Note: Listed are only monarchs that are presently head of state.
Contents |
African Monarchs
| Country | Monarch | Type |
|---|---|---|
 Lesotho |
King Letsie III | Constitutional |
 Morocco |
King Mohammed VI | Constitutional |
 Swaziland |
King Mswati III | Absolute |
Asian Monarchs
| Country | Monarch | Type |
|---|---|---|
 Bahrain |
King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa | Constitutional |
 Bhutan |
King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck | Absolute |
 Brunei |
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah | Absolute |
 Cambodia |
King Norodom Sihamoni | Constitutional |
 Japan |
Emperor Akihito | Constitutional |
 Jordan |
King Abdullah II | Constitutional |
 Kuwait |
Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | Constitutional |
 Malaysia |
King Mizan Zainal Abidin | Constitutional |
 Nepal |
King Gyanendra | Constitutional |
 Oman |
Sultan Qabus ibn Sa'id | Absolute |
 Qatar |
Emir Sheik Hamad ibn Khalifa al-Thani | Absolute |
 Saudi Arabia |
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud | Absolute |
 Thailand |
King Bhumibol Adulyadej | Constitutional |
 United Arab Emirates |
Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan | Absolute |
European Monarchs
| Country | Monarch | Type |
|---|---|---|
 Andorra |
Co-Princes Nicolas Sarkozy and Joan Enric Vives Sicília |
Constitutional |
 Belgium |
King Albert II | Constitutional |
 Denmark |
Queen Margrethe II | Constitutional |
 Liechtenstein |
Prince Hans Adam II | Constitutional |
 Luxembourg |
Grand Duke Henri | Constitutional |
 Monaco |
Prince Albert II | Constitutional |
 Netherlands |
Queen Beatrix | Constitutional |
 Norway |
King Harald V | Constitutional |
 Spain |
King Juan Carlos I | Constitutional |
 Sweden |
King Carl XVI Gustaf | Constitutional |
 United Kingdom &Commonwealth Realms |
Queen Elizabeth II | Constitutional |
 Vatican City |
Pope Benedict XVI | Absolute |
Oceanian Monarchs
| Country | Monarch | Type |
|---|---|---|
 Tonga |
King George Tupou V | Constitutional |
Other Monarchies
| Country | Monarch | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ashanti | Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Former Zululand | Goodwill Zwelethini kaBhekuzulu | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Māori People | Tuheitia Paki, Maori King | Traditional: real power is with the Government of New Zealand |
| Wallis and Futuna | King of Uvea (none at present) [1], Soane Patita Maituku, king of Tu´a (Alo) and Visesio Moeliku, king of Sigave. | Traditional: real power held by Administrator-Superior Xavier de Furst and the President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione Kanimoa |
| Buganda | Muwenda Mutebi II | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Ankole | Ntare IV | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Busoga | Henry Wako Muloki. | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Bunyoro | Iguru | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Toro | Rukidi IV | Traditional: real power is with the |
| Kano State | Alhaji Ado Bayero | Traditional: real power is with the |
In 1980, Sweden became the first monarchy to declare equal primogeniture or full cognatic primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, whether female or male, ascends to the throne. Six other kingdoms (such as the Netherlands in 1983, Norway in 1990, and Belgium in 1991) have since followed suit. For self-declared monarchs from self-proclaimed states, go to the list of micronations.
