Map Options
Modified Parliamentary
Modified Presidential
Modified Socialist
Monarchy
Parliamentary
Presidential
Semi-presidential
Socialist
With the exception of monarchies and military regimes, the majority of the world's governments fall into one of three categories: presidential, semi-presidential, or parliamentary systems. In a presidential system of government, a head of state (usually given the title of president) is the head of an executive branch and serves as a check on the power of the legislative branch (such as congress or parliament). The president is frequently also the head of government (the legislative branch) and is always elected by the people, usually via an intermediary such as the electoral college.
That said, the title "president" is not necessarily always used in conjunction with a presidential or semi-presidential system of government. Countries may utilize a presidential or semi-presidential system but call their head of state by another title. Many parliamentary countries call their head of state a president, though the role functions very differently than in a presidential or semi-presidential system. Also, having a president does not in any way indicate that a country's government is fairly elected or incorrupt. Dictators and leaders of one-party states also use the title, such as Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
Rank | Country | 2022 population | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | China | 1,448,471,400 | Socialist government is led by general secretary, who also holds office of president. |
2 | India | 1,406,631,776 | President has limited power. |
3 | United States | 334,805,269 | President has significant power. |
4 | Indonesia | 279,134,505 | President has significant power. |
5 | Pakistan | 229,488,994 | President has limited power. |
6 | Nigeria | 216,746,934 | President has significant power. |
7 | Brazil | 215,353,593 | President has significant power. |
8 | Bangladesh | 167,885,689 | President has limited power. |
9 | Russia | 145,805,947 | President also functions as supreme ruler of Russia. |
10 | Mexico | 131,562,772 | President has significant power. |
* For a full list of every country with a president, see the table further down this page.
The presidential system has its origins in the United States Constitution of 1787, which created the office of the president as the head of state and was envisioned as an alternative to parliamentary and monarchal governments. Presidential systems are defined by a strong and distinct separation between the executive and legislative branches. Even in governments in which the president is both the head of state (the executive branch) and the head of government (the legislative branch)—which is the usual arrangement—the two branches are separated and equally empowered. This distributes and balances power fairly evenly, decreasing the likelihood that a single person or governmental body could obtain excessive power.
A parliamentary system distributes power differently. In a parliamentary system, the executive branch and its leader, the head of state—who is traditionally given the title of president—are largely ceremonial and wield minimal actual power. Instead, the power lies almost exclusively in the legislative branch and its leader, the head of government, who is typically given the title of prime minister.
Additional important differences between a presidential and parliamentary system are the methods used to select a new head of government, as well as those heads' relation to the legislature. In a presidential system, the president is elected by the people (although usually indirectly), holds office for a fixed term, and cannot be removed by the legislature except in certain extreme circumstances.
Conversely, in the parliamentary system, the prime minister is typically chosen by the legislature and essentially works for that same legislature, which can remove the prime minister relatively easily if so desired. Similarly, rather than selecting a president through multiple rounds of public voting, the legislature typically either selects the president outright or selects the candidates for president, whom the people then choose between.
Finally, semi-presidential systems occupy the middle ground between presidential and parliamentary systems. In semi-presidential systems, an elected president serves as head of state and a prime minister serves as the head of the government, but the president (and by extension the executive branch) retains a high level of power. Semi-presidential systems are generally divided into two main types, labeled premier-presidential or president-parliamentary, depending upon whether the prime minister and cabinet are accountable to the legislative branch alone or to both the legislative and executive branches.
For example, France has a semi-presidential system that blends elements of both a parliamentary and a presidential system. The 1958 French constitution established a premiere-presidential system with both a president and a prime minister. The president is elected by the people and then appoints the prime minister and an advisory cabinet, but the French parliament must approve them and the president cannot dismiss them (although parliament can). The president has many powers, such as serving as the commander in chief of the military and appointing government officials, but has little political responsibility. Blame typically falls on the prime minister if policies go wrong.
Presidential and semi-presidential systems are more common in younger, more recently established governments. For example, nearly every country in the Americas uses the presidential system, as do many countries in Africa. However, the older governments of Europe and Asia rarely utilize presidential systems. Rather, countries in those regions tend to utilize parliamentary systems or monarchies.
Type of Government | Notes |
---|---|
Presidential | President is head of state. Executive branch is powerful. |
President is usually also head of government (legislative branch). | |
May have prime minister (rare), but president is still head of both state and govt. | |
Lead government role (president) is elected directly or indirectly by public. | |
Semi-presidential | President is head of state. Executive branch is powerful. |
Prime minister is head of government. | |
President often appoints PM, but only legislature can approve or remove them. | |
Lead government role (president) is elected directly or indirectly by public. | |
Parliamentary | Executive branch is largely powerless. Head of state role is largely ceremonial. |
Prime minister is head of government. Legislative branch holds most power. | |
PM may also be head of state and may also be called president (somewhat confusingly). | |
Lead government role (PM) is chosen by legislature, not by public. |
Country | Governmental System | Regime Type | Presidential Power | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Algeria | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | |
American Samoa | Presidential | - | Head of state and government | A U.S. territory, American Samoa replaces the office and role of president with "governor" just as the U.S. states do. |
Angola | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | 2010 constitution gave president almost unlimited power. |
Argentina | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Armenia | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Austria | Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Azerbaijan | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | |
Bangladesh | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Barbados | Parliamentary | - | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Belarus | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | President has dicatatorial power, including appointment of prime minister and power to dissolve parliament and/or supreme court. |
Benin | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Bolivia | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Botswana | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | One-party rule since 1966. Botswana has no prime minister. |
Brazil | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Bulgaria | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Burkina Faso | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | As of July 2022, president was serving in interim capacity following Jan 2022 military junta. |
Burundi | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Cameroon | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Cape Verde | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Central African Republic | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Chad | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Chile | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
China | Socialist | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Government is led by general secretary, who also holds office of president. |
Colombia | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Comoros | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Costa Rica | Presidential | Full democracy | Head of state and government | |
Croatia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Cuba | Socialist | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Government is led by first secretary, who also holds office of president. |
Cyprus | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Czech Republic | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Djibouti | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Dominica | Parliamentary | - | Head of state | President is elected by parliament. |
Dominican Republic | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
DR Congo | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | Presidential power has waxed and waned over time, but is quite high as of July 2022. |
Ecuador | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Egypt | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | President also has power to dissolve parliament. |
El Salvador | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Equatorial Guinea | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Government is dictatorship in which president wields immense power. |
Eritrea | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Government is one-party totalitarian dictatorship. |
Estonia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Ethiopia | Parliamentary | Authoritarian | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Fiji | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Finland | Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
France | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Gabon | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Gambia | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Georgia | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Germany | Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Ghana | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Greece | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Guatemala | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Guinea | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | As of July 2022, president was serving in interim capacity following a military junta. |
Guinea Bissau | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | Military frequently intercedes in government operations. |
Guyana | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | President wields considerably more power than prime minister. |
Haiti | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | As of July 2022, president was serving in interim capacity following a military junta. |
Honduras | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Hong Kong | Modified Socialist | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | As a Chinese territory, Hong Kong operates a limited presidential system, led not by a president but by a "chief executive |
Hungary | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Iceland | Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
India | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Indonesia | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Iran | Presidential | Authoritarian | Limited/ceremonial power | President is second-in-command to the supreme leader. |
Iraq | Parliamentary | Authoritarian | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Ireland | Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Israel | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Italy | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Head of state | Unusually, president oversees the High Council of the Judiciary rather than the executive branch. |
Ivory Coast | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Kazakhstan | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Although Kazkhstan also has a prime minister, they are appointed by the president, who wields the majority of governmental power. |
Kenya | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Kiribati | Parliamentary | - | Head of state and government | |
Kyrgyzstan | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Laos | Socialist | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Government is led by general secretary, who also holds office of president. |
Latvia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Lebanon | Parliamentary | Authoritarian | Limited/ceremonial power | While the Lebanese president's power is limited, he retains the ability to appoint the prime minister and remove both the PM and members of the legislature. |
Liberia | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Lithuania | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Macau | Modified Socialist | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | As a Chinese territory, Macau operates a limited presidential system, led not by a president but by a "chief executive |
Madagascar | Semi-presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state | |
Malawi | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Maldives | Presidential | - | Head of state and government | |
Mali | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | As of July 2022, president was serving in interim capacity following a military junta. |
Marshall Islands | Parliamentary | - | Head of state and government | Public elects the legislature, which then chooses the president from among its own members. |
Mauritania | Semi-presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state | Although technically only the head of state, the president wields considerably more power than the prime minister. |
Mauritius | Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Mexico | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Micronesia | Parliamentary | - | Head of state and government | The president is chosen by the legislature and granted significant power. |
Moldova | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Mongolia | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Montenegro | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Mozambique | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Myanmar | Parliamentary | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | As of July 2022, president was serving in interim capacity following a military junta. |
Namibia | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Nauru | Parliamentary | - | Head of state and government | President is elected by parliament from among its members. |
Nepal | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Nicaragua | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Niger | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | |
Nigeria | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
North Macedonia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Pakistan | Parliamentary | Hybrid regime | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Palau | Presidential | - | Head of state and government | |
Palestine | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | President appoints the prime minister, whose power is severely restricted. |
Panama | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Paraguay | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Peru | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Philippines | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Poland | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Portugal | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Puerto Rico | Presidential | - | Head of state and government | A U.S. territory, Puerto Rico replaces the office and role of president with "governor" just as the U.S. states do. |
Republic of the Congo | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | |
Romania | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state | |
Russia | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | President also functions as supreme ruler of Russia. |
Rwanda | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | Although Rwanda has a prime minister as well, the president wields the vast majority of political power. |
Sao Tome and Principe | Semi-presidential | - | Head of state | |
Senegal | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Serbia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Seychelles | Presidential | - | Head of state and government | |
Sierra Leone | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Singapore | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Slovakia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Slovenia | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Somalia | Parliamentary | - | Limited/ceremonial power | President is elected by the legislature. |
South Africa | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | President is elected by the legislature and has considerable power. |
South Korea | Presidential | Full democracy | Head of state and government | |
South Sudan | Modified Presidential | - | Head of state and government | South Sudan is ruled by an interim government established in 2011. As such, the president is considered to be serving in interim capacity. |
Sri Lanka | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Suriname | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Switzerland | Modified Parliamentary | Full democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | Known unofficially as the President of Switzerland, the country's President of the Swiss Confederation is an honorary position that rotates annually through the seven members of the country's Federal Council, who collectively head the executive branch. |
Syria | Semi-presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | Syria has no prime minister and its president wields considerable power. |
Taiwan | Semi-presidential | Full democracy | Head of state | Power of president varies greatly depending upon the person holding the office and the party in power. |
Tajikistan | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Tanzania | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Timor Leste | Semi-presidential | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Togo | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Trinidad and Tobago | Parliamentary | Flawed democracy | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Tunisia | Semi-presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state | |
Turkey | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Turkmenistan | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Uganda | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Ukraine | Semi-presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of diplomacy | The Ukrainian president is not part of the executive branch, but retains considerable authority in matters of international diplomacy and armed conflict. |
United Arab Emirates | Parliamentary | Authoritarian | Head of state | Government is an alliance of seven smaller monarchies, who elect the president from among their own number. Vice president usually serves as prime minister as well. |
United States | Presidential | Flawed democracy | Head of state and government | |
Uruguay | Presidential | Full democracy | Head of state and government | |
Uzbekistan | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state | While Uzbekistan does have a prime minister, their authority is secondary compared to that of the president. |
Vanuatu | Parliamentary | - | Limited/ceremonial power | |
Vatican City | Monarchy | - | Specialized | Officially titled the "President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State |
Venezuela | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government | |
Vietnam | Socialist | Authoritarian | Head of state | President is chosen by national assembly from among their members. Presidential power varies over time. |
Zambia | Presidential | Hybrid regime | Head of state and government | |
Zimbabwe | Presidential | Authoritarian | Head of state and government |
Many countries around the world have presidents, but the ten biggest countries with presidents are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh, Russia, and Mexico.
Currently, there are approximately 135 countries that have presidents that serve in the governmental system in one form or another.