|
Country
|
Government type
|
|
Afghanistan
|
transitional
|
|
Albania
|
emerging democracy
|
|
Algeria
|
republic
|
|
American Samoa
|
NA
|
|
Andorra
|
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its chiefs 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
|
republic, 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; the 26th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Madrid, Spain in June 2003; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative member, 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; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), 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, 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 and reserves high seas rights; 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 expeditions 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 Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; 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 remains unratified; 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: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research
|
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
constitutional monarchy with UK-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
|
constitutional hereditary monarchy
|
|
Bangladesh
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
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 federal democratic republic
|
|
Botswana
|
parliamentary republic
|
|
Brazil
|
federative republic
|
|
British Virgin Islands
|
NA
|
|
Brunei
|
constitutional sultanate
|
|
Bulgaria
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
parliamentary republic
|
|
Burma
|
military regime
|
|
Burundi
|
republic
|
|
Cambodia
|
multiparty 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 following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt 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), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation (Turkish Cypriot position)
|
|
Czech Republic
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
Denmark
|
constitutional monarchy
|
|
Djibouti
|
republic
|
|
Dominica
|
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
representative democracy
|
|
East Timor
|
republic
|
|
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 May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)
|
|
Estonia
|
parliamentary republic
|
|
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)
|
ecclesiastical
|
|
Honduras
|
democratic constitutional republic
|
|
Hong Kong
|
limited democracy
|
|
Hungary
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
Iceland
|
constitutional republic
|
|
India
|
federal republic
|
|
Indonesia
|
republic
|
|
Iran
|
theocratic republic
|
|
Iraq
|
in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
|
|
Ireland
|
republic
|
|
Israel
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
Italy
|
republic
|
|
Jamaica
|
constitutional parliamentary democracy
|
|
Japan
|
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
|
|
Jersey
|
NA
|
|
Jordan
|
constitutional monarchy
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
republic
|
|
Kenya
|
republic
|
|
Kiribati
|
republic
|
|
Korea, North
|
Communist state 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 on a democratic and parliamentary basis
|
|
Lithuania
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
Luxembourg
|
constitutional monarchy
|
|
Macau
|
limited democracy
|
|
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
|
parliamentary 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; all of the Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka and Penang; Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under the terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - currently holds 20 seats in House of Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election; Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives
|
|
Maldives
|
republic
|
|
Mali
|
republic
|
|
Malta
|
republic
|
|
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; economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated
|
|
Moldova
|
republic
|
|
Monaco
|
constitutional monarchy
|
|
Mongolia
|
parliamentary
|
|
Montserrat
|
NA
|
|
Morocco
|
constitutional monarchy
|
|
Mozambique
|
republic
|
|
Namibia
|
republic
|
|
Nauru
|
republic
|
|
Nepal
|
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
|
|
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
|
constitutional monarchy with 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
|
independent 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 tending toward anarchy
|
|
Somalia
|
no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary national government
|
|
South Africa
|
republic
|
|
Spain
|
parliamentary monarchy
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
republic
|
|
Sudan
|
authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform
|
|
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
|
|
Taiwan
|
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president and unicameral legislature
|
|
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
|
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition
|
|
Uruguay
|
constitutional republic
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
|
|
Vanuatu
|
parliamentary republic
|
|
Venezuela
|
federal republic
|
|
Vietnam
|
Communist state
|
|
Virgin Islands
|
NA
|
|
Wallis and Futuna
|
NA
|
|
Western Sahara
|
legal status of territory and issue 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),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; 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
|
