Introduction
A president is a title for a head of state, often accompanied with a republican form of government. The presidential system is a form of government where the head of state and head of the executive branch are the same person and acts as a check and balance on the legislative and judiciary branches. A president is elected by the people, though an intermediary may be involved in the process (such as the electoral college in the United States); also, the president’s functions will vary by the government, but are often laid out by a constitution or by law.
A presidential system is contrasted by a parliamentary system, where the latter is led by a prime minister who also acts as the head of the legislative branch. However, just because the head of state is called a president does not mean it is a presidential system, as authoritarian regimes (such as dictatorships and one-party states) may use the title “president”.
Learn for yourself about countries with presidents in the map and charts.
| Country | Presidential System | System of Government |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | No | |
| Albania | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Algeria | No | Semi-presidential |
| Andorra | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Angola | No | Semi-presidential |
| Antigua and Barbuda | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Australia | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Austria | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Bahrain | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Bangladesh | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Barbados | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Belgium | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Belize | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Bhutan | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | No | Semi-presidential |
| Brunei | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| Bulgaria | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Cambodia | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Canada | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Croatia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Cuba | No | One-party |
| Czech Republic | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Denmark | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Dominica | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| East Timor | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Egypt | No | Semi-presidential |
| Eritrea | No | One-party |
| Estonia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Ethiopia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Fiji | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Finland | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| France | No | Semi-presidential |
| Germany | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Greece | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Grenada | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Guyana | No | Semi-presidential |
| Hungary | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Iceland | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| India | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Iran | No | Theocracies |
| Iraq | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Ireland | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Israel | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Italy | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Jamaica | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Japan | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Jordan | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Kuwait | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Laos | No | One-party |
| Latvia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Lebanon | No | Semi-presidential |
| Lesotho | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Libya | No | Military Junta |
| Liechtenstein | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Lithuania | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Luxembourg | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Malaysia | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Malta | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Mauritania | No | Military Junta |
| Mauritius | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Moldova | No | Semi-presidential |
| Monaco | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Mongolia | No | Semi-presidential |
| Montenegro | No | Semi-presidential |
| Morocco | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Myanmar | No | Military Junta |
| Nepal | No | Semi-constitutional Monarchies |
| Netherlands | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| New Zealand | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| North Korea | No | One-party |
| Norway | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Oman | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| Pakistan | No | Semi-presidential |
| Papua New Guinea | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| People's Republic of China | No | One-party |
| Poland | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Portugal | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Qatar | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| Republic of Macedonia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Romania | No | Semi-presidential |
| Russia | No | Semi-presidential |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Saint Lucia | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| San Marino | No | Semi-presidential |
| Saudi Arabia | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| Serbia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Singapore | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Slovakia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Slovenia | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Solomon Islands | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| South Africa | No | Semi-presidential |
| Spain | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Sri Lanka | No | Semi-presidential |
| Sweden | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Switzerland | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Syria | No | One-party |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | No | Semi-presidential |
| Taiwan | No | Semi-presidential |
| Thailand | No | Military Junta |
| The Bahamas | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Trinidad and Tobago | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Turkey | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Ukraine | No | Semi-presidential |
| United Arab Emirates | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| United Kingdom | No | Constitutional Monarchies |
| Vanuatu | No | Parliamentary Republic |
| Vatican City | No | Absolute Monarchies |
| Vietnam | No | One-party |
| Western Sahara | No | Semi-presidential |
| Yemen | No | Semi-presidential |
| Argentina | Yes | Presidential |
| Armenia | Yes | Presidential |
| Azerbaijan | Yes | Presidential |
| Belarus | Yes | Presidential |
| Benin | Yes | Presidential |
| Bolivia | Yes | Presidential |
| Botswana | Yes | Presidential |
| Brazil | Yes | Presidential |
| Burkina Faso | Yes | Presidential |
| Burundi | Yes | Presidential |
| Cameroon | Yes | Presidential |
| Central African Republic | Yes | Presidential |
| Chad | Yes | Presidential |
| Chile | Yes | Presidential |
| Colombia | Yes | Presidential |
| Comoros | Yes | Presidential |
| Costa Rica | Yes | Presidential |
| Cyprus | Yes | Presidential |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Yes | Presidential |
| Djibouti | Yes | Presidential |
| Dominican Republic | Yes | Presidential |
| Ecuador | Yes | Presidential |
| El Salvador | Yes | Presidential |
| Equatorial Guinea | Yes | Presidential |
| Federated States of Micronesia | Yes | Presidential |
| Gabon | Yes | Presidential |
| Georgia | Yes | Presidential |
| Ghana | Yes | Presidential |
| Guatemala | Yes | Presidential |
| Guinea | Yes | Presidential |
| Guinea-Bissau | Yes | Presidential |
| Haiti | Yes | Presidential |
| Honduras | Yes | Presidential |
| Indonesia | Yes | Presidential |
| Ivory Coast | Yes | Presidential |
| Kazakhstan | Yes | Presidential |
| Kenya | Yes | Presidential |
| Kyrgyzstan | Yes | Presidential |
| Liberia | Yes | Presidential |
| Madagascar | Yes | Presidential |
| Malawi | Yes | Presidential |
| Maldives | Yes | Presidential |
| Mali | Yes | Presidential |
| Marshall Islands | Yes | Presidential |
| Mexico | Yes | Presidential |
| Mozambique | Yes | Presidential |
| Namibia | Yes | Presidential |
| Nauru | Yes | Presidential |
| Nicaragua | Yes | Presidential |
| Niger | Yes | Presidential |
| Nigeria | Yes | Presidential |
| Palau | Yes | Presidential |
| Panama | Yes | Presidential |
| Paraguay | Yes | Presidential |
| Peru | Yes | Presidential |
| Philippines | Yes | Presidential |
| Republic of the Congo | Yes | Presidential |
| Rwanda | Yes | Presidential |
| Senegal | Yes | Presidential |
| Seychelles | Yes | Presidential |
| Sierra Leone | Yes | Presidential |
| South Korea | Yes | Presidential |
| Sudan | Yes | Presidential |
| Suriname | Yes | Presidential |
| Tajikistan | Yes | Presidential |
| Tanzania | Yes | Presidential |
| The Gambia | Yes | Presidential |
| Togo | Yes | Presidential |
| Tunisia | Yes | Presidential |
| Turkmenistan | Yes | Presidential |
| Uganda | Yes | Presidential |
| United States of America | Yes | Presidential |
| Uruguay | Yes | Presidential |
| Uzbekistan | Yes | Presidential |
| Venezuela | Yes | Presidential |
| Zambia | Yes | Presidential |
| Zimbabwe | Yes | Presidential |
Presidential System by Country
Afghanistan
Presidential System
No
Albania
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Algeria
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Andorra
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Angola
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Antigua and Barbuda
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Argentina
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Armenia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Australia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Austria
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Azerbaijan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Bahrain
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Bangladesh
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Barbados
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Belarus
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Belgium
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Belize
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Benin
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Bhutan
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
Bolivia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Botswana
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Brazil
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Brunei
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
Bulgaria
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Burkina Faso
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Burundi
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Cambodia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Cameroon
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Canada
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Central African Republic
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Chad
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Chile
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Colombia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Comoros
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Costa Rica
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Croatia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Cuba
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Cyprus
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Czech Republic
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Denmark
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Djibouti
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Dominica
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Dominican Republic
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
East Timor
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Ecuador
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Egypt
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
El Salvador
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Equatorial Guinea
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Eritrea
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Estonia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Ethiopia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Federated States of Micronesia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Fiji
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Finland
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
France
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Gabon
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Georgia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Germany
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Ghana
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Greece
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Grenada
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Guatemala
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Guinea
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Guinea-Bissau
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Guyana
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Haiti
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Honduras
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Hungary
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Iceland
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
India
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Indonesia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Iran
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Theocracies
Iraq
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Ireland
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Israel
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Italy
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Ivory Coast
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Jamaica
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Japan
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Jordan
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Kazakhstan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Kenya
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Kuwait
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Kyrgyzstan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Laos
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Latvia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Lebanon
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Lesotho
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Liberia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Libya
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Military Junta
Liechtenstein
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Lithuania
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Luxembourg
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Madagascar
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Malawi
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Malaysia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Maldives
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Mali
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Malta
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Marshall Islands
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Mauritania
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Military Junta
Mauritius
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Mexico
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Moldova
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Monaco
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Mongolia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Montenegro
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Morocco
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Mozambique
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Myanmar
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Military Junta
Namibia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Nauru
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Nepal
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-constitutional Monarchies
Netherlands
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
New Zealand
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Nicaragua
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Niger
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Nigeria
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
North Korea
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Norway
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Oman
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
Pakistan
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Palau
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Panama
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Papua New Guinea
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Paraguay
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
People's Republic of China
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Peru
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Philippines
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Poland
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Portugal
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Qatar
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
Republic of Macedonia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Republic of the Congo
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Romania
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Russia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Rwanda
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Saint Lucia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
San Marino
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
São Tomé and Príncipe
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Saudi Arabia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
Senegal
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Serbia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Seychelles
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Sierra Leone
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Singapore
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Slovakia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Slovenia
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Solomon Islands
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
South Africa
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
South Korea
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Spain
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Sri Lanka
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Sudan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Suriname
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Sweden
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
Switzerland
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Syria
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Taiwan
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Tajikistan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Tanzania
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Thailand
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Military Junta
The Bahamas
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
The Gambia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Togo
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Trinidad and Tobago
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Tunisia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Turkey
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Turkmenistan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Uganda
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Ukraine
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
United Arab Emirates
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
United Kingdom
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Constitutional Monarchies
United States of America
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Uruguay
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Uzbekistan
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Vanuatu
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Parliamentary Republic
Vatican City
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Absolute Monarchies
Venezuela
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Vietnam
Presidential System
No
System of Government
One-party
Western Sahara
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Yemen
Presidential System
No
System of Government
Semi-presidential
Zambia
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
Zimbabwe
Presidential System
Yes
System of Government
Presidential
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