. doi : 10.1111 / 1467 - 9477.00048. as follows : `` There are hardly any grounds for the epithet ' semi-presidential '. '' Arter 's own conclusions are only slightly more nuanced : `` The adoption of a new constitution on 1 March 2000 meant that Finland was no longer a case of semi-presidential government other than in the minimalist sense of a situation where a popularly elected fixed - term president exists alongside a prime minister and cabinet who are responsible to parliament ( Elgie 2004 : 317 ) ''. According to the Finnish Constitution, the President has no possibility to rule the government without the ministerial approval, and substantially has not the power to disband the parliament under its own desire. Finland is actually represented by its Prime Minister, and not by its President, in the Council of the Heads of State and Government of the European Union. The 2012 constitutional amendments reduced the powers of the President even further. Jump up ^ `` Constitution of South Africa ''. Constitute. Retrieved 13 April 2016. ^ Jump up to : Combines aspects of a presidential system with those of a parliamentary system. The president is elected by parliament and holds a parliamentary seat, much like a prime minister, but is immune from a vote of no confidence ( but not their cabinet ), unlike a prime minister. ^ Jump up to : Combines aspects of a presidential system with those of a parliamentary system. The president is elected by parliament but does not hold a parliamentary seat, and is immune from a vote of no confidence ( as well is their cabinet ), unlike a prime minister. Jump up ^ `` Scheda paese Repubblica di San Marino '' ( pdf ) ( in Italian ). Segreteria di Stato Affari esteri. July 2012. p. 5. ^ Jump up to : The President of Switzerland serves in a primus inter pares capacity amongst the Swiss Federal Council, the seven - member executive council which constitutes both the presidency and the government. Jump up ^ Norwegian Parliament web page Jump up ^ CIA factbook on Norway Jump up ^ Bishop of Urgell and President of France serve as ex officio co-princes who are have their interests known through a representative. ^ Jump up to : One of sixteen constitutional monarchies which recognize Elizabeth II as head of state, who presides over an independent government. She is titled separately in each country ( e.g. Queen of Australia ), and notionally appoints a Governor - General to each country other than the United Kingdom to act as her representative. The prime minister is the active head of the executive branch of government and also leader of the legislature. These countries may be known as `` Commonwealth realms ''. ^ Jump up to : The Cook Islands and Niue are under the sovereignty of the Monarch of New Zealand as self - governing states in free association with New Zealand. New Zealand and its associated states, along with Tokelau and the Ross Dependency, comprise the Realm of New Zealand. Jump up ^ The UAE 's constitution establishes the state as a federation of emirates, with the federal president drawn from hereditary emirs, but each emirate in turn functions as an absolute monarchy ^ Jump up to : The Vatican is an elective absolute monarchy and a Roman Catholic theocracy ; its monarch, the Pope, is the head of the global Roman Catholic Church. His power within the Vatican City State is unlimited by any constitution, but all persons resident within the Vatican have consented to obey the Pope, either by virtue of being ordained Catholic clergy or members of the Swiss Guard. Jump up ^ The Bishop of Urgell and the President of France serve as ex officio co-princes who are have their interests known through a representative. Jump up ^ Iran combines the forms of a presidential republic, with a president elected by universal suffrage ; and a theocracy, with a Supreme Leader who is ultimately responsible for state policy, chosen by the elected Assembly of Experts. Candidates for both the Assembly of Experts and the presidency are vetted by the appointed Guardian Council. Jump up ^ For more detailed discussion, see John McCormick, European Union Politics ( Palgrave Macmillan, 2011 ), Chapters 1 and 2. External links Global Scan - Election Tracker Countries categorized by system of government in 20th century at Historical Atlas of 20th Century A Chronology of political history based on Government form Political Chronology Chronological development of political history Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2012 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_countries_by_system_of_government&oldid=807683726 '' Categories : Lists of countries Government - related lists Countries by form of government Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Wikipedia pages with incorrect protection templates Articles needing additional references from July 2007 All articles needing additional references All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from November 2008 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2016 Use dmy dates from September 2010 Articles with images not understandable by color blind users Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Ænglisc Čeština Cymraeg Deutsch ދިވެހިބަސް فارسی Français Íslenska Italiano Қазақша Bahasa Melayu Nederlands Português Română Romani Русский Slovenčina Tagalog தமிழ் ไทย Türkçe Українська اردو 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 29 October 2017, at 14 : 43. 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Question: what is the type of government in america
Answer: Republic