Asia has more monarchs than any other continent.
Contents
National monarchies
State | Type | Succession | Incumbent | Born | Age | Reigns since | Designated heir |
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kingdom | agnatic primogeniture | Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | 28 Jan 1950 | 66 y. | 6 Mar 1999 (as emir) 14 Feb 2002 (as king) |
heir apparent: Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain (eldest son) |
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kingdom | male primogeniture | Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | 21 Feb 1980 | 35 y. | 14 Dec 2006 | heir presumptive: Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck (younger brother) |
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sultanate | agnatic primogeniture | Hassanal Bolkiah | 15 Jul 1946 | 69 y. | 4 Oct 1967 | heir apparent: Al-Muhtadee Billah, Crown Prince of Brunei (eldest son) |
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kingdom | elective monarchy with hereditary agnatic primogeniture | Norodom Sihamoni | 14 May 1953 | 62 y. | 14 Oct 2004 | None; appointed by the Royal Council of the Throne within the Royal Family members |
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empire | agnatic primogeniture | Akihito | 23 Dec 1933 | 82 y. | 7 Jan 1989 | heir apparent: Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan (eldest son) |
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kingdom | agnatic primogeniture | Abdullah II bin Al Hussein | 30 Jan 1962 | 54 y. | 7 Feb 1999 | heir apparent: Hussein bin Al Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan (eldest son) |
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emirate | elective monarchy with hereditary agnatic primogeniture | Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | 16 Jun 1929 | 86 y. | 29 Jan 2006 | heir presumptive: Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait (younger half-brother; appointed by the reigning emir within the Royal Family members) |
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kingdom | elective monarchy | Abdul Halim, Sultan of Kedah | 28 November 1927 | 88 y. | 13 December 2011 | None; appointed by the Conference of Rulers every five years or after the king's death |
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sultanate | agnatic primogeniture | Qaboos bin Said al Said | 18 Nov 1940 | 75 y. | 23 Jul 1970 | None; the king has no children so the heir will be appointed by the Royal Family members after the king's death, if there is no consensus the king's preference (expressed in an official sealed letter) will prevail |
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emirate | agnatic primogeniture | Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani | 3 June 1980 | 35 y. | 25 June 2013 | None; will be appointed by the reigning emir within the Royal Family members |
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kingdom | agnatic seniority | Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud | 31 Dec 1935 | 80 y. | 23 Jan 2015 | Heir apparent: Muhammad bin Nayef, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia |
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kingdom | male primogeniture | Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX | 5 Dec 1927 | 88 y. | 9 Jun 1946 | Heir apparent: Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand (only son) |
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federal emirate | agnatic primogeniture | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi | 25 Jan 1948 | 68 y. | 3 Nov 2004 | None; appointed by the seven emirs of UAE (normally the Emir of Abu Dhabi is always appointed as President, while the Emir of Dubai is always appointed as Prime Minister |
Gallery
- Asia's monarchs
Constituent monarchies
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates consists of seven emirates that are all ruled by absolute monarchs. The President of the United Arab Emirates is an office held by the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the office of Prime Minister is held by the ruler of Dubai. The seven Emirates of the UAE are the;
Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Emirate of Ajman
Emirate of Sharjah
Emirate of Dubai
Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah
Emirate of Umm al-Quwain
Emirate of Fujairah
Gallery
- Princes of the United Arab Emirates
Note: Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman, Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla of Umm al-Quwain, Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qassimi of Ras al-Khaimah, and Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi of Fujairah are not pictured.
Malaysia
Malaysia, where the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme Head of State) is elected to a five-year term. Nine hereditary rulers from the Malay States form a Council of Rulers who will determine the next Agong via a secret ballot. The position has to date, been de facto rotated through the State rulers, originally based on seniority. The nine Malay States are the;
Negeri Sembilan
Kingdom of Perlis
Sultanate of Selangor
Sultanate of Terengganu
Sultanate of Kedah
Sultanate of Kelantan
Sultanate of Pahang
Sultanate of Johor
Sultanate of Perak
The monarchy of Negeri Sembilan is itself elective.
Other subnational
Indonesia is a republic, however several provinces or regencies preserves their own monarchy, although only Special Region of Yogyakarta that retain actual administrative authority, the rest only holds cultural significance.
- Sultanate of Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia
- Duchy of Paku Alaman, Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia
- Surakarta Sunanate, Surakarta, Central Java
- Duchy of Mangkunegaran, Surakarta, Central Java
- Keraton Kasepuhan, Cirebon, West Java
- Keraton Kanoman, Cirebon, West Java
- Keraton Keprabonan, Cirebon, West Java
- Keraton Kacirebonan, Cirebon, West Java
- Sultanate of Riau-Lingga, Riau Islands
- Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura, Riau
- Sultanate of Deli, Medan, North Sumatra
- Pontianak Sultanate, Pontianak, West Kalimantan
- Sultanate of Banjar, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan
- Kutai Sultanate, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan
- Bima Sultanate, Bima, Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara
- Ternate Sultanate, North Maluku
See also
- List of current monarchs
- Monarchies in Europe
- Monarchies in Africa
- Monarchies in the Americas
- Monarchies in Oceania