Government
Form of state
- Republic169The head of state is chosen, directly or indirectly, by the citizens or their elected representatives, and serves a limited term. For a territory, the form shown is that of the state whose head of state it shares.
- Constitutional monarchy61A monarch is head of state, with powers set and limited by a constitution. In Commonwealth realms the monarch is represented by a Governor-General. Includes elective monarchies such as Malaysia's. For a territory, the form shown is that of the state whose head of state it shares.
- Absolute monarchy4A monarch is head of state and holds authority not limited by a constitution or an elected legislature. Usually hereditary.
- Islamic Republic3A republic whose own constitution uses the name "Islamic Republic" and makes Islam or Islamic law part of the foundation of the state.
- Islamic Emirate1A state whose official name is Islamic Emirate. The head of state is an emir, styled Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin).
System of government
- Parliamentary92A government, usually led by a prime minister, that stays in office only while it has the legislature's confidence. The country is headed by a president chosen by the legislature (or an assembly formed from it) or by a monarch; a territory shares its parent state's.
- Presidential56The head of the executive (a president, or an elected governor in some territories) is elected by the citizens for a fixed term and heads the government, which does not depend on the legislature's confidence.
- Semi-presidential52The president is elected by the citizens for a fixed term, and there is also a government, usually led by a prime minister, that needs the legislature's confidence.
- Unified authority9Legislative and executive power are held by the same office or body, with no separately chosen legislature that makes the laws.
- Monarch-led executive6The monarch appoints and dismisses the government, which answers chiefly to the monarch; a separate legislature makes the laws.
- Parent state's system applies6The territory is an integral part of another state and has local councils, not a government of its own; the parent state's system applies.
- Executive appointed by the parent state5The territory has its own government, but its head is appointed by the state it belongs to and does not depend on a local legislature's confidence.
- Military rule5Executive authority is held by a military body or military command.
- Not stated5No constitutional text defining the system of government is in force or published, or the arrangements in force fit none of the other system labels used in this dataset.
- One-party5The constitution or practice makes a single party the vehicle of government.
- Assembly-independent4The legislature elects the executive for a fixed term but cannot remove it during that term, except by impeachment for misconduct.
- Clerical supervision1Separate legislative, executive and judicial branches exist, and operate under the supervision of a religious authority set up by the constitution.
Territorial organisation
- Unitary173The constitution designates the state unitary or as one state, or, where it does not say, the central government can change the regions' powers without their consent.
- Federal24The constitution establishes the state as a federation of states or provinces with their own legislatures, or, where it does not say, divides power so that the units' powers cannot be changed without their consent.
- Control contested14Part of the state's internationally recognised territory is governed by another state or by a rival authority with its own institutions, and that part is not shown as a separate entity on this site.
- Transitional arrangement14The state is governed under a transitional instrument, or with its constitution or legislature suspended.