Asian_Geographic_Issue_4_2017

(John Hannent) #1
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

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