Government-in-exile facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A government-in-exile is a group of people who say they are the real government of a country, but they can't actually rule that country. Instead, they live in another country. These groups usually hope to go back home one day and take control again.

Governments-in-exile are different from a "rump state." A rump state still controls a small part of its own land. For example, during World War I, most of Belgium was taken over by Germany. But Belgium and its friends still held onto a tiny piece of land in the west. So, the Belgian government wasn't fully in exile because it still had some territory. A true government-in-exile has lost all its land.

These governments often form during wars, like when a country is taken over. They can also appear after a civil war, a revolution, or a military takeover. For instance, during World War II, when Nazi Germany was expanding, some European governments went to the United Kingdom to avoid being destroyed.

Sometimes, a government-in-exile forms because many people believe the current rulers are not legitimate or fair. For example, during the Syrian Civil War that started in 2011, a group called the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces was created. Its members wanted to end the rule of the Ba'ath Party.

A government-in-exile might not be recognized by many other countries. How well they do depends on how much support they get. This support can come from foreign governments or from people in their own country. Some exiled governments become very strong and challenge the rulers back home. Others are mostly symbolic, just a way to show that someone still claims to be the rightful leader.

Governments-in-exile existed long before the term was commonly used. In times when kings and queens ruled, exiled monarchs sometimes set up courts in other countries. The House of Stuart did this when they were forced off the throne in England. The House of Bourbon was another example. Other countries still saw them as the true government of France even after the French Revolution overthrew them. As countries started having constitutional monarchies (where a king or queen shares power with a parliament), exiled governments also started to include a prime minister. An example is the Dutch government during World War II.

The main city of a government-in-exile is called a "capital-in-exile." It's located outside the country the government claims to rule. This is different from a "temporary capital," which is still inside the country's controlled territory.

Current Governments in Exile

Governments Some See as "In Exile"

These governments used to control most of their claimed land. Now, they control only a small part, but they still say they are the rightful rulers of the whole territory.

Name	Year of exile	Territory that the government still controls	Government presently controlling claimed territory	Notes	Refs.
Republic of China	1949	Taiwan and associated islands	People's Republic of China	The government of the Republic of China, based in Taipei, does not call itself a government-in-exile. However, some people in the debate about the political status of Taiwan say it is. Besides Taiwan, the Republic of China officially claims land now controlled by the People's Republic of China and parts of other countries. Some argue that Taiwan was not truly given to the Republic of China after World War II, making it a government in exile on foreign land. Others disagree, saying Taiwan was legitimately returned.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	1976	Southeastern parts of Western Sahara	Morocco	This government was declared in 1976 after Spain left Spanish Sahara. It's not strictly a government-in-exile because it controls about 20-25% of its claimed land. But it's often called one because most of its daily work happens in Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria, where many Sahrawi people live in exile.

Deposed Governments in Exile

These governments were started by leaders or rulers who were removed from power but still claim to be the rightful authority.

Deposed Governments of Current States

These governments were founded by leaders who were removed from power but still claim to be the rightful authority of the state they once controlled.

Name	Exile since	State controlling its claimed territory	Notes	Refs.
Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic	1919	Republic of Belarus	This is the oldest government-in-exile in the world. It has been led by Ivonka Survilla since 1997 and is based in Ottawa, Ontario. The current government in Belarus calls it an "extremist formation."
National Unity Government of Myanmar	2021	Republic of the Union of Myanmar (State Administration Council)	This government formed after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. Its members are currently in hiding within Myanmar.

Deposed Governments of De Facto States

These governments were founded by leaders who were removed from power but still claim to be the rightful authority of the state they once controlled, even if their claimed territory is now controlled by another country.

Name	Exile since	State controlling its claimed territory	Notes
Central Tibetan Administration	1959/2011	People's Republic of China (Tibet Autonomous Region)	This government was founded by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, with help from Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Republic of South Maluku	1963/66	Republic of Indonesia (Province of Maluku)	The Republic of South Maluku was an independent state from 1950 to 1963. After its leader was executed in 1966, Johan Manusama formed a government-in-exile based in the Netherlands.
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	2000	Russia (Chechen Republic)	Some members of this government are fighting as rebels against the Russian Armed Forces. It is based in London. In October 2022, Ukraine recognized this government-in-exile as an independent nation.
Government of Artsakh	2023	Republic of Azerbaijan (Karabakh Economic Region, East Zangezur Economic Region)	This government was supposed to end on January 1, 2024, after Artsakh surrendered in the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive. Many people left the area, and a government-in-exile was set up in Yerevan. The President of Artsakh later canceled the dissolution. It is still based in Yerevan.

Deposed Governments of Subnational Territories

These governments-in-exile claim to be the legitimate rulers of parts of another state. They do not claim to be independent countries.

Name	Exile		Current control of claimed territory		Notes	References
Name	since	as	by	as	Notes	References
Fujian Provincial Government	1949	Province	People's Republic of China (Fujian)	Province	This Chinese provincial government moved from its capital in 1949 during the Chinese Civil War. It moved to Kinmen and then to Taipei County. Even though the government was mostly dissolved in 2019, it still officially exists without administrative power.
Sinkiang Provincial Government	1949	Province	People's Republic of China (Xinjiang)	Autonomous region	This government moved to Taipei, Taiwan in 1949 after Sinkiang fell to the communists. It was mostly dissolved in 1992, but it still officially exists without administrative power.
Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia	1993	Autonomous republic	Republic of Abkhazia	de facto independent state	This is a Georgian provincial government. Its territory is controlled by Abkhaz separatists. It is based in Tbilisi.
Provisional Administration of South Ossetia	2008	Provisional administration	Republic of South Ossetia	de facto independent state	This is a Georgian provincial administration. Its territory is controlled by South Ossetian separatists. It is based in Tbilisi.
Autonomous Republic of Crimea	2014	Autonomous republic	Russia	Republic of Crimea	This Ukrainian autonomous republic had its territory taken and annexed by Russia in March 2014. It was based in Kherson until 2022 and now works remotely in Ukraine.
Sevastopol	2014	Special city		Federal city	This Ukrainian special city had its territory taken and annexed by Russia in March 2014. It was based in Kherson until 2022 and now works remotely in Ukraine.
Luhansk Oblast	2022	Oblast		Luhansk People's Republic	This Ukrainian region had part of its territory taken by the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in 2014, and then completely taken in 2022. Russia annexed the LPR on September 30, 2022. It now works remotely in Ukraine.

Alternative Governments in Exile

These governments were started in exile by political groups or opposition parties. They hope to become the actual ruling authorities or claim to be the legal successors to previous governments.

Alternative Governments of Current States

These governments were founded in exile by political groups and opposition parties. They want to become the actual governing authorities or claim to be the legal successors to previously removed governments.

Name	Claimed exile	Exile proclamation	Government presently controlling claimed territory	Notes
Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces	1949		North Korea	This is the South Korean government's temporary administration for the five provinces that became North Korea after World War II. It is based in Seoul.
National Council of Iran	1979	2013	Islamic Republic of Iran	This is a group of forty Iranian opposition political organizations, led by Prince Reza Pahlavi. It is based in Potomac, Maryland.
National Council of Resistance of Iran	1981			This is a group of five Iranian opposition political organizations. The largest is the People's Mujahedin of Iran, led by Maryam and Massoud Rajavi. It is based in Paris and aims to create a "Democratic Republic of Iran."
Iranian Transitional Government	2025			This government was established by Iranian opposition groups in February 2025 at a conference in Munich, Germany. It is led by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Third Republic of Vietnam	1990	1991	Socialist Republic of Vietnam	This group was formed in Orange County, California, by former soldiers and refugees from South Vietnam. The current government in Vietnam calls it a terrorist organization.
Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea	2003		Republic of Equatorial Guinea	This group declared Severo Moto President of Equatorial Guinea. It is based in Madrid.
Ukraine Salvation Committee	2014	2015	Ukraine	After the Revolution of Dignity, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and other pro-Russian members of the government fled to Russia. They set up this government-in-exile, aiming to restore the Azarov government. It is widely seen as a pro-Russian puppet government.
The Provisional Government of Free Joseon	2017		North Korea	This group is based in Seoul. It is known for protecting the family of Kim Jong-nam after his assassination.
Coordination Council United Transitional Cabinet	2020		Republic of Belarus	This group opposes Alexander Lukashenko's rule. It is led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is in exile in Lithuania. Her claimed victory in the disputed election led to protests. The current government in Belarus calls it an "extremist organization."
Congress of People's Deputies	2022		Russian Federation	This is a meeting of former Russian deputies who claim to be a temporary parliament for Russia. It does not recognize the results of the 2024 Russian presidential election. It is based in Jabłonna, Poland.

Alternative Separatist Governments of Current Subnational Territories

These governments were founded in exile by political groups and separatist movements. They want to become the ruling authorities of their territories as independent states.

Name	Claimed exile	Exile proclamation	Government presently controlling claimed territory	Notes
Free City of Danzig Government in Exile	1939	1947	Republic of Poland	This government is based in Berlin.
East Turkistan Government-in-Exile	1949	2004	People's Republic of China	This group campaigns for an independent East Turkistan. It is based in Washington, DC.
United Liberation Movement for West Papua	1963	1969	Republic of Indonesia	This group campaigns for an independent Republic of West Papua. It is based in Vanuatu.
Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra	1970	1999	Federal Republic of Nigeria	This group wants to reestablish the Republic of Biafra. It is based in Washington, DC.
Republic of Cabinda	1975		Republic of Angola	This government is based in Paris.
Tatarstan Government in Exile	1994		Russia	This government is based in London.
(Federal) Republic of Ambazonia	1999		Republic of Cameroon	This former British territory declared independence on December 31, 1999.
Western Kurdistan Government in Exile	2004		Syrian Arab Republic	This group aims to create a Kurdish state in Syria. It is based in London.
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam	2009	2010	Sri Lanka	This group aims to establish an independent state of Tamil Eelam.
Kabyle Provisional Government	2010		Algeria	This group aims for an independent state of Kabylia. It is based in Paris.
Western Armenia Government in Exile^{[hy] [pt] [ru], [simple]}	2011		Turkey	This group aims to establish an independent Republic of Western Armenia. It is based in Yerevan.
Patani government in exile	2014		Thailand
Council for the Republic	2017		Spain	This group aims to establish an independent state of Catalonia. It is based in Brussels.
Balochistan	2025		Pakistan	The Balochistan independence movement wants more freedom or independence for the Baloch people in Pakistan. This region has many resources but is not well developed. The movement is about Baloch rights and control over their land. It has involved violence and concerns about human rights.

Exiled Governments of Non-Self-Governing or Occupied Territories

These governments-in-exile represent territories that are not fully self-governing or are occupied. They claim to be the rightful authority over land they once controlled, or they claim to be the legitimate government after a country gains independence.

The United Nations says that people in these territories have the right to decide their own future, including becoming independent countries.

Name	Exile since	Government presently controlling claimed territory	Notes	Refs.
State of Palestine (Palestinian Authority)	1988	State of Israel (Palestinian territories)	The Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988 was made in exile in Algiers by the Palestine Liberation Organization. This group has acted as the government-in-exile for the State of Palestine. In 1994, the PLO created the Palestinian National Authority to manage the Palestinian territories. This created a complex situation where the Palestinian Authority has limited control on the ground, while the State of Palestine is recognized by many countries as independent but cannot fully act as a sovereign state. Both are led by the same person, currently President Mahmoud Abbas.

Former Governments in Exile

Many governments-in-exile have existed throughout history. Here are some examples.

Name	Exiled or founded (*) since	Defunct, reestablished (*) or integrated (°) since	State that controlled its claimed territory	Notes
Republican Government of Siena	1555	1559	Grand Duchy of Tuscany	After the city of Siena was defeated and taken over, 700 families moved to Montalcino. They declared themselves the rightful government until 1559, when Tuscan troops took Montalcino too.
Exile government of the Electoral Palatinate	1622–1623*	1648°	Electorate of Bavaria	During the Thirty Years' War, the Electoral Palatinate was occupied. Its leader, Frederick V, set up a government-in-exile in The Hague. His son later regained some territory.
Privy Council of England	1649	1660°	Commonwealth of England (1649–1653) Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1653–1659) Commonwealth of England (1659–1660)	This group was based in the Spanish Netherlands and led by Charles II. They supported his claim to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Confederate government of Missouri	1861	1865	State of Missouri	During the American Civil War, Missouri had both Union and Confederate governments. The Confederate government was exiled and operated from Marshall, Texas.
Confederate government of Kentucky	1861	1865	Commonwealth of Kentucky	Kentucky also had both Union and Confederate governments. The Confederate government was forced out of the state and traveled with the Confederate army.
Hanover exile court/Guelphic Legion	1866	1878	Prussia (1866–1867) North German Confederation (1867–1871) German Empire (1871–1878)	After Prussia took over Hanover, King George V of Hanover lived in exile. He kept claiming the throne and even maintained an army in exile until 1870.
Hawaiian Kingdom	1893	1895	Republic of Hawaii	The royal government was exiled after the Hawaiian Revolution of 1893. It ended when Queen Liliuokalani gave up her claim to the throne.
Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea	1919*	1948°	Korea	This government was based in Shanghai and later in Chongqing. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Syngman Rhee became the first president of South Korea.
Government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in Exile	1921	1954	Soviet Union	This government formed after the Soviet invasion of Georgia in 1921. It was based in Leuville-sur-Orge.
Government of the Ukrainian People's Republic in exile	1921	1992	Soviet Union	This government formed after the Soviet invasion of Ukraine in 1921. It ended when the Soviet Union broke apart.
Spanish Republican government in exile	1939	1977°	Spanish State	This government was founded after Francisco Franco's takeover. It was based in Paris and later Mexico City, then back in Paris, until democracy was restored in Spain.
Generalitat de Catalunya	1939	1977°	Spanish State	After the Spanish Civil War, the autonomous government of Catalonia was abolished. However, it continued to exist officially in exile until 1977, when its president returned to Catalonia.
Polish government-in-exile	1939*	1990°	Occupied Poland (1939–1945) Provisional Government of National Unity (1945–1947) People's Republic of Poland (1947–1990)	This government was based in Paris, Angers, and London. It opposed the German occupation and the Soviet-backed government in Poland. It ended after the fall of communism in Poland.
Estonian government-in-exile (Rei)	1940/1953*	1991°	Soviet Union	This government was established in Sweden. It was recognized by the restored Government of Estonia in 1992.
Latvian diplomatic service-in-exile	1940*	1991°
Lithuanian diplomatic service-in-exile	1940*	1991°
Philippine Commonwealth in exile	1942	1944°	Empire of Japan (1943) Second Philippine Republic (1943–1945)	After Japanese forces took over the Philippines, the government led by Manuel Quezon fled to Australia and then the United States. It returned to the Philippines in 1944.
Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia	1948*	1949°	Dutch East Indies	This government was based in Bukittinggi. It formed after a Dutch military action in December 1948 and ended after an agreement in 1949.
All-Palestine Government	1948	1959	Israel Egypt (Gaza Strip) Jordan (West Bank)	This government was declared in Gaza in 1948 but moved to Cairo due to fear of Israeli attacks. It was dissolved by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1959.
Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic	1958*	1962*	French Algeria (France)	This government was established during the Algerian War of Independence. After the war, most of its members joined the new independent government.
Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland	1961	2024	South Korea	This group was part of North Korea's ruling party and aimed to reunite Korea. It was dissolved in 2024 when North Korea said it no longer seeks reunification.
Revolutionary Government of Angola in Exile	1962*	1992°	People's Republic of Angola	This government was based in Kinshasa. Its military branch is now a political party in Angola.
Namibian Government in Exile	1966*	1989°	South Africa	This government formed to oppose South Africa's rule over South-West Africa. Namibia became independent in 1990.
Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh	1971*	1972°	East Pakistan	This government was based in Calcutta and led by Tajuddin Ahmad during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
Crown Council of Ethiopia	1974	2004°	Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia	This group opposed the communist government in Ethiopia and wanted to bring back the monarchy. It was based in the Washington D.C. area. In 2004, it changed its focus to cultural preservation.
Free Aceh Movement	1976*	2005	Republic of Indonesia	This group was based in Turkey. It gave up its goal of independence and dissolved its armed forces after a peace agreement in 2005.
Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea	1982*	1993°	People's Republic of Kampuchea	This government was recognized by the UN and opposed the Vietnamese-backed government. It was integrated into the new Kingdom of Cambodia after elections in 1993.
Council of Khalistan	1984	mid-1990s	Republic of India	This organization was created in 1980 by separatist leader Jagjit Singh Chohan, who declared himself president. He announced a government-in-exile in 1984.
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma	1990	2012	Union of Myanmar (1988–2011) Republic of the Union of Myanmar	This government was led by Sein Win and included members of parliament elected in 1990 who were not allowed to take office by the military. It was based in Rockville, Maryland.
Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh	1994	2021°	Azerbaijan	This was an Azerbaijani association, not a real government-in-exile. Its territory was controlled by Armenians between 1991 and 2020. It was dissolved in 2021 after most of Nagorno-Karabakh returned to Azerbaijani control.
Kurdish Parliament in Exile	1995	1999	Republic of Türkiye	This group was based in The Hague. It was founded in April 1995 and dissolved in 1999.
Government of Free Vietnam	1995*	2013°	Socialist Republic of Vietnam	This was an anti-communist political group based in Garden Grove, California. It was dissolved in 2013.
Bongo Doit Partir	1998	2009	Gabon	This group was founded by Daniel Mengara to oppose President Omar Bongo. After Bongo's death in 2009, Mengara returned to Gabon to participate in elections.
Quetta Shura	2001	2021	Islamic Republic of Afghanistan	This group was based in Quetta, Balochistan Province, Pakistan. It organized and directed an insurgency to retake Afghanistan, which it achieved in August 2021.
Royal Lao Government in Exile	2003	2023	Lao People's Democratic Republic	This group opposed the communist government in Laos and wanted to establish a constitutional monarchy. It was based in Gresham, Oregon.
Interim Government of Federated Shan States	2005	2006	Union of Myanmar	This group aimed to create an independent state for the Shan people. It ended within a few months.
Syrian Interim Government	2013	2025	Syrian Arab Republic	This group opposed Ba'athist Syria and was based in Azaz.
New Zaire Government in Exile	2017	2024	Democratic Republic of Congo	This government was established in Brussels by Congolese politician Christian Malanga. Malanga was killed during an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Congolese government in May 2024.

World War II Governments in Exile

Many countries set up governments-in-exile after losing their independence during World War II.

Governments in London

Many European governments-in-exile were set up in London.

Name	Leaders
Belgian government in exile	Prime Minister: Hubert Pierlot
Czechoslovak government-in-exile	President: Edvard Beneš Prime Minister: Jan Šrámek
Free France	Charles de Gaulle, Henri Giraud, French Committee of National Liberation (from 1943)
Greek government-in-exile	King George II Prime Minister: Emmanouil Tsouderos (1941–1944), Sofoklis Venizelos (1944), Georgios Papandreou (1944–1945)
Luxembourg government in exile	Grand Duchess Charlotte Prime Minister: Pierre Dupong
Dutch government-in-exile	Queen Wilhelmina Prime Minister: Dirk Jan de Geer (1940), Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (1940–1945)
Norwegian government-in-exile	King Haakon VII Prime Minister: Johan Nygaardsvold
Polish government-in-exile	President: Władysław Raczkiewicz Prime Minister: Władysław Sikorski (1939–1943), Stanisław Mikołajczyk (1943–1944), Tomasz Arciszewski (1944–1945)
Yugoslav government-in-exile	King Peter II Prime Minister: Dušan Simović (1941–1942), Slobodan Jovanović (1942–1943), Miloš Trifunović (1943), Božidar Purić (1943–1944), Ivan Šubašić (1944–1945)
Austrian Democratic Union (Unrecognized)
Danish Freedom Council (Unrecognized)
Free Thai Movement (Unrecognized)

Other exiled leaders in Britain during this time included King Zog of Albania and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.

Occupied Denmark did not set up a government-in-exile. Its government stayed in Denmark and worked somewhat independently until August 1943, when it was dissolved. This put Denmark under full German occupation. Meanwhile, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands were occupied by the Allies and separated from Denmark.

Governments-in-Exile in Asia

The Philippine Commonwealth (invaded December 9, 1941) set up a government-in-exile. It was first in Australia and then in the United States.

The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea continued in exile in China until the end of World War II.

After the fall of Java and the surrender by the Dutch in March 1942, many Dutch officials fled to Australia. On December 23, 1943, the Royal Dutch Government declared an official Netherlands East Indies government-in-exile on Australian soil.

Axis-Aligned Governments in Exile

Later in World War II, as the German army was pushed back, some groups that supported the Axis powers set up "governments-in-exile." They did this in remaining Axis territory, even though internationally recognized governments were in place in their home countries. Their main goal was to recruit and organize military units of their people in the host country.

Name	Exiled or founded (*) since	Defunct, reestablished (*) or integrated (°) since	State that controlled its claimed territory	Notes
Azad Hind	21 October 1943*	18 August 1945	British Raj	The Provisional Government of Free India, or Azad Hind, was founded to oppose the British Raj. It was based in Rangoon and later Port Blair. Subhas Chandra Bose was its leader. This government was dissolved in 1945 after the Axis powers were defeated.
Montenegrin State Council	Summer of 1944	8 May 1945	Kingdom of Yugoslavia	After the Germans left Montenegro, the fascist leader Sekula Drljević founded a government-in-exile in Zagreb. He also created the Montenegrin National Army. His government was dissolved after the fall of the Independent State of Croatia.
Legionary Romania	August 1944	8 May 1945	Kingdom of Romania	Germany released Horia Sima to establish a pro-Axis government-in-exile in Vienna after a pro-Allied government took power in Romania. This government raised a Romanian National Army that fought with Germany.
Sigmaringen Governmental Commission	7 September 1944*	23 April 1945°	Provisional Government of the French Republic	Members of the French government that collaborated with Germany were moved to the Sigmaringen enclave in Germany. They became a government-in-exile until April 1945.
Kingdom of Bulgaria	16 September 1944*	10 May 1945	Kingdom of Bulgaria (Fatherland Front)	This government formed after a coup brought socialists to power in Bulgaria. It was based in Vienna and raised a Bulgarian Regiment for the SS.
Hellenic State	September 1944	April 1945	Kingdom of Greece	After Greece was liberated, a new government that had collaborated with the Axis was established in Vienna. It was captured in April 1945.
Hungarian Government of National Unity	28/29 March 1945	7 May 1945	Czechoslovak Republic Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Romania Kingdom of Yugoslavia	The Szálasi government fled as the Soviet army advanced through Hungary. It was based in Vienna and then Munich. Most of its leaders were arrested after the Allied victory.
Slovak Republic	4 April 1945	8 May 1945	Czechoslovak Republic	The government of the Slovak Republic, led by Jozef Tiso, went into exile in Austria when the Red Army took Bratislava. It surrendered to American forces in May 1945.
Second Philippine Republic	11 June 1945	17 August 1945	Philippine Commonwealth	After Allied forces liberated the Philippines, the Second Philippine Republic became a government-in-exile based in Nara/Tokyo. It was dissolved in August 1945.
Croatian Government in exile	10 April 1951	28 December 1959	Yugoslavia	Many former members of the Croatian government fled to Argentina and formed a government-in-exile there.

Persian Gulf War

After Ba'athist Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait in August 1990, during the Persian Gulf War, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his government fled to Saudi Arabia. They set up a government-in-exile in Ta'if. This government was very wealthy because it had access to Kuwaiti money in Western banks. It used this money to run a huge campaign to get support for war against Iraq. In March 1991, after Iraq was defeated, the Sheikh and his government returned to Kuwait.

Municipal Councils in Exile

After the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974, many Greek Cypriots were forced to leave North Cyprus. Because of this, the displaced people from several towns set up "municipal councils in exile." These councils are led by mayors in exile. The idea is to show that they are still the rightful rulers, even though they don't control the land, and they hope to regain control one day. For example, the exiled Municipal Council of Lapithos meets in temporary offices in Nicosia.

In the Famagusta District of Cyprus, the part controlled by the Republic of Cyprus considers itself a "District administration in exile." This is because the district's main city, Famagusta, has been under Turkish control since 1974.

Fictional Governments in Exile

Sometimes, books and movies about alternate histories or the future include fictional governments-in-exile.

In Len Deighton's SS-GB, the UK is defeated in World War II and occupied by Germany. The story features a British government-in-exile in Washington, D.C..
In If Israel Lost the War by Robert Littell, Richard Z. Chesnoff, and Edward Klein, Israel is defeated in the 1967 Six-Day War and its land is occupied. David Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir then set up an Israeli government-in-exile in North America.
Algis Budrys' The Falling Torch is set in a future where Earth has been conquered by aliens. Many years later, the Earth government-in-exile, located on a human colony planet, holds meetings. They feel hopeless because their hosts don't really care about Earth's problems.