There are several monarchies in Asia, while some states function as absolute monarchies where the king has complete authority over the state, others are constitutional monarchies where a monarch exercises authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making.[1]
| State | Type | Succession | Dynasty | Title | Monarch | Reigning since | First in line | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Bahrain | Mixed | Hereditary | Khalifa | King | Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | 6 Mar 1999 (as emir) 14 Feb 2002 (as king) | Heir apparent: Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain (eldest son) | |||
| Kingdom of Bhutan | Constitutional | Hereditary | Wangchuck | King | data-sort-type="Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" | Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | 9 Dec 2006 | Heir apparent: Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Crown Prince of Bhutan (eldest son) | ||
| Brunei Darussalam | Absolute | Hereditary | Bolkiah | Sultan | data-sort-type="Hassanal Bolkiah" | Hassanal Bolkiah | 4 Oct 1967 | Heir apparent: Al-Muhtadee Billah, Crown Prince of Brunei (eldest son) | ||
| Kingdom of Cambodia | Constitutional | Hereditary and elective | Norodom | King | data-sort-type="Norodom Sihamoni" | Norodom Sihamoni | 14 Oct 2004 | None; appointed by the Royal Council of the Throne within the royal family members | ||
| Japan | Constitutional | Hereditary | Yamato | Emperor | data-sort-type="Naruhito" | Naruhito | 1 May 2019 | heir apparent: Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan (younger brother) | ||
| Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | Constitutional | Hereditary and elective | Hashemite | King | data-sort-type="Abdullah II bin Al Hussein" | Abdullah II bin Al Hussein | 7 Feb 1999 | Heir apparent: Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan (eldest son) | ||
| State of Kuwait | Hereditary and elective | Sabah | Emir | data-sort-type="Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah" | Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | 16 Dec 2023 | Heir presumptive: To be appointed (appointed by the reigning emir within the royal family members) | |||
| Malaysia | Constitutional | Elected | Temenggong | Yang Di-Pertuan Agong | data-sort-type="Ibrahim Ismail" | Ibrahim Ismail | 31 January 2024 | None; appointed by the Conference of Rulers every five years or after the king's death | ||
| Sultanate of Oman | Absolute | Hereditary | Sultan | data-sort-type="Haitham bin Tariq" | Haitham bin Tariq | 11 Jan 2020 | Heir apparent: Theyazin bin Haitham, Crown Prince of Oman (eldest son) | |||
| State of Qatar | Mixed | Hereditary | Al Thani | Emir | data-sort-type="Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani" | Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani | 25 June 2013 | None; will be appointed by the reigning emir within the royal family members | ||
| Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | Absolute | Hereditary and elective | Saud | King | data-sort-type="Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud" | Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud | 23 Jan 2015 | Heir apparent: Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia (eldest son) | ||
| Kingdom of Thailand | Constitutional | Hereditary | Chakri | King | data-sort-type="Vajiralongkorn" | Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) | 13 Oct 2016 | Heir presumptive: Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (only legitimate son) | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Mixed | Hereditary and elective | Al Nahyan | Emir | data-sort-type="Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan" | Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan | 14 May 2022 | 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 | ||
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:
Note: Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman, Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla of Umm al-Quwain, Saud bin Saqr Al-Qasimi of Ras al-Khaimah, and Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi of Fujairah are not pictured.
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;
The monarchy of Negeri Sembilan is itself elective.
See also: Princely states. The British ruled Indian Empire became independent from British rule in 1947 and became the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan and in 1950 India became the Republic of India, in 1956 Pakistan became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and in 1971 the province of East Pakistan separated from Pakistan to become Bangladesh. Princely states were only in the present-day countries of India and Pakistan, and not Bangladesh. The princely states who were vassal states of the British, had a certain degree of power and autonomy during the British Raj. The princely states had integrated into the newly independent India and Pakistan between 1947 and 1975 (the majority of states ascended into India or Pakistan in 1948) and the former monarchs of the princely states who joined before 1971 in India and before 1972 in Pakistan became titular rulers that received a privy purse and initially retained their statuses, privileges, and autonomy. During this time, the former princely states in India were merged into unions, each of which was headed by a former ruling prince with the title of Rajpramukh (ruling chief), equivalent to a state governor.[2]
In 1956, the position of Rajpramukh was abolished and the federations dissolved, the former principalities becoming part of Indian states. The states which acceded to Pakistan retained their status until the promulgation of a new constitution in 1956, when most became part of the province of West Pakistan; a few of the former states retained their autonomy until 1969 when they were fully integrated into Pakistan. The Indian Government formally derecognised the princely families in 1971, followed by the Pakistani Government in 1972, in which their titles, autonomy, and privy purses were take away. Presently the rulers of the former princely states are pretenders who carry out ceremonial roles.
| Name | Capital | Salute type | Existed | Location/ Successor state | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajaygarh (Ajaigarh) | 11-gun salute state | 1765–1949 | India | ||
| Ak(k)alkot | non-salute state | 1708–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1757–1950 | India | |||
| (Ali)Rajpur | 11-gun salute state | 1437–1948 | India | ||
| 15-gun salute state | 1296–1949 | India | |||
| Darband/ Summer capital: Shergarh | non-salute state | 18th century–1969 | Pakistan | ||
| non-salute state | 1619–1943 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1178–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1874–1948 | India | |||
| Aundh (District - Satara) | non-salute state | 1699–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| non-salute state | c.1643–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.1500–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1802–1955 | Pakistan | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1758–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1710–1867 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1545–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1665–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1781–1948 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | 1527–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1733–1947 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1784–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1549–1950 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1524–1948 | India | |||
| Baroda | 21-gun salute state | 1721–1949 | India | ||
| Barwani (Sidhanagar c.1640) | 11-gun salute state | 836–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1412–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1753–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1324–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1874–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 18th century–1948 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 18th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.1750–1950 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1812–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | late 18th century–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 17th century–1947 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1723–1948 | India | |||
| 19-gun salute state | 1707–1949 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1697–1948 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1765–1950 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1465–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1342–1949 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1730–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | c.1690–1801 | India | |||
| Chamba | 11-gun salute state | c.550–1948 | India | ||
| Changbhakar (Chang Bhakar) | non-salute state | c.1790–1948 | India | ||
| 11-gun salute state | 1765–1950 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1812–1948 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1785–1950 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1743–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1750–1948 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1560–1969 | Pakistan | |||
| non-salute state | 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| 13-gun salute state | 1586–1949 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1147–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1061–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 11th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1498–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | c.1550–1849 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | 1626–1950 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | 1728–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1815–1948 | India | |||
| Dhar (Dharanagar 1732 -...., Multhan 1728–1732) | 15-gun salute state | 1730–1947 | India | ||
| Dharampur, formerly Mandvegan | 9-gun salute state | 1262–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1529–1948 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | c.700–1949 | India | |||
| Dhrangadhra State (Kuwa, Halwad(-Dhrangadhra)) | 13-gun salute state | 1742–1948 | India | ||
| 9-gun salute state | 1595–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1690–1950 | India | |||
| Dir (or Dhir) | non-salute state | 19th century–1969 | Pakistan | ||
| 15-gun salute state | 1197–1947 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1803–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1821–1948 | India | |||
| Various | 11-gun salute state | 888–1949 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1807–1950 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1634–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1415–1813 | India | |||
| Gwalior/Laskar | 21-gun salute state | 1761–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1690–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1554–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 15th century–1974 | Pakistan | |||
| 21-gun salute state | 1803–1948 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | c.1257–1948 | India | |||
| 19-gun salute state | 1818–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.1650–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1128–1949 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | 1156–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1731–1840 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1806–1840 | India | |||
| non-salute state | late 14th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1811–1948 | India | |||
| 21-gun salute state | 1846–1952 | India | |||
| Barwa | non-salute state | c. 1830–1948 | Pakistan | ||
| 11-gun salute state | 1489–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by Maratha Empire | 17th century | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1808–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 18th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1732–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1170–1849 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1686–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1343–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| 11-gun salute state | 1584–1948 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1838–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1804–1858 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1730–1950 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1763–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 15th century–1948 | India | |||
| Jodhpur State (Marwar) | 17-gun salute state | 1250–1949 | India | ||
| Junagadh | 13-gun salute state | 1730–1948 | India | ||
| 11-gun salute state | 697–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1760–1947 | India | |||
| Kalat | 19-gun salute state | 1666–1955 | Pakistan | ||
| non-salute state | 1006–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1812–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 11th century–1846 | India | |||
| Kanker | non-salute state | up to 1947 | India | ||
| non-salute state | mid 17th century–1956 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1772–1947 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1348–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1751–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | late 18th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1833–1948 | India | |||
| Khayrpur (Khairpur) | 15-gun salute state | 1775–1955 | Pakistan | ||
| non-salute state | c.1599–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1724–1948 | India | |||
| Kharan | non-salute state | 1697–1955 | Pakistan | ||
| non-salute state | 1650–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1775–1955 | Pakistan | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1544–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1611–1948 | India | |||
| Kochin = Cochi(n) | 17-gun salute state | 12th century–1947 | India | ||
| 19-gun salute state | 1707–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 16th century–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 17th century–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.1527–20th century | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.1733–20th century | India | |||
| non-salute state | 18th century–1950 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1700–1858 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 15th–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1733–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1733–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 17th–19th century | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 750–1810 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1604–1947 | India | |||
| Bela | non-salute state | 1742–1955 | Pakistan | ||
| non-salute state | 1340–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1772–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1780–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | c.1500–1947 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1806–1947 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1434–1948 | India | |||
| Vallavpur | ?13 -salute state | 1434–1949 | India | ||
| 9-gun salute state | 1778–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1663–1948 | India | |||
| Turbat | non-salute state | 18th century–1955 | Pakistan | ||
| 11-gun salute state | 1657–1948 | India | |||
| Malpur | non-salute state | 1466–1943 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1542–1947 | India | |||
| Mandi | 11-gun salute state | 1290–1948 | India | ||
| Imphal (Bishenpur 1775–1796) | 11-gun salute state | 1110–1949 | India | ||
| 9-gun salute state | late 17th century–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1820–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1820–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1842–1947 | India | |||
| Mohanpur | non-salute state | c.1227–1948 | India | ||
| 11-gun salute state | 1698–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1465–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| non-salute, annexed by the Jaipur State | 1621–c.1818 | India | |||
| Mysore (Mahisur) | Bangalore (to 1831 Mysore [Mahisur]), Srirangapatna | 21-gun salute state | 1399–1950 | India | |
| 13-gun salute state | 1763–1947 | India | |||
| Nagar | non-salute state | 14th century–1974 | Pakistan | ||
| Nagodh (Nagod) | 9-gun salute state | 1344–1950 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1833–1948 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1681–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1292–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| 13-gun salute state | 1540–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.1500–1948 | India | |||
| Nazargunj | non-salute state | 1899–20th century | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1125–1949 | India | |||
| 15-gun salute state | c.1501–1950 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1732–1858 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1812–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 11th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1370–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1812–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1194–1948 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1731–1950 | India | |||
| Patdi | non-salute state | 1741–1947 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 12th–20th century | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1804–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1794–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | 1627–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1191–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 13th century–1940 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1284–1948 | India | |||
| Phulra(h) | Phulra(h) | non-salute state | 1828–1950 | Pakistan | |
| non-salute state | 1547–1948 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1193–1948 | India | |||
| Pratapgarh (Partabgarh) | 15-gun salute state | 1425–1949 | India | ||
| 17-gun salute state | 1680–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | up to 1974 | Pakistan | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1753–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1673–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1625–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | late 15th century–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | late 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1620–1948 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1340–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| non-salute state | 1742–1948 | India | |||
| Rampur | 15-gun salute state | 1774–1949 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 17th century–1943 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 17th century–1948 | India | |||
| 13-gun salute state | 1652–1948 | India | |||
| 17-gun salute state | c.1790–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1791–1948 | India | |||
| Shailana (Sailana) | 11-gun salute state | 1736–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | up to 1948 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1493–1848 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1760–1950 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1713–1949 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1782–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1255–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1620–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | up to 1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1733–1947 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1672–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1627–1948 | India | |||
| 9-gun salute state | 1629–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1450–1849 | India | |||
| Sirmür | 11-gun salute state | 1095–1948 | India | ||
| 15-gun salute state | 1405–1949 | India | |||
| 11-gun salute state | 1701–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1550–1950 | India | |||
| Somna State | non-salute state | 19th century–1949 | India | ||
| 9-gun salute state | 1556–1948 | India | |||
| Sundar Nagar | 11-gun salute state | 765–1948 | India | ||
| non-salute state | late 18th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1543–1948 | India | |||
| Saidu Sharif | non-salute state | 1858–1969 | Pakistan | ||
| non-salute state | 12th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1812–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | India | ||||
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 1674–1855 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 16th century–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1806–1949 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 12th–20th century | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1690–1950 | India | |||
| Tiruvidamkodu/Tiruvankur/Travancore) (Padmanabhapuram to 1795) | 19-gun salute state | 1729–1949 | India | ||
| Tripura (princely state) (Hill Tipperah) | Agartala | 13-gun salute state | 1809–1949 | India | |
| non-salute, annexed by the British Raj | 16th century–1859 | India | |||
| Udaipur State (Mewar) | 19-gun salute state | 734–1949 | India | ||
| non-salute state | 1818–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | 1740–1948 | India | |||
| non-salute state | c.745–1947 | India | |||
| Vijayanagar (previously Ghodasar) | non-salute state | 1577–1948 | India | ||
| Vallbhapur State | non-salute state | 16th century–1948 | India | ||
| Wadagam | non-salute state | 18th century–1948 | India | ||
| Wadhwan | 9-gun salute state | 1630–1948 | India | ||
| Wankaner State (Vankaner) | 11-gun salute state | 1605–1948 | India | ||
| Yasin | non-salute state | c1640–c1972 | Pakistan |
See also: List of Indonesian monarchies. 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.
Although the Philippines is a republic, the Southern Philippines have retained their monarchical traditions and are protected under the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.