Barbados
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within
the Commonwealth

Belarus
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Belgium
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
monarch

Belize
parliamentary democracy

Benin
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Bermuda
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
self-government

Bhutan
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia
republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina
emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana
parliamentary republic

Brazil
federative republic

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria
parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso
parliamentary republic

Burma
military junta

Burundi
republic

Cambodia
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
established in September 1993

Cameroon
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime
(opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada
confederation with parliamentary democracy

Cape Verde
republic

Cayman Islands
British crown colony

Central African Republic
republic

Chad
republic

Chile
republic

China
Communist state

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros
independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
dictatorship; presumably
undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the
republic

Cook Islands
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica
democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire
republic; multiparty presidential regime established
1960

Croatia
presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba
Communist state

Cyprus
republic
note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
control the only internationally recognized government; on 15