2022: THE LIST OF SOVEREIGN NATIONS WITH MONARCHIES 

Did you know that as of 2022, there are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as head of state—13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, 9 in the Americas, 6 in Oceania, and 3 in Africa?

A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. Monarchies were the most common form of government until the 20th century, by which time republics had replaced many monarchies. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy), to fully autocratic (absolute monarchy), and can expand across the domains of the executive, legislative, and judicial.

Today 43 sovereign nations in the world have a monarch, including 15 Commonwealth realms that share King Charles III as their head of state. Other than that, there is a range of sub-national monarchical entities. Most of the modern monarchies tend to be constitutional monarchies, retaining under a constitution unique legal and ceremonial roles for the monarch, exercising limited or no political power, similar to heads of state in a parliamentary republic.

The countries with monarchies are: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, Eswatini, Grenada, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.

The succession of monarchs in many cases has been hereditical, often building dynastic periods. However, elective and self-proclaimed monarchies have also happened. Aristocrats, though not inherent to monarchies, often serve as the pool of persons to draw the monarch from and fill the constituting institutions (e.g. diet and court), giving many monarchies oligarchic elements. Monarchs can carry various titles such as emperor, empress, king, and queen. Monarchies can form federations, personal unions and realms with vassals through personal association with the monarch, which is a common reason for monarchs carrying several titles.

Absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constitution may exist in some countries. These are often hereditary monarchies.

A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies range from countries such as Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign; to countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Japan, where the monarch retains significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority

A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations whose monarch and head of state is shared among the other realms. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonwealth. King Charles III succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as monarch of each Commonwealth realm following her death on 8 September 2022. He simultaneously became Head of the Commonwealth.

On the other hand, a subnational monarchy is a territory governed by a hereditary leader, but which is subordinate to a higher national government, either monarchical or republican in form.

Among the list of the most benevolent monarchs in history include: John III of Poland (Lithuania), Meiji of Japan, Gustav II Adolf of Sweden, Augustus of Rome, Cyrus II of Persia, Frederick II of Prussia, Victoria of the United Kingdom, and Louis XIV of France.

Source:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy

https://listverse.com/2010/08/11/top-10-greatest-monarchs/