A Monarchist's Guide to the World

Section I: Current Monarchies

Section II: Countries whose Monarchies have been Abolished

Section III: Countries Republican since Independence or Lacking Claimants

CountryDate of IndependenceLast Monarchical RulerLocal Monarchical History
Algeria 1962France *French colonization began under King Charles X.
Angola1975Portugal
Argentina 1816SpainOrélie Antoine I reigned as self-proclaimed King of Araucania and Patagonia 1860-78; his heir today is Prince Felipe of Araucania (born 1927, inherited claim 1951).
Armenia 1991 Russia, Ottoman EmpireKingdom of Armenia established 190 BC; first Christian country 301 AD; ruled by various Empires from the Middle Ages.
Azerbaijan 1991 Russia
Bangladesh 1971United Kingdom
Belarus 1991 Russia
Benin 1960*
Bolivia 1825Spain
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991Yugoslavia
Botswana 1966United Kingdom
Burkina Faso 1960*
Cameroon 1960*
Cape Verde 1975Portugal
Chad1960*
Chile 1818Spain
Colombia 1819Spain
Comoros 1975Spain
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1960Belgium
Congo, Republic of the 1960*
Costa Rica 1821Spain
Côte d’Ivoire 1960*
Croatia 1991YugoslaviaNominally independent kingdom under Prince Aimone of Savoy, Duke of Aosta ("King Tomislav II"), 1941-43.
Cuba 1902Spain
Cyprus 1960United Kingdom
Djibouti 1977*
Dominica 1978United Kingdom
Dominican Republic 1863Spain
East Timor 2002Portugal
Ecuador 1822/30Spain
El Salvador 1821/39Spain
Equatorial Guinea 1968Spain
Eritrea 1993Ethiopia
Estonia 1991RussiaMonarchist movement in 1994 offered crown to Britain’s Prince Edward, who declined.
Finland 1917RussiaCrown offered in 1918 to Landgrave Friedrich Karl of Hesse, who never set foot in the country and soon gave up the dubious position following the abdication of his brother-in-law Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Gabon 1960*
Guatemala 1821/39Spain
Guinea 1958*
Guinea-Bissau 1974Portugal
Guyana 1966United Kingdom
Haiti 1804France *Three 19th-century rulers, unrelated to each other, briefly reigned as monarchs; none of them have heirs living today and there are therefore no current pretenders.
Honduras 1821/38Spain
Indonesia 1949Netherlands
Israel1948United KingdomSome monarchists claim that Yosef Dayan is the rightful heir of King David.
Kazahkstan 1991 Russia
Kenya 1963United Kingdom
Kiribati 1979United Kingdom
Kyrgyzstan 1991 Russia
Latvia 1991 Russia
Lebanon 1946Ottoman Empire *
Liberia 1847
Lithuania1991RussiaWilhelm, Duke of Urach, was elected King Mindaugas II in 1918 but never assumed the crown. His grandson and heir is Wilhelm Albert, Duke of Urach (born August 9, 1957, became head of that House on the renunciation of his brother in 1991).
Macedonia1991Yugoslavia
Madagascar 1960*
Mali 1960*
Marshall Islands 1991Japan
Mauritania 1960*
Micronesia 1991Japan
Moldova 1991 Romania
Mongolia1949China
Mozambique 1975Portugal
Namibia 1990United Kingdom
Nauru 1968United Kingdom
Nicaragua1821-38Spain
Niger 1960*
Palau 1994Japan
Panama 1903Spain
Paraguay 1811Spain
Peru 1824Spain
Philippines 1946Spain
Poland 1918Russia, Germany, AustriaKingdom of Poland established 1025; became elective 1572; final partition 1795.
San Marino 331Roman Empire
São Tomé and Príncipe 1975Portugal
Senegal 1960*
Seychelles 1976United Kingdom
Singapore 1965United Kingdom
Slovakia 1993Hungary
Slovenia 1991Yugoslavia
Somalia 1960United Kingdom
Sudan 1956Egypt
Suriname 1975Netherlands
Switzerland 1648Holy Roman Empire
Syria 1946Ottoman Empire *
Taiwan 1949 China
Tajikistan 1991 Russia
Tanzania 1964United KingdomZanzibar: British protectorate 1890, independent 1963, monarchy overthrown 1964; union with Tanganyika (as Tanzania) later that year. Former sovereign is Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah (born September 16, 1929, reigned July 7, 1963 - January 17, 1964).
Togo 1960*
Turkmenistan 1991 Russia
Ukraine 1991 Russia
United States of America 1776 Great Britain Hawaii: unified 1810, monarchy overthrown 1893, republic 1894, annexed to United States 1898, statehood 1959. Claimant is Prince Quentin Kawananakoa (born September 28, 1961, inherited claim July 29, 1997).
Uruguay 1825Spain
Uzbekistan 1991 Russia
Vanuatu 1980United Kingdom
Venezuela 1821/30Spain
Zambia 1964United Kingdom
Zimbabwe 1965/80United Kingdom
*Former Colony of the French Republic

Sources:
Almanach de Gotha (1999)
The World Almanac and Book of Facts (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Almanach de Bruxelles
The Royal Ark
Wikipedia: Pretender

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