A characteristic feature of modern human society is the political structure of states, which reflects their history and traditions, goals and objectives for the future, as well as the present. To understand this, let's start compiling tables of the political system of the countries of the world. The review will cover the states that currently exist on all continents.
The state system of the countries of the world. Table
Let's start our review with countries that have preserved the monarchy. The table below clearly shows that in Europe there is only one such state - the Vatican. It is the smallest in the world (officially recognized) and is an auxiliary sovereign territory of the Holy See.
| Typology of countries by state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Absolute monarchies | Asia | Brunei Darussalam, State of Qatar, State of Kuwait, UnitedUnited Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | King, Emir, Sultan, President |
| Europe | Vatican City State | The Pope |
Absolute monarchy
In the modern world, it is considered an outdated form of government of countries. In such states, the head is the monarch, whose power is virtually unlimited. Today it finds a place only in the countries of the Arab-Muslim world. But even here there are exceptions.
For example, the United Arab Emirates is a federation of several small Islamic states, and the head of the federation (president) of the UAE is chosen by their emirs (rulers to whom power is inherited).
In Europe, only the Vatican belongs to this category. Other parts of the world have long abandoned absolute monarchy.
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Arab Republics | Africa | Egypt, Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized) | President |
| Asia | Syria |
Arab Republics
Reflect the ethnic composition of states, commitment to Arab culture and traditions.
Government institutions in them sometimes operate in accordance with the requirements of the Shariah. They represent an optionArab-Islamic democracy.
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Islamic republics | Asia | Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan | President, Ayatollah |
| Africa | Mauritania | President |
Islamic republics
The state religion here is Islam. The entire state structure is subject to Sharia law. However, each country has its own peculiarities. For example, Iran manages to have two leaders at the same time: spiritual (ayatollah) and political (president).
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Constitutional monarchies | Europe | Andorra, Belgium, UK, Denmark, Spain, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands (Holland), Norway, Sweden | Prime Minister. Formally and by tradition - prince, king (queen), grand duke |
| America | Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Commonwe alth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Saint Lucia. | Prime Minister (formally the Queen of England) | |
| Oceania | Tuvalu, Commonwe alth of Australia, Solomon Islands, | ||
| Oceania | Samoa | O le Ao O le Salo | |
| Oceania | Tonga | Prime Minister. Formally andby tradition - the king | |
| Asia | Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bhutan, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Kingdom of Cambodia, Malaysia, Kingdom of Thailand, Japan | ||
| Africa | Lesotho, Morocco, Swaziland |
Constitutional Monarchy
This state system exists in the countries of the world on almost all continents, but it is most loved in Europe. The monarchies there realized the inevitability of social progress (somewhere after the bloody revolutions, and somewhere else on someone else's example). The real power in such states belongs to the parliament and the prime minister, who is the head of the country (de facto). However, not everywhere the role of the monarch is reduced to formalities. The King of Malaysia has full power. It is not hereditary there, but elected, although it is for life.
A special form of "constitutional monarchy" adopted in the former British colonies. For the sake of tradition, the monarch of Great Britain is the head of these territories. But this is only formal. For example, Canada or Australia in their decisions do not listen to the opinion of London for a long time. In most of these states, in fact, it is more correct to consider a parliamentary republic as a political system.
We did not single out dualistic and parliamentary monarchies as a separate category. All of these are forms of constitutional. In the first case, the monarch is clearly prescribed the powers in which he is fully competent. In the second case, the monarch is elected, after which he actually becomes president for life.
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Parliamentary republics | Europe | Austria, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Federal Republic of Germany, Lithuania, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Kosovo (partially recognized), Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Finland, Croatia, Slovakia, Montenegro, M alta, Czech Republic, Estonia | Prime Minister, Chancellor (partly President) |
| Africa | Algeria, Cape Verde, Libya, Mauritius, Ethiopia | ||
| Asia |
Armenia, People's Republic of Bangladesh, State of Israel, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, State of Palestine (partially recognized), Singapore |
||
| Oceania | Vanuatu, Nauru, Fiji | ||
| America | Trinidad and Tobago |
Parliamentary republics
Here, the main role in governing the country is given to the Parliament. He gives full power to the head of government. The president of a parliamentary republic, as a rule, is very limited in his powers and must coordinate his every decision with the parliament. Of course, everything is determined by a specific constitution. However, in parliamentary countries, the prime minister is always more famous than the president, while abroad the prime minister is sometimes mistaken for the president.
It is worth saying that this form of government today is closest toideals of democracy and limits individual power. However, this often prevents quick decisions and laws. The parliamentary republic is the most common form of government in Europe.
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Presidential republics | Asia | Abkhazia (partially recognized), Azad Kashmir (partially recognized), Azerbaijan, East Timor, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Yemen, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, Northern Cyprus (partially recognized), Republic of China Taiwan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Laos, Maldives, Union of Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Philippines, South Ossetia (partially recognized) | President |
| Africa | Botswana, Angola, Benin, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Burundi, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Kenya, Comoros, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Senegal, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Tunisia, Togo, Uganda, CAR, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, South Africa, Eritrea, South Sudan | ||
| America | Argentina, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Haiti, Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Commonwe alth of Dominica, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Peru, United StatesAmerica, Suriname, Uruguay, Chile, Ecuador | ||
| Europe | Belarus, Donetsk People's Republic (unrecognized), Lugansk People's Republic, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Transnistria (unrecognized), Russian Federation, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, France | ||
| Oceania | Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau |
Presidential Republic
This is a very common form of government. Here, all power belongs to the popularly elected president. The head of the country can quickly make decisions and take the necessary actions.
In a presidential republic, both democracy and a totalitarian regime can flourish. This is especially evident in the countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, where a military coup without a change of regime is a common thing.
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Socialist republics | Asia | Vietnam, China, DPRK (North Korea), Sri Lanka | President, Chairman |
| America | Cuba |
Socialist republics
The goal is to build a system of social justice with a focus on the ideas of Marxism-Leninism. The first such country on planet Earth was the Soviet Union. With the collapse of the USSR, other countries also disappeared from the socialist camp, directing their development along other paths.
Types of republics
Speaking of republics, we note that this type of government is very diverse. Quite a few countries call their republic mixed, presidential-parliamentary, and also federal (where there are separate federations within the state, as in Russia) or unitary. Let us repeat once again that in all republics there is a constitution. In form it may be a democratic republic, but in fact it is almost a monarchy.
Another table of political systems of the countries of the world is presented below.
| Typology of state system | Part of the world | Countries | Head of State |
| Federations | Europe | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Swiss Confederation | Members of the Presidium, Federal Chancellor |
Federations
These are countries with complex history and interethnic relations. For example, Bosnia is led by as many as four heads (one from each ethnic group of the country). They form the ruling presidium, and if the votes on some state issue are divided in it, then the UN special representative can vote.
Conclusion
Summing up the topic of the state system and the structure of the countries of the world, it should be said that modern states gravitate towards democratic institutions of power. But even two hundred years ago, this form of government was not accepted by everyone. Then the "trend" was a constitutional monarchy, but the development of society does not stand still. Even the traditionally closed Islamic world has cracked in this sense.
