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Government > Government type: Countries Compared

DEFINITION: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
COUNTRY
DESCRIPTION
AfghanistanAfghanistan Islamic republic
AlbaniaAlbania parliamentary democracy
AlgeriaAlgeria republic
American SamoaAmerican Samoa NA
AndorraAndorra 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 Seu d'Urgell, Spain, who are represented in Andorra by the coprinces' representatives
AngolaAngola republic; multiparty presidential regime
AnguillaAnguilla NA
AntarcticaAntarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic region is governed by a system known as the Antarctic Treaty System; the system includes: 1. the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, which establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica, 2. Recommendations and Measures adopted at meetings of Antarctic Treaty countries, 3. The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972), 4. The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980), and 5. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991); the 33rd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay in May 2010; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; by April 2010, there were 48 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 20 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 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 years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it 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, NZ, Norway, and the UK; nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998), China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (196
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; 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 six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a Commonwealth realm
ArgentinaArgentina republic
ArmeniaArmenia republic
ArubaAruba parliamentary democracy
AustraliaAustralia federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
AustriaAustria federal republic
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan republic
BahrainBahrain constitutional monarchy
BangladeshBangladesh parliamentary democracy
BarbadosBarbados parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
BelarusBelarus republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
BelgiumBelgium federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
BelizeBelize parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
BeninBenin republic
BermudaBermuda parliamentary; self-governing territory
BhutanBhutan constitutional monarchy
BoliviaBolivia republic
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina emerging federal democratic republic
BotswanaBotswana parliamentary republic
BrazilBrazil federal republic
British Virgin IslandsBrit. Virgin Isl. NA
BruneiBrunei constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)
BulgariaBulgaria parliamentary democracy
Burkina FasoBurkina Faso parliamentary republic
BurmaBurma parliamentary government took power in March 2011
BurundiBurundi republic
CambodiaCambodia multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
CameroonCameroon republic; multiparty presidential regime
CanadaCanada a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy
Cape VerdeCape Verde republic
Cayman IslandsCayman Islands parliamentary democracy
Central African RepublicCentral Africa republic
ChadChad republic
ChileChile republic
ChinaChina Communist state
Christmas IslandXmas Island NA
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsCocos Islands NA
ColombiaColombia republic; executive branch dominates government structure
ComorosComoros republic
Congo, Republic of theCongo, Republic of the republic
Cook IslandsCook Islands self-governing parliamentary democracy
Costa RicaCosta Rica democratic republic
Cote d'IvoireCote d'Ivoire republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
CroatiaCroatia parliamentary democracy
CubaCuba Communist state
CyprusCyprus republic
Czech RepublicCzech Republic parliamentary democracy
Democratic Republic of the CongoCongo, DR. republic
DenmarkDenmark constitutional monarchy
DjiboutiDjibouti republic
DominicaDominica parliamentary democracy
Dominican RepublicDominican Rep. democratic republic
East TimorEast Timor republic
EcuadorEcuador republic
EgyptEgypt republic
El SalvadorEl Salvador republic
Equatorial GuineaEqu. Guinea republic
EritreaEritrea transitional government
EstoniaEstonia parliamentary republic
EthiopiaEthiopia federal republic
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)Falklands NA
Faroe IslandsFaroe Islands NA
Federated States of MicronesiaMicronesia constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
FijiFiji republic
FinlandFinland republic
FranceFrance republic
French PolynesiaFr. Polynesia parliamentary representative democratic French overseas collectivity
GabonGabon republic; multiparty presidential regime
GeorgiaGeorgia republic
GermanyGermany federal republic
GhanaGhana constitutional democracy
GibraltarGibraltar NA
GreeceGreece parliamentary republic
GreenlandGreenland parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
GrenadaGrenada parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
GuamGuam NA
GuatemalaGuatemala constitutional democratic republic
GuernseyGuernsey parliamentary democracy
GuineaGuinea republic
Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau republic
GuyanaGuyana republic
HaitiHaiti republic
Holy See (Vatican City)Vatican City ecclesiastical
HondurasHonduras democratic constitutional republic
Hong KongHong Kong limited democracy
HungaryHungary parliamentary democracy
IcelandIceland constitutional republic
IndiaIndia federal republic
IndonesiaIndonesia republic
IranIran theocratic republic
IraqIraq parliamentary democracy
IrelandIreland republic, parliamentary democracy
Isle of ManIsle of Man parliamentary democracy
IsraelIsrael parliamentary democracy
ItalyItaly republic
JamaicaJamaica constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
JapanJapan a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
JerseyJersey parliamentary democracy
JordanJordan constitutional monarchy
KazakhstanKazakhstan republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
KenyaKenya republic
KiribatiKiribati republic
KosovoKosovo republic
KuwaitKuwait constitutional emirate
KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan republic
LaosLaos Communist state
LatviaLatvia parliamentary democracy
LebanonLebanon republic
LesothoLesotho parliamentary constitutional monarchy
LiberiaLiberia republic
LibyaLibya operates under a transitional government
LiechtensteinLiechtenstein hereditary constitutional monarchy
LithuaniaLithuania parliamentary democracy
LuxembourgLuxembourg constitutional monarchy
MacauMacau limited democracy
MadagascarMadagascar republic
MalawiMalawi multiparty democracy
MalaysiaMalaysia constitutional monarchy
MaldivesMaldives republic
MaliMali republic
MaltaMalta republic
Marshall IslandsMarshall Isl. constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
MauritaniaMauritania military junta
MauritiusMauritius parliamentary democracy
MayotteMayotte NA
MexicoMexico federal republic
MoldovaMoldova republic
MonacoMonaco constitutional monarchy
MongoliaMongolia parliamentary
MontenegroMontenegro republic
MontserratMontserrat NA
MoroccoMorocco constitutional monarchy
MozambiqueMozambique republic
NamibiaNamibia republic
NauruNauru republic
NepalNepal federal democratic republic
NetherlandsNetherlands constitutional monarchy
Netherlands AntillesN. Antilles parliamentary
New CaledoniaNew Caledonia parliamentary representative democracy
New ZealandNew Zealand parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
NicaraguaNicaragua republic
NigerNiger republic
NigeriaNigeria federal republic
NiueNiue self-governing parliamentary democracy
Norfolk IslandNorfolk Island NA
North KoreaNorth Korea Communist state one-man dictatorship
Northern Mariana IslandsN. Mariana commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
NorwayNorway constitutional monarchy
OmanOman monarchy
PakistanPakistan federal republic
PalauPalau constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 1 October 1994
PanamaPanama constitutional democracy
Papua New GuineaPapua NG constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
ParaguayParaguay constitutional republic
PeruPeru constitutional republic
PhilippinesPhilippines republic
Pitcairn IslandsPitcarn NA
PolandPoland republic
PortugalPortugal republic; parliamentary democracy
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico commonwealth
QatarQatar emirate
Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia Rep. parliamentary democracy
RomaniaRomania republic
RussiaRussia federation
RwandaRwanda republic; presidential, multiparty system
Saint Kitts and NevisSt Kitts+ parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Saint LuciaSaint Lucia parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Saint Pierre and MiquelonSt Pierre+ parliamentary representative democracy
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSt Vincent+ parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
SamoaSamoa parliamentary democracy
San MarinoSan Marino republic
Sao Tome and PrincipeSoa Tome+ republic
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia monarchy
SenegalSenegal republic
SerbiaSerbia republic
Serbia and MontenegroSerbia+ republic
SeychellesSeychelles republic
Sierra LeoneSierra Leone constitutional democracy
SingaporeSingapore parliamentary republic
SlovakiaSlovakia parliamentary democracy
SloveniaSlovenia parliamentary republic
Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
SomaliaSomalia in the process of building a federated parliamentary republic
South AfricaSouth Africa republic
South KoreaSouth Korea republic
South SudanSouth Sudan republic
SpainSpain parliamentary monarchy
Sri LankaSri Lanka republic
SudanSudan Federal republic ruled by the National Congress Party the (NCP), which came to power by military coup in 1989; the CPA-mandated Government of National Unity, which since 2005 provided a percentage of leadership posts to the south Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), was disbanded following the secession of South Sudan.
SurinameSuriname constitutional democracy
SvalbardSvalbard NA
SwazilandSwaziland monarchy
SwedenSweden constitutional monarchy
SwitzerlandSwitzerland formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic
SyriaSyria republic under an authoritarian regime
TaiwanTaiwan multiparty democracy
TajikistanTajikistan republic
TanzaniaTanzania republic
ThailandThailand constitutional monarchy
The BahamasThe Bahamas constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
The GambiaThe Gambia republic
TogoTogo republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
TokelauTokelau NA
TongaTonga constitutional monarchy
Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad+ parliamentary democracy
TunisiaTunisia republic
TurkeyTurkey republican parliamentary democracy
TurkmenistanTurkmenistan defines itself as a secular democracy and a presidential republic; in actuality displays authoritarian presidential rule, with power concentrated within the presidential administration
Turks and Caicos IslandsTurks+ NA
TuvaluTuvalu parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
UgandaUganda republic
UkraineUkraine republic
United Arab EmiratesUAE federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
United KingdomUnited Kingdom constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm
United StatesUnited States Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition
UruguayUruguay constitutional republic
UzbekistanUzbekistan republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
VanuatuVanuatu parliamentary republic
VenezuelaVenezuela federal republic
VietnamVietnam Communist state
Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands NA
Wallis and FutunaWallis+ parliamentary representive democratic French overseas collectivity
Western SaharaWestern 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, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), near Tindouf, Algeria, led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ
YemenYemen republic
ZambiaZambia republic
ZimbabweZimbabwe parliamentary democracy

Citation

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Hello I was hoping to find a site that showed all the types of systems. Including who sets up electoral boundaries ie political or independent body. Voting systems First past post or preferential. Does a independent body overseeing government employees for corruption.

Posted on 15 Feb 2011

Mr Thinker

Mr Thinker

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The U.S. isn't a Democracy or a Republic-- it's ruled by the media.

Posted on 31 Mar 2010

Shaman

Shaman

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This is a good webpage because ot shows all the different government types that every country has.

Posted on 21 Feb 2010

Brother Blood

Brother Blood

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The year is 2010, and the United States of America is headed downhill. Our politicians say it is because the American people have been borrowing too much money to finance a way of life that is unsustainable. Yet the Federal budgets, as well as many State budgets are directly due to the actions of the politicians and not the general public. Even as the general public tightens its belt, the government continues to spend money is an attempt to accumulate more power over the people. A close look at the Federal budget is quite informative. Instead of passing laws that benefit everyone, laws are passed favoring a small number of people. These laws are passed to favor only the few because the concentration of wealth is the main way that Masters keep Slaves under control.
Concentration of wealth is one of the main contributing factors in the fall of Rome, and indeed most of the civilizations of history. Why is this historical fact ignored? Because this development is the turning point for a civilization turned into an empire. Empires do not exist to serve the citizenry. They exist to serve the purposes of the elite who care only for the ruling of others. Remember, at some point wealth reaches a point where no more wealth is needed to secure ones life or lifestyle. Then the acquisition of wealth becomes a way to keep others from having wealth. Why does this occur? Because of the only important conspiracy in the history of mankind! The conspiracy of the haves against the have nots. Look at history carefully. Many of the Mesoamerican civilizations of the past fell apart because the citizenry figured out the haves did not have any power to intercede with the gods. The citizenry left/migrated to a new area. But the greed followed and the same problem occurred all over again.
Further consider the destruction of primitive tribal societies by more powerful societies who exploited these people for their own ends. They did not share the wealth, and indeed many used religion (again) as an excuse for this activity. The end result was the destruction of these primitive societies, the death of most of their citizens, and the loss of any potential good they could have brought to the world. The Indian tribes of North America always said, “Before you act, consider the next seven generations.” If our society had followed such sage advice, would the US of A be falling apart? Maybe not.
Now the entire world faces an extinction point because of the lies our leaders have told us. The American economy resembles one big Ponzi scheme. Borrowing lots of new money to continue satisfying old money’s exorbitant greed is a capitalistic concept. Eventually over half of the GDP will be used just to pay the interest. And why do these financial hardships strike the general public and not the wealthy upper class? Because our politicians are paid larges bribes to do the bidding of the rich. Only the rich and/or corporations have sufficient funds to do the bribing. Remember, no matter that the Supreme Court says, money is like a force multiplier in the military. The rich and or corporations get to use megaphones/rifles to attain what they want, and the general public only has bows and arrows. Who do you think is going to win that contest? We live that same way as those old primitive societies. It does not matter what level of technology we posses over the older societies. The wealthy amongst us still have the biggest force multiplier, and the Supreme Court has just codified their power over the general public.

How will this end? What did I say earlier? With the destruction of our “of, for and by the people” civilization, and the implementation of royalty all over again. And do not think for a second that we will be treated any less cruelly or savagely!

Posted on 10 Feb 2010

Glen Jones

Glen Jones

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1.what is the difference between communism and socialism?

2. what is the difference between invade and authoritative?

Posted on 23 Oct 2009

deborah

deborah

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Invasion of irak is just part of a vast plan for the new world order, where as the centre of power is shifting from governments to big powerful military / energetic / pharmaceutical / food companies.
Their aim is to control every aspect of our lives.

Posted on 04 Sep 2009

Andre

Andre

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