Comment on A CIA website was out of date about who runs the UKparentComments−heavenlyblue4yleader with head of stateI am not a native speaker - what is the difference between these two words?−frederikvs4yIn e.g. a monarchy, the head of state is the king or queen. In many monarchies these days, this person tends to have very little actual power.The leader of a country is the person leading it, e.g. a president, prime minister, or similar.Sometimes the term head of government is also used, which I think is usually the same as the leader of the country.−joshuaissac4yIn parliamentary republics, the president is the head of state (and has little actual power), while the prime minister is the head of government.
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I am not a native speaker - what is the difference between these two words?
In e.g. a monarchy, the head of state is the king or queen. In many monarchies these days, this person tends to have very little actual power.
The leader of a country is the person leading it, e.g. a president, prime minister, or similar.
Sometimes the term head of government is also used, which I think is usually the same as the leader of the country.
In parliamentary republics, the president is the head of state (and has little actual power), while the prime minister is the head of government.