Lists about modern and historical heads of state and world leaders—their struggles, their actions, their eccentricities, and other things written about them by their admirers and their enemies.

The People in Power

History

While they may tower over peoples&#39; daily lives, many world leaders actually come up a bit short when it comes to height. In fact, throughout history many powerful leaders fell on the punier side,&nbsp;some not even making it to five&nbsp;feet! These super short historical figures&nbsp;still made a big impact on the world, and not always in a good way. One of the shortest leaders on this list was responsible for the death of about 20 million people. Do you think it&rsquo;s because he had a Napoleon complex? Fun fact:&nbsp;Napoleon Bonaparte is actually tied for the tallest of these short world leaders.

Some psychologists claim that <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-short-male-singers/celeb-stalker">short people in positions of power</a> tend to perceive themselves as being taller. Many members of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/british-monarchs-sizes/setareh-janda" target="_blank">British monarchy have equated their height to their royal power</a>. A lot of these short leaders also employ tricks to make themselves seem taller to the public, like manipulating camera angles and wearing platform shoes. You&rsquo;ll be really surprised at how short some of these leaders are (or were), because you probably expected them to be giants with all that power in their hands.

26 Intimidating World Leaders Who You Never Realized Were Super Short

Person

26 Super Short World Leaders Who Were Still Really Imposing

Katia Kleyman

Weird History

Modern technology has done a lot to aid in our understanding of the past;&nbsp;from DNA tests to satellite imagery to audio engineering, scholars and non-scholars&nbsp;alike can explore what life was like for our ancestors and how they&nbsp;continue&nbsp;to impact the world around us. Through the shared efforts of archaeologists, forensic scientists, and graphic artists, we&#39;ve gained a better&nbsp;understanding of individuals and&nbsp;produced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/3d-recreations-of-historical-figures/stephanroget" target="_blank">facial reconstructions of historical figures</a>. But bringing history alive isn&#39;t always easy, especially when there&#39;s a paucity of historical evidence with which to&nbsp;work.

Luckily, ancient Egyptian&nbsp;mummification&nbsp;methods offer unique insights into the faces of famous pharaohs. Using skeletons and&nbsp;masks, alongside an extensive understanding of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/everyday-life-in-ancient-egypt/katia-kleyman" target="_blank">daily life in ancient Egypt</a>,&nbsp;professionals across disciplines are bringing&nbsp;new life to some of the best-known rulers who have&nbsp;ever lived.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Here’s What Famous Pharaohs Looked Like When They Were Alive

Innovative CGI Programs Show What Egyptian Pharaohs Actually Looked Like

Melissa Sartore

Power and height have been associated for a long time. For centuries, members of the British monarchy <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/british-monarchs-sizes/setareh-janda" target="_blank">tied their height to their royal power</a>. However,&nbsp;in reality, most of our prominent world leaders aren&#39;t particularly tall.

Barack Obama stands about 6&rsquo;1&quot;, David Cameron the same, former prime minister of Canada&nbsp;Stephen Harper is&nbsp;about 6&rsquo;2&quot;. Tall, but not extremely impressive. The majority of the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2832487/They-political-giants-tall-world-leaders-Putin-s-shorter-looks-Obama-towers-Tony-Abbott-Canada-s-PM-stands-rest-G20.html">G20</a> leaders stand somewhere in the five-foot range. But these guys are shrimps compared to the giant historical figures and modern-day leaders on this list. There are some leaders of tremendous stature&nbsp;that stood over 6&rsquo;5&quot;, and one tremendous king who was over <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-over-7-feet-tall/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">seven feet tall</a>. Yes, these are indeed some wicked tall people from history.

Fun tidbit: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150821064149/https://psychcentral.com/news/2012/01/24/power-linked-to-perception-of-height/34028.html" target="_blank">Psychologists claim</a> people who hold a lot of power tend to overestimate their heights.&nbsp;

16 World Leaders Who Were (Or Are) Tall AF

16 World Leaders Who Were or Are Tall AF

Lists about brave, brilliant, and fascinating women who have changed the whole entire world.

Amazing Women You Should Know

Female Professionals

While women rulers have led great empires as hereditary monarchs since ancient times, the first appointed female head of state didn&#39;t take office until 1960, when Sirivamo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka became the world&#39;s first female elected Premier, serving as head of the government. In 1974, Isabel Peron was secretly sworn in as President of Argentina following the death of her husband, Argentinian strongman Juan Peron, becoming the first woman in history to hold the top position of power.

Since then, it&#39;s become more and more common for women to be elected as the leaders of their nations. Many of the most powerful countries on earth, including Germany, India, Brazil, South Korea, Israel, Chile, and the United Kingdom have elected or appointed women as their heads of state. These women presidents and prime ministers have had command of nuclear weapons, powerful economies, vast populations, and - most importantly - the respect of their people.

Here is the complete list of current presidents or heads of government who are women.

Female Presidents Currently in Office

Politician

Female Presidents | List of Current Women Who Are Heads of State

Mike Rothschild

Underrated

History is filled with the stories of larger-than-life rulers, many of whom have become household names. Figures like Henry VIII, Elizabeth I,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/alexander-empire-died/michael-muir">Alexander the Great</a>, Augustus, Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra loom large in the public imagination, thanks in no small part to the way popular culture has drawn on their lives. However, it is also important to pay attention to some of the lesser-known rulers who managed to leave an impact on history, even though they have not been nearly as well-remembered as their more famous counterparts.&nbsp;These are the people like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/real-story-of-queen-anne/setareh-janda">Queen Anne of Great Britain</a>, Livia the wife of Augustus, King Louis XVIII. Looking at their lives in greater detail is a fascinating exercise in seeing a whole new side of history.

15 Fascinating Rulers You've Probably Never Heard Of - That Made History

Rulers You've Probably Never Heard Of - That Made History

Thomas West

Current Politics

It's never easy to be a leader, and for many, life at the top can be <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/heads-state-died-office/michael-muir?ref=profile_own">dangerous</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/shortest-reigning-monarchs-from-history/setareh-janda">short</a>. There are also times when states, countries, or empires go through a series of leaders with bewildering speed.Whether it's the chaotic final days of a disastrous conflict, the rebuilding period afterward, or just plain bad luck, this collection looks at various times in history when the turnover at the top was ridiculously rapid.

12 Times In History Turnover At The Top Got Ridiculous

General

M. Muir

Throughout history, there have been many female world leaders who have made a profound impact on the world. From&nbsp;presidents to heads of state to outspoken activists, the women below made a huge impact on history, culture, and the world at large. While all these women have inarguably been influential, who is the most important female world leader of all time? Help decide below!&nbsp;Around the world, historic female leaders often took positions of power when it was unconventional and even controversial to do so and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/powerful-photos-of-women/amber-hubert" target="_blank">altered history</a>&nbsp;as a result.&nbsp;These pioneers&nbsp;paved the way for current powerful female leaders.&nbsp;Without the efforts of&nbsp;groundbreaking women like <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-eleanor-roosevelt/nicky-benson" target="_blank">Eleanor Roosevelt</a> and Madeleine Albright, leaders like Theresa May and Angela Merkel may never have had the opportunities they have today. Vote up the most important female leaders below and feel free to add any influential women you see missing!&nbsp;

The Most Important Female World Leaders of All Time

The Most Important Female World Leaders of All Time, Ranked

Ranker News

Donald Trump is a business mogul and one of the most entertaining people in modern media. In 2020, he's also one of the most polarizing—and potentially dangerous—figures in world history. 

Trump's America

Donald Trump

In November 2017, just shy of one year in office, President <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/donald-trump-stories/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>’s approval ratings hit an <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/05/politics/wapo-abc-poll-nov-5/index.html" target="_blank">all-time historic low</a>. If 59% of the American public disapproves of his <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/every-wtf-week-of-the-trump-administration/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">administration</a>, imagine what other politicians say about Trump. The president is certainly not one to hold back his opinions on anything, and it looks like several political leaders around the world have become an open book regarding Number 45 as well.Read politician quotes about Donald Trump, and you'll see he’s been called an idiot, labeled unchristian, and has even been compared to Hitler and Mussolini. In fact, it’s difficult to find a single world leader who has come out in favor of President Trump. His international policies on everything from the Muslim ban to the Wall to the Paris Agreement&nbsp;have made him one of the most unpopular presidents in the history of the United States. One thing is clear: many of the United States’s historic allies do not trust the president or think he's doing a good job. These world leaders on Donald Trump have been incredibly frank in their opinions. Sorry, Mr. President – this is not fake news.

Here's What World Leaders Really Think Of Donald Trump

Ann Casano

Lists about some of the worst people to ever live and the very bad ways things they did when they let their power go to their heads.

Real Historical Villains

World Leaders

The actors who played&nbsp;history&#39;s worst villains are an incredible bunch. Some, like Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Duvall, are huge stars, others are lesser-known. Some are bankable American performers, while others are foreign actors who shined in lesser-seen films. Many of them are still living and working to this day, whereas others passed decades ago. Regardless of circumstance, what they all have in common is a willingness to put personal vanity aside in order to portray historical figures who are deeply unsympathetic and, in certain instances, actual <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-maniacs-behind-the-worst-genocides-in-history/barbara-gaston" target="_blank">perpetrators of genocide</a>.

The task is daunting&nbsp;because of the ever-present temptation to chew the scenery or end up veering into caricature. In the best cases, these actors avoid such pitfalls. Instead, they seek to illuminate the ruthlessness, narcissism, or just plain evil that resided inside these individuals. Because of their efforts, viewers are better able to understand that which seems impossible to understand at first glance. In the process, they give indelible performances that will continue to resonate for a long time.

Which actor did the best job playing one of the worst people in history? Your votes will decide.

The Greatest Actor Portrayals Of The Worst People In History

Actor

Mike McGranaghan

It would serve to reason that if you&#39;re a champion at creating a bad time, you&#39;d be familiar with its polar opposite, the good time, right? As it turns out, some of the <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-all-time-worst-people-in-history" target="_blank">worst people in history</a> really knew how to party. These aren&#39;t people you want to see having a good time, but like it or not, history&#39;s worst dictators and world leaders took some time to have a little fun every now and again. And sometimes, they took pictures.

What do dictators do for fun? Were any of the worst people who ever lived ever just regular people?

From Fidel Castro getting in a round of golf&nbsp;to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/51-best-pictures-of-kim-jong-un-looking-at-things-v1/ariel-kana" target="_blank">Kim Jong-un thrill-seeking</a> on a roller coaster to Hitler enjoying a few laughs by the lake - the worst people who ever lived were out having a good time when they weren&#39;t adding pain and suffering to other people&#39;s lives.

If these pictures of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-evil-dictators-that-existed/demon_boy" target="_blank">tyrannical historical figures</a> having fun are any indicator, there was a little spark of everyday life in some of history&#39;s worst.&nbsp;

15 Infuriating Photos of History's Most Evil People Having The Best Time Ever

Beau Iverson

Historical Figures

Leading a country is a dangerous business. Many a king was taken out before his time, but the era of elected leaders hasn’t been all that much safer for those at the top.&nbsp;The Grim Reaper has cut down eight US presidents while still in office (four by illness, four by assassination), which makes for a current mortality rate of 17% - far higher than any other dangerous occupation in the country. Across the world, most nations have similar tales of leaders who met their makers a little sooner than expected.This collection looks at how international heads of state didn’t live to see the end of their terms; for the purposes of this list, we're limiting items to one per country.

How 12 Heads Of State Who Died In Office Actually Went Out

Lists about the alleged secret society that allegedly control allegedly pretty much everything in the known alleged world.

The Illuminati

It's not just politicians and leaders in the United States who are rumored to be in the Illuminati. Numerous prime ministers, royalty, international officials, and dictators around the world are also linked to the Cabal. The same goes for powerful world leaders from recent history, some of whom had their hands in the most destructive deception of all time: World War II. When it comes to world leaders in the Illuminati, there are some from all over the globe.The world leaders listed here, past and present, all have alleged ties to the Illuminati, satanists, and/or lizard people aliens. From Queen Elizabeth and other British royalty, to prime ministers, Germany's chancellor, United Nations officials, and even the Pope, there are notable politicians from all corners of the planet who just might be involved with the Illuminati.Which world leaders are Illuminati members? Read through the list below to find out who has been linked to the mysterious, shadowy organization, and why.

World Leaders (Allegedly) In The Illuminati

Global Politicians and World Leaders in Illuminati

Lists of famous people with tattoos and pics of their unique ink.

Celebrity Skin

Tattoos are much more accepted nowadays than they used to be. In the past, tattoos had a certain negative connotation associated with them. While that&#39;s not entirely gone now, it&#39;s definitely subsided considerably. With that in mind, it might be surprising to learn that there are many world leaders with tattoos, and even more past world leaders with tattoos than you would have ever expected.&nbsp;

President Barack Obama might not have any tattoos (that we know of), but a couple of former US&nbsp;presidents certainly did. Canadian&nbsp;Prime Minister Justin Trudeau&nbsp;has a tattoo, and there are several congressmen and congresswomen past and present who have tattoos. Tattoos are all over the political landscape, but many politicians choose to keep them out of sight when it comes time for pictures.

There still aren&#39;t any world leaders with face tattoos, but the Czech Republic almost claimed that throne when&nbsp;Vladimir Franz -&nbsp;a man with a full-fledged face tattoo - ran for president. It&#39;s becoming more and more acceptable for politicians with tattoos to put them on public display, though many, if not most, still choose to keep them covered most of the time. 

Check out this list of some of the most interesting politicians who have tattoos. You might even get some ideas for your next tattoo!

19 World Leaders Who Have Tattoos

Jordan Love

They don&#39;t hand out nicknames like &quot;the Great&quot; to just anyone. History has seen its share of the Greats, with the works and deeds of such titleholders varying as much as their origins, eras, and cultures. How does one achieve &quot;the Great&quot; status, or quantify such a distinction? Plenty of ways. The number of buildings or statues constructed, for example. Or the amount of art produced. How about progress in science, technology, or medicine? Improvements to political structures?

Then again, this lofty title is often bestowed upon those who earned it the hard way - the bloody way. You can&#39;t expand borders, conquer armies, and exponentially enhance wealth without breaking a few eggs. Some so-called Greats have broken the boundaries, taboos, or social structures of their time. Some have been tyrants, others beneficent caretakers, and others still have been various shades in between. From&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-battles-of-alexander-the-great/reference" target="_blank">Alexander</a> to Peter to Catherine, here are the historical figures who have been bestowed with that rare and simple title: the Great. Vote up the Greats most worthy of the name.

Historical Leaders Called 'The Great,' Ranked By Greatness

Renata Carmen

While many world leaders have followed &quot;traditional&quot; career paths of law or the military to rise through the ranks of their country&#39;s government, others have taken more unusual routes to political power.

For instance, it is well-known that Ronald Reagan was an actor in Hollywood prior to pursuing his political career, and Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer - but how many people are aware that the current president of Ukraine and the current leader of Guatemala both portrayed fictional heads of state on television? Or that Harry Truman sold ties and belts as the co-owner of a haberdashery? Or that the current president of Turkmenistan previously worked on his predecessor&#39;s teeth?

Whether&nbsp;taken to support their family or help pay for schooling - or even in pursuit of a true passion - here are world leaders&#39; most surprising jobs&nbsp;before they rose to power.

The Most Surprising Jobs Held By People Who Later Became World Leaders

The Most Surprising Jobs Held By People Who Became World Leaders

TGWrites

History is replete with enormous empires that rise from humble beginnings, conquer multiple continents and cultures, spread over the face of the Earth, and then collapse - often the victim of a younger, hungrier empire. This cycle is repeated throughout the millennia, from the largest to the smallest scales.

At its height, the British Empire ruled nearly a quarter of the world&#39;s population, and in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Mongol Empire became the most massive land empire in history. You&#39;ve probably heard of them. But what about the smallest kingdoms in the world, sovereign states that could comfortably fit inside your local school district?

The following are among the smallest kingdoms in history. Vote up the ones that prove size isn&#39;t everything.

Historical Rulers With The Smallest Kingdoms

Alby Thompson

World Leaders lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of world leaders lists and rankings

World Leaders lists on Ranker

Barack Obama

George W. Bush

Jesus Christ

Muhammad

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nikola Tesla

Albert Einstein

Isaac Newton

List of the Greatest Minds of All Time, throughout history. This list represents the most influential thinkers across various disciplines, ranked in a way that represents the power of their ideas and their impact on the world. The wisest men and women include <a href="/list/top-philosophers-ever-/jedralski">top philosophers,</a> physicists, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/notable-poet_s)/reference">famous poets</a>, thinkers, teachers, physiologists, artists, inventors, engineers, <a href="/list/the-most-irreplaceable-ceos-in-the-world/ready-to-startup">the most irreplaceable CEOs in the world</a>, economists and politicians and those whose talents span across many fields of study.This list takes a historic perspective, so the greatest thinkers who are included on this list come from many different eras. The greatest minds of the 21st century may be quite different from great geniuses from the distant past, but each person should be judged within the context of the time that they were living. For example, inventing a new type of telephone in 2013 would not qualify one as &quot;the most brilliant mind of all time,&quot; but in 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell first patented the telephone, it was an act of genius not seen before. See Also: <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-most-influential-people-of-all-time">The Most Influential People of All Time.</a>

The Greatest Minds of All Time

Greatest Minds of All Time |  List of Genius Thinkers in History 

Walter Graves

A look at major events that happened a long time ago and the people who played the biggest roles in shaping the world as we know it.

Historical Facts & Figures

Celebrating the life of Stan Lee (1922-2018). the creator of all your favorite Marvel superheroes, from Ant-Man to Yondu.

Stan 'The Man' Lee

This is a list of the most <a href="/list/important-historical-figures-not-taught-in-school/genevieve-carlton" target="_blank">influential people</a> of all of human history. This means that the individuals on this list have had a significant effect on how regular people live their lives today and have had a large impact on how modern society works. The names on this list include iconic religious figures, recognizable scientists and inventors, and some of the most powerful&nbsp;<a href="/crowdranked-list/the-most-important-leaders-in-world-history" target="_blank">important leaders in world history</a>. Vote for your top choices and re-rank this list your way.&nbsp;What makes an individual worthy of a spot on a list of the most influential people ever? Certainly, some of the <a href="/list/greatest-minds-of-all-time/walter-graves" target="_blank">greatest minds of all time</a> deserve to be ranked highly. Examples include Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Isaac Newton, and certainly <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-historical-figure-facts-09252020/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">Albert Einstein</a>. Each one of these incredible and inspirational&nbsp;people used the power of their minds to change the world. Not surprisingly, several names on this list are also among the most <a href="/crowdranked-list/famous-role-models-we_d-like-to-meet-in-person" target="_blank">famous role models we'd like to meet in person</a>.Featuring historical figures, interesting men, and impactful people, this list of the world's most legendary figures have had all kinds of effects on the biggest and historic events.And modern-era figures also deserve to be listed here. Can anyone argue that Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg aren't among the <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-most-influential-contemporary-americans" target="_blank">most influential contemporary Americans</a>? It's time to add your opinions on who you believe are the most&nbsp;influential&nbsp;people&nbsp;in&nbsp;history, with your votes and your rankings.

William Shakespeare

The Legacy Of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The Most Influential People of All Time

Ranker Community

Everything you didn't know about the so-called leaders of the free world, from their favorite foods to their pets' names.

U.S. Presidents

The worst U.S. presidents of all time, measured by their negative impact on the nation, its citizens health and happiness, and its future prosperity. (In some cases -&nbsp;such as the popular selections of Warren G. Harding and Richard Nixon -&nbsp;the negative view of the president and his administration is due to various scandals and perceived corruption within its ranks. Nixon remains the only president to step down from the office amid&nbsp;threats of impeachment.)Much of a president's job -&nbsp;including serving as the figurative head of the American state and setting the nation's general legislative and diplomatic agenda -&nbsp;is sort of intangible and hard to evaluate in strict &quot;good vs. bad&quot; terms. This makes any list of the &quot;best&quot; or &quot;worst&quot; US presidents essentially subjective, and though there were administrations with a significant series of positive or negative outcomes, it's rarely clear just how much these had to do with the person in office and how many were simply due to accidents of fate or circumstance. Nonetheless, in particularly extraordinary cases -&nbsp;such as the administration of Abraham Lincoln, which kept the nation intact during the Civil War crisis, or the administration of Andrew Johnson immediately after that threatened the entire success of the Reconstruction project -&nbsp;it is clear which presidents did an overall good or bad job.So who were the worst presidents of all time? We're ranking them here, based on your votes! When you've had enough political negativity, be sure to check out Ranker's ultimate uplifting presidential list: <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-u-s-presidents-from-best-to-worst" target="_blank">The Best US Presidents</a>.