Monarchies in Asia

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.

National monarchies

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:

Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Emirate of Ajman
Emirate of Dubai
Emirate of Fujairah
Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah
Emirate of Sharjah
Emirate of Umm al-Quwain

Gallery

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

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
Perlis Indera Kayangan
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

India and Pakistan

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.

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.

List of Princely States

Indonesia

Indonesia is a republic, however several provinces or regencies preserves their own monarchy, although only Special Region of Yogyakarta retains actual administrative authority, the rest only holds cultural significance.

Sultanate of Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia
Pakualaman, a princely state in Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia
Mangkualaman, it was divided out of the historical holdings of the royal family of Pakualaman on 23 August 2021 as a proposed settlement between royal claimants with KGPAA Mangku Alam Al-Haj Maulana Abdullah Khalifatullah Al-Jawi as head of the principality. The settlement is based on the historic restoration of the Merdiko Praja Mangkualaman Principality, which was established on March 7, 1822, by the Dutch East Indies colonial government.
Surakarta Sunanate, Surakarta, Central Java
Mangkunegaran, a princely state in 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

Philippines

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.