In how many countries does an absolute monarchy still exist today?

The United Arab Emirates and absolute monarchy
The United Arab Emirates is a despotic monarchy despite having a federal system with a president and prime minister.

The UAE's federal system comprises seven different monarchies comprising those of the Emirates of Dubai, Fujairah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Abu Dhabi, and Ras al-Khaimah.

Despite seeming to be a constitutional, democratic nation, going by the information above, nothing could be further from the truth. The UAE has been called autocratic by many people.

The UAE is an autocracy that has the appearance of a modern contemporary state, but it is actually a tribal autocracy governed autocratically by the tribal rulers of each of the seven monarchies in the UAE's federation.

Democratically elected institutions do not exist, nor does freedom of speech.