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Monarchies of Asia

Can you name the countries of Asia that are still monarchies?
Includes constitutional monarchies
One of these is techincally a heptarchy
Try whole series here
Quiz by KoljiVriVoda
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Last updated: May 10, 2020
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First submittedJanuary 6, 2016
Times taken47,187
Average score84.6%
Rating4.94
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Country
Bahrain
Bhutan
Brunei
Cambodia
Japan
Country
Jordan
Kuwait
Malaysia
Oman
Country
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
+26
Level 77
Aug 27, 2019
There's almost enough time to list each country in Asia.. :D
+5
Level 59
Aug 28, 2019
thats what I did
+6
Level 75
Aug 27, 2019
Please tell us more about this heptarchy thing!
+7
Level 69
Nov 20, 2019
It refers to Malaysia I believe, which has a cast of I believe 8 monarchs in each state and they rotate who is the official Sultan.
+24
Level 54
Nov 20, 2019
I think it is actually referring to the UAE, which is ruled by 7 Emirates.
+24
Level 75
Nov 20, 2019
Heptarchy means seven monarchs, which refers to the seven emirates of the UAE.
+32
Level 92
Aug 27, 2019
Pretty sure it refers to UAE which has an emir in each of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain. There is also a single elected monarch in Malaysia out of a group of 10 regional monarchs (a decarchy?).
+2
Level 48
May 18, 2023
you forgot sharjah
+1
Level 48
Feb 20, 2024
vi ludas.
+4
Level 74
Feb 20, 2024
I truly wasn't expecting to see Esperanto in these comments. Kai ne, ni ne ludas.
+2
Level 59
Aug 28, 2019
Got Bhutan with one second
+11
Level 44
Aug 28, 2019
We could probably throw North Korea in there? They don't use the title but they are very much an aristocracy.
+30
Level 70
Aug 29, 2019
If you count dictators, half of Asia would be on it.
+10
Level 84
Sep 1, 2019
But it's a hereditary dictatorship, so it's got that similarity to a traditional monarchy.
+10
Level 82
Sep 16, 2019
But it's not officially hereditary. Then you could add Syria as well.
+7
Level 56
Dec 21, 2021
Not all monarchies are hereditary. Malaysia's isn't, for example, and the early English monarchies weren't.
+5
Level 68
Jul 5, 2022
"The Kim family (Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un) has been described as a de facto absolute monarchy".

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Kim_family_(North_Korea)

+1
Level 83
Mar 9, 2024
'has been described' means that some people have postulated it, not that it's a general opinion.
+4
Level 75
Aug 29, 2019
Maybe a bit less time, I finished with 0:26 left by naming all the Asian countries
+13
Level 70
Nov 20, 2019
Surely that's not a very rewarding way to do a quiz....
+1
Level 50
Jun 8, 2022
Work smarter, not harder
+7
Level 41
Aug 29, 2019
I'm impressed that so many people didn't know japan was a monarchy
+2
Level 74
Feb 20, 2024
Officially, I believe it's the only empire left in the world.
+1
Level 68
Aug 29, 2019
Ahhhhh malaysia
+4
Level 49
Sep 15, 2020
For quiz geeks: where there are nine different royal families (from nine states) who each take their turn to be the overall constitutional monarch at national level.
+4
Level 74
Sep 2, 2019
I cant believe I got all the Arabian Peninsula countries with no wrong guesses and completely forgot about Saudi Arabia. . . doh.
+13
Level 57
Nov 20, 2019
That are *still* monarchies? Why that extra word? Is there some sort of "progress" that should lead monarchies to something more "evolved"? Afghanistan's last queen didn't wear a hijab, talk about progress, both socially and politically, since that period in time. Plus, countries can still become monarchies, as Cambodia did (nominally) after the end of Pol Pot's regime.
+1
Level 56
Dec 21, 2021
And Malaysia became a monarchy on independence from Britain in the '50s.
+3
Level 83
Jul 15, 2022
Popular representation with a checks and balances system is the more evolved method of government, not a singular life-long controller given power based on genetics.
+1
Level 74
Feb 20, 2024
And a big chunk of monarchies around the world have both. Or rather, they have the former, because their monarch is a mostly powerless figurehead, a ceremonial head of state, to handle the pomp and circumstance.
+2
Level 57
Jul 16, 2022
I think the quiz maker is referring to the fact that the vast majority of countries in today's modern world are, in name at least, "republics." Monarchies were much more common in the past. Interestingly enough, countries like Canada are technically "monarchies," too, in that the British Monarch is our official head of state. Canada is an example of a "constitutional monarchy."
+2
Level 43
Nov 20, 2019
Unbelievable... Japan a monarchy? Do you even know what a monarchy is? Monarchy is "a political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person". Having a ceremonial figure doesn't make a country like Japan a monarchy like, for example, Saudi Arabia
+16
Level 67
Nov 21, 2019
The caveat in the headnotes makes it pretty clear that Japan counts.
+1
Level 43
Feb 20, 2024
Have you heard of constitutional monarchies before? This quiz isn't asking for absolute monarchs only.
+7
Level 87
Nov 20, 2019
Wouldn't North Korea qualify? 3rd generation king in office now although they don't call it that
+4
Level 50
May 20, 2020
they wont because they are a (fake) democratic republic. They have elections but they are rigged and there is only 1 candidate to vote for.
+1
Level 43
Aug 15, 2023
this is fake
+1
Level 51
Jun 30, 2020
100%
+2
Level 49
May 19, 2021
malaysias form of government may be a elective heptarcy, but its type of state still is a monarchy
+1
Level 60
Oct 5, 2021
Letter Z Scavenger Hunt Answer (see my blog)
+1
Level 85
Dec 1, 2021
You've got a typo in the caveats.
+1
Level 89
Jul 15, 2022
Not gonna lie... took me longer to get Japan than I would have liked.
+3
Level 73
Jul 16, 2022
One of these is techNICally a heptarchy
+2
Level 27
Sep 21, 2022
Australia, New Zealand, Samoa?
+4
Level 67
Feb 1, 2023
Last time I checked those ain't in Asia bro
+1
Level 60
Feb 20, 2024
And Courland and Semigallia?
+1
Level 67
Feb 1, 2023
1:33
+1
Level 64
Aug 30, 2023
How did i miss UAE??
+1
Level 65
Feb 20, 2024
Full marks for T-Rob AKA The Robbster.
+1
Level 66
Feb 20, 2024
Amazing.
+1
Level 44
Feb 20, 2024
North Korea is a monarchy
+1
Level 87
Mar 6, 2024
Rjoal is right - being anointed with holy oil makes you a better person than everyone else…

And what a list of countries!

Torture and execution rife, for the “crimes” of heresy, apostasy, being gay, looking at the king a bit funny etc. While this is not unique to monarchies, at least in a republic the public (in theory) would have the ability to overturn such laws, if that is what they all wanted. No such luck in a monarchy.

PS: If you think King Charles is a mere ceremonial figurehead, you have much, much to learn. A quick glance at Wikipedia will enlighten you as to the parlous state of the UK ‘s constitution, which isn’t worth the paper it’s not written on. Much to the delight of a family of racist, animal-torturing tax-avoiding German b******s who benefit to this day.

PPS: In de facto terms you could add Turkmenistan to the list. Seriously, go check them out, fascinating if slightly scary stuff…