Monarchies in Asia

Monarchies in Asia refer to all present monarchies on the continent of Asia. Asia has more absolute monarchs than any other continent in the world.

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 the;

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;

Current monarchs in Asia

Emperor Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the current Dragon King of Bhutan.
Norodom Sihamoni is the current King of Cambodia.
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand (he is also the world's longest reigning monarch, having been on the throne since 1946)
Abdullah II is the current King of Jordan.
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is the current Emir of Kuwait.
Qaboos bin Said al Said is the current Sultan of Oman.
Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah is the current King of Bahrain.
Hamad bin Khalifa is the current Emir of Qatar.
Hamengkubuwana X is the current Sri Sultan of Yogyakarta in Indonesia.
Tuanku Abdul Halim is the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.
Hassanal Bolkiah is the current Sultan of Brunei.
Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud is the current King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Sheikh Khalifa is the current President of the United Arab Emirates and Sheikh Mohammed is the current Prime Minister and Vice President. Sheikh Khalifa is the current ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Mohammed is the current ruler of Dubai.

Gallery of Asian monarchs

Gallery of the princes of the UAE

Princes of the United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Khalifa of Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai

Note: Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman, Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla of Umm al-Quwain, Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qassimi of Ras al-Khaimah, and Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi of Fujairah are not pictured.

Table of monarchies in Asia

State	Type	Succession	Incumbent	Born	Age	Reigns since	Designated heir
Bahrain	kingdom	agnatic primogeniture	Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa	28 Jan 1950	62 y.	6 Mar 1999 (as emir) 14 Feb 2002 (as king)	heir apparent: Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain (eldest son)
Bhutan	kingdom	male primogeniture	Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck	21 Feb 1980	32 y.	14 Dec 2006	heir presumptive: Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck (younger brother)
Brunei	sultanate	agnatic primogeniture	Hassanal Bolkiah	15 Jul 1946	65 y.	4 Oct 1967	heir apparent: Al-Muhtadee Billah, Crown Prince of Brunei (eldest son)
Cambodia	kingdom	elective monarchy with hereditary agnatic primogeniture	Norodom Sihamoni	14 May 1953	59 y.	14 Oct 2004	None; appointed by the Royal Council of the Throne within the Royal Family members
Japan	empire	agnatic primogeniture	Akihito	23 Dec 1933	78 y.	7 Jan 1989	heir apparent: Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan (eldest son)
Jordan	kingdom	agnatic primogeniture	Abdullah II bin Al Hussein	30 Jan 1962	50 y.	7 Feb 1999	heir apparent: Hussein bin Al Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan (eldest son)
Kuwait	emirate	elective monarchy with hereditary agnatic primogeniture	Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah	16 Jun 1929	82 y.	29 Jan 2006	heir presumptive: Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait (younger half-brother; appointed by the reigning emir within the Royal Family members)
Malaysia	kingdom	elective monarchy	Abdul Halim, Sultan of Kedah	28 November 1927	84 y.	13 December 2011	None; appointed by the Conference of Rulers every five years or after the king's death
Oman	sultanate	agnatic primogeniture	Qaboos bin Said al Said	18 Nov 1940	71 y.	23 Jul 1970	None; the king has no children so the heir will be appointed by the Royal Family members after the king's death, if there is no consensus the king's preference (expressed in an official sealed letter) will prevail
Qatar	emirate	agnatic primogeniture	Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani	1 Jan 1952	60 y.	27 Jun 1995	Heir apparent: Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Crown Prince of Qatar (son; appointed by the reigning king within the Royal Family members)
Saudi Arabia	kingdom	agnatic primogeniture	Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud	1 Aug 1924	87 y.	1 Aug 2005	Heir apparent: Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia (younger half-brother; appointed by consensus within the Royal Family members)
Thailand	kingdom	male primogeniture	Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX	5 Dec 1927	84 y.	9 Jun 1946	Heir apparent: Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand (only son)
United Arab Emirates	kingdom	elective monarchy	Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi	25 Jan 1948	64 y.	3 Nov 2004	None; appointed by the seven emirs of UAE (normally the Emir of Abu Dhabi is always appointed as President, while the Emir of Dubai is always appointed as Prime Minister

References