Asian Geographic2017

BHUTAN

THAILAND

BRUNEI

MALAYSIA

1980

Birth of King Jigme

Khesar Namgyel

Wangchuck of Bhutan,

Asia’s youngest

reigning monarch

2008

Abolition of the

monarchy in Nepal,

turning it into Asia’s

newest republic

1971

India strips its maharajas

of their privy purses and

privileges; Founding of

the United Arab Emirates,

the world’s newest

monarchy

1979

Overthrow of the Shah

of Iran, ending 4,500

years of royal rule

1929

Birth of Emir Sabah

Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber

Al-Sabah of Kuwait,

Asia’s oldest reigning

monarch

Brunei Darussalam

POPULA tIOn: 413,000

sULtAn: hAssAnAL BOLkIAh

Brunei’s people receive generous state

benefits – as well as a tax-free living.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is one of the

world’s longest-reigning – and few

remaining – absolute monarchs

Kingdom of Cambodia

POPULA tIOn: 14.5 mILLIOn

kInG: nOrOdOm sIhAmOnI

PrImE mInIstEr: hUn sEn

Heir to the ancient Khmer Empire, King

Sihamoni – a trained ballet dancer –

became regent in 2004. Today, his role is

more ceremonial than divine

Malaysia

POPULA tIOn: 29.3 mILLIOn
sULtAn: mUhAmmAd v
PrImE mInIstEr: nAJIB ABdUL rAzAk
Sultan Muhammad V is the current
“paramount ruler” – a role that is
alternated every five years between the
sultans of the nine Malay kingdoms

State of Qatar

POPULA tIOn: 2.7 mILLIOn

EmIr: shEIkh tAmIm BIn hAmAd AL-thAnI

Qatar has come under fire for human rights

abuses, and the recent diplomatic crisis

following accusations of supporting terrorism –

the outcome of which remains uncertain

Kingdom of Thailand

POPULA tIOn: 69.9 mILLIOn

kInG: kInG mAhA vAJIrALOnGkOrn

PrImE mInIstEr: PrAyUth ChAn-OChA

This constitutional monarchy has

recently been taken over by King Maha

Vajiralongkorn, following the death of his

father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, last year

Kingdom of Bhutan

POPULA tIOn: 750,000

kInG: JIGmE khEsAr nAmGyEL

WAnGChUCk

PrImE mInIstEr: tshErInG tOBGAy

By the time King Jigme Khesar Namgyel

Wangchuck claimed the throne in 2006,

his father had ceded some of his absolute

powers to parliament

Japan

POPULA tIOn: 126.4 mILLIOn

EmPErOr: AkIhItO

PrImE mInIstEr: shInzO ABE

Emperor Akihito retains no political powers,

nor is he deemed divine, as his ancestors

were. Due to declining health, Akihito

may abdicate quite soon, following his

expressed wish to do so last year

United Arab Emirates

POPULA tIOn: 8.1 mILLIOn

PrEsIdEnt: shEIkh khALIFA BIn zAyEd

One of the more liberal countries in the

Gulf, the UAE is still authoritarian. Each of

the seven emirates are governed relatively

independently by their respective emir.

The sheikh of Abu Dhabi is president

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