Can You Name These World Leaders?

By: Tasha Moore
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You Name These World Leaders?
Image: Wiki Commons by G20 Argentina/Alex Guibord/ Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr

About This Quiz

Now is your chance to learn more about the world leaders you read so much about. Take this word leaders quiz and see how many heads of state you can identify without scratching your head. There are a few facts given with each question to narrow down the choices if you should stumble along this brief scholastic journey of world politics.

All around the world, there are regular people performing astonishing tasks. Our world leaders are among the few who get to showcase their unique talents on the world stage. Look past the news headlines and peer a bit into their lives, and you will discover commonalities shared by all. Many leaders come from humble beginnings, many started out their professional careers doing menial tasks, and some suffered harder lives than most but managed to transcend dire circumstances.

Perhaps you can consider these leaders as true sources of inspiration when pondering your own life goals. Athlete, lawyer, engineer, poet, bank clerk, musician and spy are all professions certain world leaders once pursued before achieving high office in their respective cuts of the globe. Scroll on to fortify your current events knowledge.

Abe Shinzo
Wiki Commons by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
He was born in Tokyo, Japan on September 21, 1954, and is prime minister of Japan. Who is this world leader?
Yasuo Fukuda
Shinzo Abe
Yukio Hatoyama
Naoto Kan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the late 1970s, Shinzo Abe studied political science in the United States at the University of Southern California. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was prime minister of Japan from 1957 to 1960.

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Donald Trump
Wiki Commons by Gage Skidmore
The 45th president of the United States was born in New York, and his father ran a successful real estate business. Who is this leader?
Donald Trump
George W. Bush
Jimmy Carter
Al Gore
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Donald John Trump was born in New York City and attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Finance and Commerce in the late 1960s. After graduating, Trump worked for his father's real estate business.

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Theresa May
Wiki Commons by Kuhlmann / MSC
She is the second female prime minister of the United Kingdom. Who is this world leader?
Margaret Thatcher
Ivanka Trump
Elizabeth Warren
Theresa May
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Theresa May was born Theresa Mary Brasier on October 1, 1956 in Eastbourne, England. She replaced former prime minister David Cameron in July 2016.

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Vladimir Putin
Wiki Commons by Kremlin.ru
Who is the current president of Russia and a former Russian intelligence agent?
Mikhail Gorbachev
Joseph Stalin
Vladimir Putin
Dmitry Medvedev
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In addition to serving as president of Russia, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin also served as Russia's prime minister in 1999 and president from 2008 to 2012. Putin was an intelligence officer for the Russian KGB for 15 years before serving in political office as a top head of state.

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Emmanuel Macron
Wiki Commons by Kremlin.ru
The current president of France is 40 years old. Who is he?
Emmanuel Macron
Jacques Chirac
Nicolas Sarkozy
François Hollande
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Emmanuel Macron was elected to the high office of president in France in 2017. He is a former banker and the youngest chief leader of France since Napoleon Bonaparte.

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Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Wiki Commons by Адміністрація Президента України
The current president of Germany also served as foreign minister from 2005 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2017. Who is this person?
Horst Kohler
Angela Merkel
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Joachim Gauck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frank-Walter Steinmeier served as German vice-chancellor from 2007 to 2009. His father was a factory worker.

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Kim Jong-un
Wiki Commons by The White House
He succeeded his father as head of state of North Korea. Who is he?
Kim Il‑sung
Xi Jinping
Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong-un
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kim Jong-un succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, as North Korea's head of state. He is affiliated with the Korean Worker's Party.

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Sergio Mattarella
Wiki Commons by Presidenza della Repubblica
Since 2015, this person has served as the president of the Italian Republic. What is the name of this leader?
Giorgio Napolitano
Sergio Mattarella
Giovanni Gronchi
Francesco Cossiga
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sergio Mattarella was a lawyer, and he taught at the Law School of the University of Palermo before venturing into politics. Mattarella was elected as the twelfth president of Italy in 2015.

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Michel Temer
Wiki Commons by Diego DEAA
The president of Brazil is affiliated with the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement. Who is this leader?
Dilma Rousseff
Michel Temer
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Fernando Collor de Mello
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Michel Temer was born in Tiete, Brazil on September 23, 1940. He was elected as president of Brazil in August 2016 and replaced former president Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached.

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Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Wiki Commons by Presidencia de la República Mexicana
Did you know that the current president of Mexico is the former mayor of Mexico City? Who is he?
Miguel de la Madrid
Vicente Fox
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Enrique Pena Nieto
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

On December 1, 2018, Mexico swore in Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as president. He is a leftist politician who formed his own political party, MORENA, in 2014.

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Miguel Diaz-Canel
Wiki Commons by Presidencia El Salvador
Who is the successor of former president of Cuba, Raul Castro?
Manuel Urrutia Lleo
Fulgencio Batista
Miguel Díaz-Canel
Fidel Castro
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cuba's former president Raul Castro picked Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez to succeed him. Diaz-Canel became president of Cuba in April 2018.

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Justin Trudeau
Wiki Commons by Alex Guibord
Who is the prime minister of Canada?
Justin Trudeau
Kim Campbell
Paul Martin
Joe Clark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Justin Pierre James Trudeau was born on Christmas Day in 1971 in Ottawa, Canada. His father, Pierre Trudeau, was also prime minister of Canada from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984.

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Cyril Ramaphosa
Wiki Commons by ITU Pictures
Which person is a former anti-apartheid activist and current president of South Africa?
Nelson Mandela
Kgalema Motlanthe
Cyril Ramaphosa
Jacob Zuma
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa was born in Johannesburg on November 17, 1952. He served as secretary general from 1991 to 1997.

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Muhammadu Buhari
Wiki Commons by Chatham House, London
He was a military leader and is now the head of state of Nigeria. Do you know his name?
Ernest Shonekan
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Goodluck Jonathan
Muhammadu Buhari
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2015, Muhammadu Buhari was elected president of Nigeria. Buhari ran failed campaigns for president several times previously, in 2003, 2007 and again in 2011. He'd previously served as Nigeria's head of state from 1983 to 1985 following a military coup.

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Salman of Saudi Arabia
Wiki Commons by Robinson Niñal
He is the son of Saudi Arabia's first monarch and the country's current ruler. Who is this leader?
Salman of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
Faisal bin Abdulaziz
Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has ruled Saudi Arabia since 2015. He was born on December 31, 1935. One of the most noteworthy initiatives of his reign so far was allowing Saudi women to drive in 2017.

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Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Wiki Commons by Jim Mattis
He became Egypt's de facto leader in July 2013. Who is he?
Mohammed Morsi
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Adly Mansour
Hosni Mubarak
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, was formally elected in May 2014. He replaced former president Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted following mass protests in the country.

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Mauricio Macri
Wiki Commons by Antonio Cruz/ Agência Brasil
This former sports exec is the president of Argentina. What is the name of this world leader?
Eduardo Duhalde
Federico Pinedo
Mauricio Macri
Néstor Kirchner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mauricio Macri comes from a wealthy family in Argentina. His father, Franco Macri, was born in Italy. He is the first non-Radical president to be democratically elected since 1916.

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Nicolas Maduro
Wiki Commons by Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr
He won Venezuela's special election for the presidency in 2013. What is this leader's name?
Jaime Lusinchi
Hugo Chavez
Nicolás Maduro
Ramon Jose Velasquez
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nicolás Maduro replaced former president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez, who died in March 2013. Maduro served as vice president of the country under Chavez from October 2012 to March 2013.

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Guðni Th. Jóhannesson
Wiki Commons by Saeima
This world leader is president of Iceland. What is his name?
Vigdis Finnbogadottir
Olafur Ragnar Grimsson
Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson
Guðni Th. Johannesson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Guðni Th. Johannesson taught history at the University of Iceland before he was elected president. Johannesson was also a reporter. He was 48 years old when elected, making him Iceland's youngest president.

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Erna Solberg
Wiki Commons by Hildenbrand /MSC
She was appointed as prime minister of Norway in October 2013 and re-elected in 2017. Can you identify this world leader's name?
Erna Solberg
Olemic Thommessen
Leif Granli
Jo Benkow
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In addition to tending to her duties as prime minister of Norway, Erna Solberg is co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals group. Solberg is leader of the Conservative Party of Norway.

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Stefan Lofven
Wiki Commons by Bengt Nyman
Can you identify the current prime minister of Sweden, who was born on July 21, 1957?
Fredrik Reinfeldt
Stefan Löfven
Ingvar Carlsson
Carl Bildt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stefan Löfven was a foster child and grew up in Västernorrland County in north Sweden. Lofven was elected prime minister of Sweden in 2014. He served in the Swedish Air Force and worked as a welder before entering politics.

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Xi Jinping
Wiki Commons by DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
What is the name of the leader who is president of the world's most densely populated country?
Hu Jintao
Xi Jinping
Jiang Zemin
Li Xiannian
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Xi Jinping has been president of China since 2013. He served as vice president from 2008 to 2013. He is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China. Xi Jinping is the first general secretary to be born since the end of World War II.

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Ram Nath Kovind
Wiki Commons by Terapant
The president of India is a lawyer who graduated from Kanpur University. What is his name?
Zail Singh
Ramaswamy Venkataraman
Ram Nath Kovind
Pranab Mukherjee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ram Nath Kovind's mother died when he was a young child, and his father was a farmer. He was elected fourteenth president of India in 2017.

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Scott Morrison
Wiki Commons by G20 Argentina
Who is the liberal politician currently serving as prime minister of Australia?
Malcolm Turnbull
Chris Watson
Scott Morrison
Edmund Barton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Scott John Morrison ascended to his prime minister role in August 2018. He is the leader of the Liberal Party in Australia. His earlier career included working as director of New Zealand's Office of Tourism and Sport.

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Prayuth Chan-ocha
Wiki Commons by World Travel & Tourism Council
Who is the military man that led a successful coup and became prime minister of Thailand in 2014?
Yingluck Shinawatra
Mark Abhisit Vejjajiva
Mark Abhisit Vejjajiva
Prayuth Chan-ocha
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Prayuth Chan-ocha is Thailand's 29th prime minister. He's been in office since August 24, 2014 and is affiliated with the National Council for Peace and Order political party.

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Rodrigo Duterte
Wiki Commons by Philippine Information Agency
He goes by the nickname "Digong," and he is president of the Philippines. Who is he?
Benigno Aquino III
Joseph Estrada
Rodrigo Duterte
Ferdinand Marcos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rodrigo Duterte is the sixteenth president of the Philippines, elected in 2016. In 1988, he was elected mayor of Davao City, Philippines and served in that position for over two decades.

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Hassan Rouhani
Wiki Commons by Amir Sadeghi
This world leader is a religious authority and president of Iran. Who is it?
Hassan Rouhani
Ali Khamenei
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hassan Rouhani became president of Iran in 2013. He graduated the University of Tehran with a law degree in 1972. He was a lawyer, diplomat, and Islamic cleric before becoming president.

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Joko Widodo
Wiki Commons by Government of Indonesia
The president of Indonesia has the nickname "Jokowi." Can you spot the full name of this world leader?
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Joko Widodo
Abdurrahman Wahid
Megawati Sukarnoputri
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Joko Widodo served as governor of Jakarta, Indonesia from 2012 to 2014. He was elected president in 2014. He's the first president of the country to not come from a military or politically elite background.

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Nursultan Nazarbayev
Wiki Commons by Agência Brasil
Which world leader has been president of Kazakhstan since March 2019?
Alibey Dzhangildin
Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev
Abdisamet Kazakhpayev
Levon Mirzoyan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

President Tokayev's predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, was known to have a peculiar sense of humor during his long term in office. In 1998, he forced his government officials to endure freezing temperatures by moving the nation's capital from sunny Almaty to wintry Akmola.

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Petro Poroshenko
Wiki Commons by The Chancellery of the Senate of the Republic of Poland
The president of Ukraine began his political career in 1998 as a member of parliament. What is his name?
Leonid Kravchuk
Viktor Yushchenko
Oleksandr Turchynov
Petro Poroshenko
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko studied law and international affairs at Taras Shevchenko National University in Kiev. As a member of parliament, he represented the city of Vinnytsya in western Ukraine.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Wiki Commons by U.S. Department of State
This world leader is president of Turkey and a former semi-professional soccer player. Can you guess his name?
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Abdullah Gul
Turgut Ozal
Cevdet Sunay
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was elected mayor of Istanbul, Turkey in 1994. He served as prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014 and was elected president of the country in 2014.

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Michael D. Higgins
Wiki Commons by Irish Defence Forces
Did you know that the president of Ireland is a poet and human rights activist? Can you identify the leader's name?
Mary Robinson
Michael D. Higgins
Patrick Hillery
Douglas Hyde
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Michael D. Higgins worked as a bank clerk before attending University College Galway (now called National University of Ireland, Galway) at the age of 20. Higgins was elected president of Ireland in 2011.

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Sauli Niinisto
Wiki Commons by The Chancellery of the Senate of the Republic of Poland
This Finnish lawyer has been president of Finland since 2012. What is this world leader's name?
Urho Kekkonen
Sauli Niinistö
Mauno Koivisto
Risto Ryti
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sauli Vainamo Niinistö was born on August 24, 1948 in Salo, Finland. In 1974, Niinisto earned a law degree from the University of Turku in Turku, Finland. He is the country's twelfth president.

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Pedro Sanchez
Wiki Commons by Ministry of the Presidency. Government of Spain
He is the leader of Spain's Socialist Workers’ Party. He is also the prime minister of Spain. What is his name?
Luis Carrero Blanco
Mariano Rajoy
Pedro Sánchez
Carlos Arias Navarro
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pedro Sánchez replaced Mariano Rajoy as prime minister of Spain in June 2018. Sanchez studied business and economics at Complutense University in Madrid, Spain. He is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party.

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Arif Alvi
Al Jazeera English
The president of Pakistan is affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. What is his name?
Imran Khan
Jawaharlal Nehru
Arif Alvi
Pervez Musharraf
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dr. Arif ur Rehman Alvi is a former dentist who was elected president of Pakistan in 2018. He was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1947 and first became politically activated while studying at the De'Montmorency College of Dentistry.

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Martin Vizcarra
Wiki Commons by Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Perú.
The president of Peru is a former engineer. What is the name of this world leader?
Alan Garcia
Ollanta Humala
Martín Vizcarra
Simon Bolivar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Martín Vizcarra is the former vice president and current president of Peru. He was born in Lima, Peru in 1963. In 1984, he graduated with a civil engineering degree from the National University of Engineering in Lima.

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Jovenel Moise
Wiki Commons by Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Perú.
He was born on June 26, 1968 in Trou du Nord, Haiti. What is this world leader's name?
Michel Martelly
Jovenel Moïse
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Henri Namphy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jovenel Moïse moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti with his family in July 1974. Moise was elected president of Haiti in 2017. He first ran for the office in 2015, but lost that election because of potentially fraudulent results.

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Antonio Costa
Wiki Commons by FraLiss
The prime minister of Portugal was born in Lisbon in 1961. What is his name?
Jose Manuel Barroso
Anibal Cavaco Silva
António Guterres
António Costa
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

António Costa was elected mayor of his hometown of Lisbon in 2007. He was re-elected in 2009, then again in 2013. He was elected the 119th prime minister of Portugal in November 2015.

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Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
Wiki Commons by Photo Claude TRUONG-NGOC
This world leader was born in the city of Koutiala in Mali. He is this African country's head of state. Who is he?
Amadou Sanogo
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
Moussa Traore
Dioncounda Traore
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was born on January 29, 1945. He studied history, political science and international affairs at universities in Paris and Dakar. He has been the president of Mali since 2013.

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Carlos Alvarado Quesada
Wiki Commons by MadriCR
He is the president of Costa Rica, and he's also a musician. Can you identify his name?
Carlos Alvarado Quesada
Luis Guillermo Solis
Abel Pacheco
Luis Alberto Monge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Carlos Alvarado Quesada was elected president of Costa Rica in 2018. He was born to a middle-class family on January 14,1980 and studied communications at the University of Costa Rica.

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You Got:
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Wiki Commons by G20 Argentina/Alex Guibord/ Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr