Governor

There can also be non-political governors: governors who simply govern an institution, such as a corporation or a bank. For example, in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries there are prison governors ("warden" in the United States), school governors and bank governors.

Rome

The English word "governor" derives from the Latin word "gubernātor" (from which the adjective "gubernatorial" is taken). In ancient Rome, a governor was an official charged with the administration of a Roman province. Often, a governor would have served as a consul or a praetor in Rome before being dispatched, but this was not always the case – less important provinces might be governed by a prefect, and (after the end of the Republic) provinces under direct control of the Emperor would be governed by a legate. The main functions of a Roman governor were to collect taxes, supervise government expenditure, command the local military forces, and administer Roman law.

British Empire and Commonwealth

In the British Empire a governor was originally an official appointed by the British monarch to oversee one of his colonies. Because of the different constitutional histories of the various former colonies of the United Kingdom, the name now refers to officials with differing amounts of power.

Today crown colonies of the United Kingdom continue to be administered by a governor, who holds varying degrees of power. (Sovereign) Commonwealth Realms have Governors-General who represent the authority of the British Monarch.

See also:

• Administrator of the Government
• Governor-General
• Governor of Hong Kong
• High Commissioner
• Lieutenant Governor

  Australia

The difference in terminology between the Australian state Governors and the Canadian provincial Lieutenant Governors is significant. In the Australian case, the Governor nominally derives power directly from the monarch and is in practice nominated by the Premier of a state. In the Canadian case, the Lieutenant Governor nominally is appointed by the Governor-General and in practice is named by the federal Prime Minister.

See also:

• Governor of New South Wales
• Governor of Queensland
• Governor of South Australia
• Governor of Tasmania
• Governor of Victoria
• Governor of Western Australia
• List of Governors of New South Wales
• List of Governors of Queensland
• List of Governors of South Australia
• List of Governors of Tasmania
• List of Governors of Victoria
• List of Governors of Western Australia

  India

Malaysia

In Malaysia the states of Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak each have a ceremonial Governor or Yang di-Pertua Negeri appointed by the King Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

Nigeria

Northern Ireland

Papua New Guinea

Sri Lanka

United Kingdom overseas territories

In the United Kingdom's remaining overseas territories the governor is normally a direct appointee of the British Government and plays an active role in governing and lawmaking (though usually with the advice of elected local representatives). In some minor overseas territories there is instead of a Governor an Administrator or Commissioner.

People's Republic of China

In the People's Republic of China, the title "Governor" (省长) refers to the highest ranking executive of a Provincial Government. The Governor is usually placed second in the provincial power hierarchy, below the Provincial CPC Secretary (省委书记), who serves as the highest ranking Party official in the Province. A Governor can be also used when referring to a County Governor (县长).

United States

In the United States, the title Governor refers to the chief executive of each state. The governor may also assume additional roles, such as the Commander-in-Chief of the State National Guard forces (when not federalized) as well as the final legal judicial appellate authority for criminal sentences involving capital punishment.

In all states, the individual is directly elected and has considerable practical powers, though this is moderated by the state legislature and in some cases by other elected executive officials. In colonial America, the governor was the representative of the monarch who exercised executive power. During the American Revolutionary War, the royal governors were all expelled, but the name was retained to denote the new elected official.

See: List of United States Governors for past and present governors.

• Lieutenant Governor
• Governor of California
• Governor of Columbus, GA
• Governors of American Samoa
• Governors of Guam
• Governors of Northern Mariana Islands
• Governors of Puerto Rico
• Governors of U.S. Virgin Islands

  Mexico

  
  The elected heads of Mexico's 31 federal states are styled "governors" (gobernadores), closely following the U.S. model. See: List of Mexican state governors.
  

  South America

  
  Many of the South American republics – such as Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and others – have provinces or states run by elected governors, with offices similar in nature to US state governors.
  

  Other countries

  
  Other countries with colonies in Asia, Africa and other areas, such as Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands gave some, but not all, of the top representatives of their colonies the title of governor. Currently, the counties of Sweden, the provinces of China and Finland, the states of Indonesia and some of the administrative devisions of Russia are among the areas which have leaders with the title of governor. In the Netherlands, the leaders of the provinces were known as governors from 1814 until 1850, when their title was changed to king's commissioner, and later to queen's commissioner.