Back to: Jss3 Civic Education (NVE)

Introduction

It is necessary for every society, regardless of its level of development, to have laws and regulations in place to direct the behaviour of the individuals who live in that society. These guidelines and regulations might be communicated verbally or in writing form. The collection of laws and policies that govern a nation are collectively referred to as the constitution of that nation. This constitution has precedence over every other legislation that is in effect in the majority of nations. 

This constitution has precedence over every other legislation that is in effect in the majority of nations. 

This is the established body of laws and guiding principles that govern a nation. The country’s constitution is more important than any other law. Therefore, the constitution is a document that includes all of the rules and regulations that guide the formation of laws and the interpretation of those laws.

The Nigerian constitution is supreme above any other legislation that may have been passed by the various states or local governments.

Meaning of Constitution

A constitution is a set of fundamental principles and rules that determine the nature, functions, and limits of a government or organization. It is typically a written document that outlines the basic structure and procedures of a government, including the powers and responsibilities of various branches and officials, the rights and protections afforded to citizens, and the processes for making and enforcing laws. Constitutions often serve as the highest law of the land, providing a framework for governance that is difficult to amend or alter. They can vary widely in their scope, content, and level of detail, and are often shaped by historical, political, and cultural factors.

The Types of Constitution

Written Constitution 

A written constitution is a document that outlines the fundamental principles and laws of a country, and is usually codified in a single document. Examples of countries with a written constitution include the following

1. Afghanistan
2. Albania
3. Algeria
4. Andorra
5. Angola
6. Antigua and Barbuda
7. Argentina
8. Armenia
9. Australia
10. Austria
11. Azerbaijan
12. Bahamas
13. Bahrain
14. Bangladesh
15. Barbados
16. Belarus
17. Belgium
18. Belize
19. Benin
20. Bhutan
21. Bolivia
22. Bosnia and Herzegovina
23. Botswana
24. Brazil
25. Brunei
26. Bulgaria
27. Burkina Faso
28. Burundi
29. Cabo Verde
30. Cambodia
31. Cameroon
32. Canada
33. Central African Republic
34. Chad
35. Chile
36. China
37. Colombia
38. Comoros
39. Congo, Democratic Republic of the
40. Congo, Republic of the
41. Costa Rica
42. Cote d’Ivoire
43. Croatia
44. Cuba
45. Cyprus
46. Czech Republic
47. Denmark
48. Djibouti
49. Dominica
50. Dominican Republic
51. East Timor (Timor-Leste)
52. Ecuador
53. Egypt
54. El Salvador
55. Equatorial Guinea
56. Eritrea
57. Estonia
58. Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
59. Ethiopia
60. Fiji
61. Finland
62. France
63. Gabon
64. Gambia
65. Georgia
66. Germany
67. Ghana
68. Greece
69. Grenada
70. Guatemala
71. Guinea
72. Guinea-Bissau
73. Guyana
74. Haiti
75. Honduras
76. Hungary
77. Iceland
78. India
79. Indonesia
80. Iran
81. Iraq
82. Ireland
83. Israel
84. Italy
85. Jamaica
86. Japan
87. Jordan
88. Kazakhstan
89. Kenya
90. Kiribati
91. Korea, North
92. Korea, South
93. Kosovo
94. Kuwait
95. Kyrgyzstan
96. Laos
97. Latvia
98. Lebanon
99. Lesotho
100. Liberia
101. Libya
102. Liechtenstein
103. Lithuania
104. Luxembourg
105. Madagascar
106. Malawi
107. Malaysia
108. Maldives
109. Mali
110. Malta
111. Marshall Islands
112. Mauritania
113. Mauritius
114. Mexico
115. Micronesia, Federated States of
116. Moldova
117. Monaco
118. Mongolia
119. Montenegro
120. Morocco
121. Mozambique
122. Myanmar (Burma)
123. Namibia
124. Nauru
125. Nepal
126. Netherlands
127. New Zealand
128. Nicaragua
129. Niger
130. Nigeria
131. North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia)
132. Norway
133. Oman
134. Pakistan
135. Palau
136. Panama
137. Papua New Guinea
138. Paraguay
139. Peru
140. Philippines
141. Poland
142. Portugal
143. Qatar
144. Romania
145. Russia
146. Rwanda
147. Saint Kitts and Nevis
148. Saint Lucia
149. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
150. Samoa
151. San Marino
152. Sao Tome and Princ

Unwritten Constitution

An unwritten constitution is a type of constitution that does not exist in a single written document, but rather is based on a collection of laws, traditions, and customs that have developed over time. While there are several countries with unwritten constitutions, the following are the most well-known:

1. United Kingdom
2. Israel
3. New Zealand
4. Saudi Arabia
5. Canada (although it has a written constitution, much of its constitutional law is unwritten and based on convention)
6. San Marino (although it has a written constitution, much of its constitutional law is based on custom and tradition)

Federal Constitution 

A federal constitution is a constitution that establishes a federal system of government, where power is divided between a central government and individual states or provinces. Examples of countries with a federal constitution 

1. United States of America
2. Brazil
3. Mexico
4. Germany
5. Switzerland
6. India
7. Australia
8. Austria
9. Canada
10. Belgium
11. Malaysia
12. Nigeria
13. Russia
14. Argentina
15. Pakistan

Unitary Constitution 

A unitary constitution is a constitution that establishes a centralized system of government, where power is concentrated in a single national government. A unitary constitution is a system of government in which all power is held by a central government. Below is a list of countries that have a unitary constitution as of 2021:

1. Albania
2. Andorra
3. Angola
4. Armenia
5. Austria
6. Azerbaijan
7. Bangladesh
8. Belarus
9. Belgium
10. Belize
11. Benin
12. Bhutan
13. Bulgaria
14. Burkina Faso
15. Burundi
16. Cambodia
17. Cameroon
18. Canada
19. Central African Republic
20. Chad
21. China
22. Comoros
23. Costa Rica
24. Croatia
25. Cuba
26. Cyprus
27. Czech Republic
28. Denmark
29. Djibouti
30. Dominica
31. Dominican Republic
32. East Timor
33. Ecuador
34. Egypt
35. El Salvador
36. Equatorial Guinea
37. Eritrea
38. Estonia
39. Ethiopia
40. Fiji
41. Finland
42. France
43. Gabon
44. Gambia
45. Georgia
46. Germany
47. Ghana
48. Greece
49. Grenada
50. Guatemala
51. Guinea
52. Guinea-Bissau
53. Guyana
54. Haiti
55. Honduras
56. Hungary
57. Iceland
58. India
59. Indonesia
60. Iran
61. Iraq
62. Ireland
63. Israel
64. Italy
65. Ivory Coast
66. Jamaica
67. Japan
68. Jordan
69. Kazakhstan
70. Kenya
71. Kiribati
72. Kuwait
73. Kyrgyzstan
74. Laos
75. Latvia
76. Lebanon
77. Lesotho
78. Liberia
79. Libya
80. Liechtenstein
81. Lithuania
82. Luxembourg
83. Madagascar
84. Malawi
85. Malaysia
86. Maldives
87. Mali
88. Malta
89. Marshall Islands
90. Mauritania
91. Mauritius
92. Mexico
93. Moldova
94. Monaco
95. Mongolia
96. Montenegro
97. Morocco
98. Mozambique
99. Myanmar (Burma)
100. Namibia
101. Nauru
102. Nepal
103. Netherlands
104. New Zealand
105. Nicaragua
106. Niger
107. Nigeria
108. North Korea
109. North Macedonia
110. Norway
111. Oman
112. Pakistan
113. Palau
114. Panama
115. Papua New Guinea
116. Paraguay
117. Peru
118. Philippines
119. Poland
120. Portugal
121. Qatar
122. Romania
123. Russia
124. Rwanda
125. Saint Kitts and Nevis
126. Saint Lucia
127. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
128. Samoa
129. San Marino
130. Sao Tome and Principe
131. Saudi Arabia
132. Senegal
133. Serbia
134. Seychelles
135. Sierra Leone
136. Singapore
137. Slovakia
138. Slovenia
139. Solomon Islands
140. Somalia
141. South Africa
142. South Korea
143. South Sudan
144. Spain
145. Sri Lanka
146. Sudan
147. Suriname
148. Sweden
149. Switzerland
150. Syria
151. Taiwan
152. Tajikistan
153. Tanzania
154. Thailand
155. Togo
156. Tonga
157. Trinidad and Tobago
158. Tunisia

Confederal Constitution 

A confederal constitution is a political system where power is primarily held by the individual states or regions that make up the confederation, with a weak central government that serves mainly to coordinate policies and resolve disputes between member states. In such a system, the states or regions have significant autonomy and retain their own sovereignty.

There are very few countries in the world that currently have a confederal constitution. One example is:

1. Switzerland – Switzerland is a federal republic that operates under a confederal system. The country is divided into 26 cantons (states), each with its own government and constitution. The federal government has limited powers and is primarily responsible for defence, foreign affairs, and the coordination of national policies.

Many countries that were once confederations have since adopted more centralized constitutions. For example, the United States was originally formed as a confederation under the Articles of Confederation, but it later adopted a more centralized constitution with a stronger federal government.

Presidential Constitution 

A presidential constitution is a constitution that establishes a system of government where the president is the head of state and head of government. Examples of countries with a presidential constitution include 

1. United States of America
2. Mexico
3. Brazil
4. Argentina
5. Colombia
6. Peru
7. Chile
8. Venezuela
9. Bolivia
10. Paraguay
11. Uruguay
12. Panama
13. Costa Rica
14. Honduras
15. Guatemala
16. El Salvador
17. Nicaragua
18. Haiti
19. Dominican Republic
20. Liberia
21. Ghana
22. Kenya
23. Uganda
24. Zimbabwe
25. Malawi
26. Zambia
27. South Africa
28. Philippines
29. Indonesia
30. South Korea
31. Taiwan
32. Sri Lanka

It is important to note that some of these countries may have unique variations or nuances in their presidential system, and may also have elements of parliamentary or hybrid systems as well.

Parliamentary Constitution

A parliamentary constitution is a constitution that establishes a system of government where the prime minister and cabinet are responsible to the legislature, and the head of state is typically a figurehead. Examples of countries with a parliamentary constitution include 

1. United Kingdom
2. Canada
3. Australia
4. New Zealand
5. India
6. Japan
7. Italy
8. Spain
9. Germany
10. France
11. Netherlands
12. Sweden
13. Norway
14. Denmark
15. Finland
16. Iceland
17. Ireland
18. Portugal
19. Greece
20. Israel
21. South Korea
22. Thailand
23. Belgium
24. Austria
25. Switzerland
26. Czech Republic
27. Estonia
28. Latvia
29. Lithuania
30. Slovenia
31. Croatia
32. Serbia
33. Montenegro
34. Bosnia and Herzegovina
35. North Macedonia
36. Kosovo
37. Georgia
38. Armenia
39. Moldova
40. Ukraine

It’s worth noting that some of these countries have constitutional monarchies, where the monarch serves as a ceremonial head of state, while others are republics with an elected president. However, in all of these countries, the parliament plays a key role in the government’s decision-making process.

Monarchical Constitution 

A monarchical constitution is a constitution that establishes a system of government where a monarch serves as the head of state, either as a ceremonial figurehead or with actual governing power. Examples of countries with a monarchical constitution include United Kingdom

1. Spain
2. Sweden
3. Norway
4. Denmark
5. Netherlands
6. Belgium
7. Luxembourg
8. Japan
9. Bhutan
10. Thailand
11. Saudi Arabia
12. Kuwait
13. Oman
14. Qatar
15. United Arab Emirates
16. Brunei
17. Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland)
18. Lesotho
19. Cambodia
20. Malaysia
21. Tonga

Republican Constitution

A republican constitution is a constitution that establishes a system of government where power is held by the people or their elected representatives, rather than a monarch. Examples of countries with a republican constitution include 

1. Afghanistan
2. Albania
3. Algeria
4. Angola
5. Argentina
6. Armenia
7. Austria
8. Azerbaijan
9. Bangladesh
10. Belarus
11. Benin
12. Bolivia
13. Bosnia and Herzegovina
14. Brazil
15. Bulgaria
16. Burkina Faso
17. Burundi
18. Cambodia
19. Cameroon
20. Canada
21. Central African Republic
22. Chad
23. Chile
24. China
25. Colombia
26. Comoros
27. Costa Rica
28. Croatia
29. Cuba
30. Cyprus
31. Czech Republic
32. Democratic Republic of the Congo
33. Djibouti
34. Dominica
35. Dominican Republic
36. East Timor
37. Ecuador
38. Egypt
39. El Salvador
40. Equatorial Guinea
41. Eritrea
42. Estonia
43. Ethiopia
44. Fiji
45. Finland
46. France
47. Gabon
48. Gambia
49. Georgia
50. Germany
51. Ghana
52. Greece
53. Guatemala
54. Guinea
55. Guinea-Bissau
56. Guyana
57. Haiti
58. Honduras
59. Hungary
60. Iceland
61. India
62. Indonesia
63. Iran
64. Iraq
65. Ireland
66. Israel
67. Italy
68. Ivory Coast
69. Jamaica
70. Japan
71. Jordan
72. Kazakhstan
73. Kenya
74. Kiribati
75. Kosovo
76. Kuwait
77. Kyrgyzstan
78. Laos
79. Latvia
80. Lebanon
81. Lesotho
82. Liberia
83. Libya
84. Liechtenstein
85. Lithuania
86. Luxembourg
87. Macedonia
88. Madagascar
89. Malawi
90. Malaysia
91. Maldives
92. Mali
93. Malta
94. Mauritania
95. Mauritius
96. Mexico
97. Moldova
98. Monaco
99. Mongolia
100. Montenegro
101. Morocco
102. Mozambique
103. Myanmar (Burma)
104. Namibia
105. Nauru
106. Nepal
107. Netherlands
108. New Zealand
109. Nicaragua
110. Niger
111. Nigeria
112. North Korea
113. Norway
114. Oman
115. Pakistan
116. Palau
117. Palestine
118. Panama
119. Papua New Guinea
120. Paraguay
121. Peru
122. Philippines
123. Poland
124. Portugal
125. Qatar
126. Republic of the Congo
127. Romania
128. Russia
129. Rwanda
130. Saint Kitts and Nevis
131. Saint Lucia
132. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
133. Samoa
134. San Marino
135. Sao Tome and Principe
136. Saudi Arabia
137. Senegal
138. Serbia
139. Seychelles
140. Sierra Leone
141. Singapore
142. Slovakia
143. Slovenia
144. Solomon Islands
145. Somalia
146. South Africa
147. South Korea
148. South Sudan
149. Spain
150. Sri Lanka
151. Sudan
152. Suriname
153. Swaziland
154. Sweden
155. Switzerland
156. Syria
157. Taiwan
158. Tajikistan
159. Tanzania
160. Thailand
161. Togo
162. Tonga
163. Trinidad and Tobago
164. Tunisia
165. Turkey
166. Turkmenistan
167. Tuvalu
168. Uganda
169. Ukraine
170. United Arab Emirates
171. United Kingdom
172. United States of America
173. Uruguay
174. Uzbekistan
175. Vanuatu
176. Vatican City (Holy See)
177. Venezuela
178. Vietnam
179. Yemen
180. Zambia
181. Zimbabwe

Note that some of these countries may have variations in their specific constitutional structures, but they all generally have a republican form of government. Also, this list may be subject to change as countries may alter their political systems or constitutions over time.

Socialist Constitution 

A socialist constitution is a constitution that establishes a system of government that is based on socialist principles, such as collective ownership of the means of production and distribution of wealth. Examples of countries with a socialist constitution include

1. People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
2. Plurinational State of Bolivia
3. People’s Republic of China
4. Republic of Cuba
5. Socialist Republic of Vietnam
6. Lao People’s Democratic Republic
7. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)