Here are 5 countries that are ruled by a king as their head of state, ordered by country size (from largest to smallest):
- Saudi Arabia
- Morocco
- Oman
- Jordan:
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
- Saudi Arabia: A country in the Middle East that is the 13th largest in the world by land area, ruled by the King as the head of state and government. The King of Saudi Arabia is a member of the Saudi royal family, which has been in power since the country’s founding in 1932. The current King of Saudi Arabia is King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who ascended to the throne in 2015 after the death of his half-brother King Abdullah.
- Morocco: A country in North Africa that is the 57th largest in the world by land area, ruled by the King as the head of state. The current King of Morocco is King Mohammed VI, who has been in power since 1999. Under King Mohammed VI, Morocco has undergone significant political and economic reforms, including the establishment of a new constitution in 2011 that granted greater rights and powers to the parliament and the Prime Minister.
- Oman: A country in the Middle East that is the 70th largest in the world by land area, ruled by the Sultan (a type of king) as the head of state. The current Sultan of Oman is Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, who ascended to the throne in January 2020 after the death of his cousin, Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The Sultan also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Omani Armed Forces. Under Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who ruled Oman for almost 50 years before his death in 2020, the country underwent significant modernization and development, including the establishment of a modern legal system, the expansion of education and healthcare services, and the development of the country’s infrastructure.
- Jordan: A country in the Middle East that is the 112th largest in the world by land area, ruled by the King as the head of state. The current King of Jordan is King Abdullah II, who ascended to the throne in 1999 after the death of his father, King Hussein. Under King Abdullah II, Jordan has undergone significant political and economic reforms, including the adoption of a new constitution in 2011 that granted greater powers to the parliament and the Prime Minister.
- Eswatini: Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a small landlocked country located in Southern Africa that is ruled by a king as its head of state. The current King of Eswatini is Mswati III, who has been in power since 1986. As the absolute monarch of Eswatini, the King has significant political power and is involved in many aspects of the country’s government. He serves as the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the Eswatini Defense Force. Under King Mswati III, Eswatini has experienced both economic growth and political controversy.
Few more countries ruled by king are Lesotho, Bahrain, Brunei, Tonga, Cambodia, Kuwait. It’s important to note that while these countries have kings as their heads of state, the level of authority and power of the monarch varies widely, from being purely ceremonial to holding significant political and executive powers.
