Brunei: One of the last remaining absolute monarchy countries, Brunei is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who holds near-total power as prime minister, defence minister, and finance minister. Parliamentary elections have not been held since 1962, and the Legislative Council serves only as an advisory body with members chosen by the Sultan.

Vatican City: Unique among sovereign states, Vatican City functions as an absolute elective ecclesiastical monarchy. The Pope wields supreme legislative, executive, and judicial authority, making it a governance model unlike any other.

Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE: These wealthy Gulf monarchies are ruled by hereditary families, maintaining strong centralised authority. While they may have advisory councils or consultative assemblies, they do not claim to be democratic governments. Instead, their legitimacy stems from monarchy, tradition, and—in some cases—religion.

Afghanistan: Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, Afghanistan no longer refers to itself as a democracy. Its governance system is rooted in strict religious rule, placing it firmly among the countries not democratic in today’s world.

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7 countries that don’t claim to be democracies