Monarchies of the World: Every Country Still Ruled by a King or Queen

Quick answer

43 sovereign countries currently have a monarch as head of state — a king, queen, sultan, emir, emperor, grand duke, prince, or, in one case, a pope. They break down as 13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, 9 in the Americas, 6 in Oceania, and 3 in Africa.

Most are constitutional monarchies, where the monarch reigns but doesn't govern — elected parliaments hold real power. A smaller group are mixed monarchies, where the ruler keeps meaningful powers alongside some form of elected or appointed body. Only five are absolute monarchies, where the monarch still holds direct, largely unchecked control: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Brunei, Eswatini, and Vatican City.

Counts and classifications below follow the standard reference used by Wikipedia, the World Population Review, and Statista (see Sources at the end) — the same methodology most geography and political-science references use.

The full list, by region

Europe — 12 monarchies

| Country | Title / structure | Type |

|---|---|---|

| United Kingdom | King | Constitutional |

| Spain | King | Constitutional |

| Sweden | King | Constitutional |

| Norway | King | Constitutional |

| Denmark | King | Constitutional |

| Netherlands | King | Constitutional |

| Belgium | King | Constitutional |

| Luxembourg | Grand Duke | Constitutional |

| Liechtenstein | Prince | Mixed — the prince keeps veto and dismissal powers most European monarchs lost |

| Monaco | Prince | Mixed — similar retained powers to Liechtenstein |

| Andorra | Two co-princes | Constitutional — uniquely, the co-princes are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell in Spain, a 1278 treaty arrangement |

| Vatican City | Pope | Absolute — an elective monarchy; cardinals elect the Pope, who then rules for life |

Asia — 13 monarchies

| Country | Title / structure | Type |

|---|---|---|

| Japan | Emperor | Constitutional |

| Thailand | King | Constitutional |

| Cambodia | King | Constitutional |

| Bhutan | King (Druk Gyalpo) | Constitutional |

| Malaysia | King (elected every 5 years from among 9 state rulers) | Mixed |

| Jordan | King | Mixed — retains real executive power, including the ability to dissolve parliament |

| Bahrain | King | Mixed |

| Kuwait | Emir | Mixed |

| Qatar | Emir | Mixed |

| United Arab Emirates | President, drawn from the ruling emirs of 7 constituent emirates | Mixed — a federal, semi-elective monarchy |

| Saudi Arabia | King | Absolute |

| Oman | Sultan | Absolute |

| Brunei | Sultan | Absolute |

Africa — 3 monarchies

| Country | Title | Type |

|---|---|---|

| Morocco | King | Mixed — the king chairs the Council of Ministers and retains significant authority |

| Lesotho | King | Constitutional |

| Eswatini | King | Absolute — one of the world's last true absolute monarchies |

Americas — 9 monarchies

All nine are Commonwealth realms: fully independent countries that share King Charles III as ceremonial head of state, represented locally by a Governor-General.

Canada, The Bahamas, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Oceania — 6 monarchies

| Country | Title | Type |

|---|---|---|

| Australia | King Charles III (Commonwealth realm) | Constitutional |

| New Zealand | King Charles III (Commonwealth realm) | Constitutional |

| Papua New Guinea | King Charles III (Commonwealth realm) | Constitutional |

| Solomon Islands | King Charles III (Commonwealth realm) | Constitutional |

| Tuvalu | King Charles III (Commonwealth realm) | Constitutional |

| Tonga | King (its own royal line, not a Commonwealth realm) | Constitutional |

For how these regional counts compare to total country counts, see how many countries are in Asia and countries by continent: the complete list.

The Commonwealth realm quirk, explained fully

This is the detail most "monarchy" articles get wrong by leaving countries out. King Charles III is head of state for 15 countries, not just the UK: the United Kingdom itself, plus Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

These 14 non-UK realms are not part of the United Kingdom and make their own laws entirely — they simply retain the British monarch as a ceremonial figurehead, represented locally by a Governor-General, as a holdover from their colonial history. It's a personal union, not a political one. A few former realms have already dropped this arrangement: Barbados removed the monarchy in 2021, becoming a republic, and Jamaica has discussed doing the same.

For more on how a country's formal structure can differ from what most people assume, see official country names vs common names.

Absolute, mixed, or constitutional: how to tell the difference

| Type | What it means | Countries |

|---|---|---|

| Absolute | The monarch holds direct governing power with no elected body able to override them | Saudi Arabia, Oman, Brunei, Eswatini, Vatican City (5 total) |

| Mixed / semi-constitutional | The monarch keeps real executive powers, but shares governing authority with an elected or appointed body | Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Morocco, Malaysia, Liechtenstein, Monaco (9 total) |

| Constitutional | The monarch reigns but doesn't rule — day-to-day governing is handled by an elected prime minister and parliament | The remaining 29, including the UK, Japan, Spain, and all 14 non-UK Commonwealth realms |

Quick facts worth remembering

• Only elective absolute monarchy: Vatican City — cardinals elect the Pope, who then governs for life.
• Only diarchy (two monarchs at once): Andorra, co-ruled by the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France.
• One monarch, most countries: King Charles III, head of state for 15 nations across four continents.
• Newest constitutional monarchy: Bhutan, which transitioned from absolute to constitutional rule in 2008.
• Longest continuous monarchy: Japan's imperial line, traditionally traced back over 1,000 years, though the historical record before around the 6th century is disputed.

How we verified this list

This list follows the classification and country count used by Wikipedia's List of Current Monarchies, cross-checked against the World Population Review and Statista. Because royal succession and constitutional status can change, treat the "current monarch" details above as a snapshot and check the linked sources for the latest updates before citing a specific date or name.

FAQs

How many countries are monarchies today?

43 sovereign countries currently have a reigning monarch as head of state: 13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, 9 in the Americas, 6 in Oceania, and 3 in Africa.

What's the difference between an absolute, mixed, and constitutional monarchy?

In an absolute monarchy, the ruler holds direct political power. In a constitutional monarchy, the role is largely ceremonial and elected officials govern. Mixed (or semi-constitutional) monarchies fall in between — the monarch retains real authority but shares it with an elected or appointed body.

Is Canada still ruled by the British monarch?

No. Canada is a fully independent country that retains King Charles III as a ceremonial head of state, represented locally by a Governor-General — one of 14 non-UK Commonwealth realms with the same arrangement.

Which country has the last true absolute monarchy in Africa?

Eswatini, ruled directly by its king with no elected legislature holding real power.

Is Vatican City a monarchy?

Yes — an unusual one. It's an elective absolute monarchy: cardinals elect the Pope, who then serves as head of state for life.

Is the Pope really a monarch?

By political-science classification, yes. Vatican City has no elected legislature or constitution limiting the Pope's authority, which is why it's grouped with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Brunei, and Eswatini as one of the world's five absolute monarchies.

Test yourself

Once the list feels familiar, try naming each country's monarchy type — absolute, mixed, or constitutional — before checking the tables above. Most people get the UK and Saudi Arabia instantly but blank on Liechtenstein, Tonga, or Andorra. Our monarchy country quiz turns this into a quick, interactive drill if you'd rather test it that way.