Asian Geographic2017

KUWAIT

SAUDI

ARABIA

OMAN

BAHRAIN

QATAR

UAE

JORDAN

Blue Bloodlines

MAPPING MONARCHIES IN ASIA

Many royal families today operate as constitutional monarchies,

where the monarch acts as the head of state but is not the sole source

of political power, which is usually ordered through a parliamentary

system. Absolute monarchies, on the other hand, place unlimited

power in the hands of the monarch. Often as not, succession passes

from one generation to the next within a monarchical dynasty

DATA SOURCED FROM BBC

1234

Coronation of the

Jurchen Emperor Mo,

who was killed 12

hours later, making

him Asia’s shortest-

lived monarch

1912

Abolition of the

monarchy in China

738 BCE

Coronation of Zabibe

of Qedar, Asia’s first

queen

660 BCE

Origin of Japan’s Yamato

dynasty, the oldest

continuous hereditary

monarchy in the world

2600 BCE

Foundation of the

world’s first monarchy

in Sumeria (modern-

day Iraq)

k Ey EvEnts

State of Kuwait

POPULA tIOn: 2.9 mILLIOn

EmIr: shEIkh sABAh AL-AhmEd

AL-JABEr AL-sABAh

This conservative country differs from

neighbouring Gulf monarchies in having a

relatively open political system, although

there is growing pressure for political reforms

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

POPULA tIOn: 6.5 mILLIOn

kInG: ABdULLAh II BIn AL-hUssEIn

This small kingdom emerged after the

division of the Middle East by Britain and

France after WWI. King Abdullah II has

a significant amount of power, with the

jurisdiction to implement governments

Kingdom of Bahrain

POPULA tIOn: 1.4 mILLIOn

kInG: shEIkh hAmAd BIn IsA AL khALIFA

The Khalifa family has ruled this tiny nation

since 1783, and the present king has been

in power since 1999. Bahrain is now a

constitutional monarchy, but the family still

holds the primary political and military posts

Absolute Monarchy

Constitutional

Monarchy

LEGEnds

Sultanate of Oman

POPULA tIOn: 2.9 mILLIOn

sULtAn: QABOOs BIn sAId AL sAId

Oman is the oldest independent state in the

Arab world. The current sultan (and prime

minister) claimed power from his father,

Said Bin Taimur, in 1970. His policies have

mostly been met with favour

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

POPULA tIOn: 28.7 mILLIOn

kInG: sALmAn BIn ABdULAzIz AL-sAUd

Known for its stringent Sunni Islam laws, this

major player in the oil trade was established

in 1932 by King Abdulaziz. The Al Saud

dynasty also wields political power

In FOCUs