Presidents & Heads of States, BOU-EIN
President, in government, the officer in whom the chief executive power of a nation is vested. The president of a republic is the head of state, but the actual power of the president varies from country to country; in the United States, Africa, and Latin America the presidential office is charged with great powers and responsibilities, but the office is relatively weak and largely ceremonial in Europe and in many countries where the prime minister, or premier, functions as the chief executive officer.
Presidents & Heads of States Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Bouteflika, Abdelaziz
Abdelaziz Bouteflika was a Moroccan-born Algerian politician who served as president of Algeria from April 1999......
Boyer, Jean-Pierre
Jean-Pierre Boyer was a politician and soldier who served as president of Haiti in 1818â43 and tried unsuccessfully......
Braga, TeĂłfilo
TeĂłfilo Braga was a poet, critic, and statesman who was the first to attempt a complete history of Portuguese literature.......
Brand, Sir Johannes Henricus
Sir Johannes Henricus Brand was a statesman and president (1864â88) of the Orange Free State who expanded the boundaries......
Bravo, NicolĂĄs
NicolĂĄs Bravo was a soldier and statesman, one of the founders of republican Mexico, serving as its president or......
Brezhnev, Leonid
Leonid Brezhnev was a Soviet statesman and Communist Party official who was, in effect, the leader of the Soviet......
Britannica Remembers Nelson Mandela
EncyclopĂŠdia Britannicaâs first biography of Nelson Mandela appeared in print in 1965, published in the Britannica......
Brum, Baltasar
Baltasar Brum was a statesman noted for his reform of the educational and welfare systems in Uruguay and for his......
Bucaram, AbdalĂĄ
AbdalĂĄ Bucaram is an Ecuadoran athlete and politician who served as president of Ecuador (1996â97). Bucaram was......
Buchanan, James
James Buchanan was the 15th president of the United States (1857â61), a moderate Democrat whose efforts to find......
Buhari, Muhammadu
Muhammadu Buhari was a Nigerian military leader and politician who served as Nigeriaâs military head of state in......
Bukele, Nayib
Nayib Bukele is the iron-fisted president of El Salvador (2019â ), who has unabashedly styled himself as the âworldâs......
Bulnes, Manuel
Manuel Bulnes was the president of Chile (1841â51) whose administration was notable for public works improvements,......
Burgers, Thomas François
Thomas François Burgers was a theologian and controversial president (1871â77) of the Transvaal who in 1877 allowed......
Burnham, Forbes
Forbes Burnham was the prime minister of Guyana (until 1966, British Guiana) from 1964 to 1980 and president from......
Bush, George H.W.
George H.W. Bush was a politician and businessman who was vice president of the United States (1981â89) and the......
Bush, George W.
George W. Bush is the 43rd president of the United States (2001â09), who led his countryâs response to the September......
Buthelezi, Mangosuthu
Mangosuthu Buthelezi was a Zulu chief, South African politician, and leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (1975â2019).......
Buzek, Jerzy
Jerzy Buzek is a Polish engineer, educator, and political leader who served as prime minister of Poland (1997â2001)......
BĂĄez, Buenaventura
Buenaventura BĂĄez was a politician who served five terms as president of the Dominican Republic and is noted principally......
BĂĄnzer SuĂĄrez, Hugo
Hugo BĂĄnzer SuĂĄrez was a soldier and politician who was president of Bolivia from 1971 to 1978 and from 1997 to......
CalderĂłn, Felipe
Felipe CalderĂłn is a Mexican politician who served as president of Mexico (2006â12). CalderĂłn studied law at the......
Calles, Plutarco ElĂas
Plutarco ElĂas Calles was a Mexican military and political leader who modernized the revolutionary armies and later......
Carazo Odio, Rodrigo
Rodrigo Carazo Odio was the president of Costa Rica (1978â82). A graduate in economics from the University of Costa......
Carmona, AntĂłnio Oscar de Fragoso
AntĂłnio Oscar de Fragoso Carmona was a Portuguese general and statesman who rose to political prominence in the......
Carnot, Sadi
Sadi Carnot was an engineer turned statesman who served as the fourth president (1887â94) of the Third Republic......
Carranza, Venustiano
Venustiano Carranza was a leader in the Mexican civil war following the overthrow of the dictator Porfirio DĂaz.......
Carrera, José Miguel
José Miguel Carrera was an aristocratic leader in the early struggle for the independence of Chile and the first......
Carrera, Rafael
Rafael Carrera was the dictator of Guatemala (1844â48 and 1851â65) and one of the most powerful figures of 19th-century......
Carstens, Karl
Karl Carstens was a German politician who helped shape West Germanyâs place in postwar Europe, serving as the republicâs......
Carter, Jimmy
Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States (1977â81), who served as the countryâs chief executive......
Cartes, Horacio
Horacio Cartes is a Paraguayan businessman and politician who was elected president of Paraguay in 2013, thereby......
Casimir-PĂ©rier, Jean
Jean Casimir-PĂ©rier was a French politician and wealthy businessman who served brief and undistinguished terms......
Castelar y Ripoll, Emilio
Emilio Castelar y Ripoll was a statesman and author, one of the most powerful champions of Spanish republicanism......
Castilla, RamĂłn
RamĂłn Castilla was a soldier and statesman who, as president or as the power behind the scene, dominated Peruvian......
Castillo, Pedro
Pedro Castillo is a Peruvian politician, union leader, and schoolteacher who served as president of Peru from 2021......
Castro, Cipriano
Cipriano Castro was a Venezuelan soldier and dictator, called the Lion of the Andes, who was the first man from......
Castro, Fidel
Fidel Castro was the political leader of Cuba (1959â2008) who transformed his country into the first communist......
Castro, RaĂșl
RaĂșl Castro is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who served as head of state of Cuba (acting president of the......
Cavaco Silva, AnĂbal
AnĂbal Cavaco Silva is a Portuguese politician who served as the countryâs president (2006â16) and prime minister......
CeauÈescu, Nicolae
Nicolae CeauÈescu was a Communist official who was the leader of Romania from 1965 until he was overthrown and......
Chamorro Vargas, Emiliano
Emiliano Chamorro Vargas was a prominent diplomat and politician, president of Nicaragua (1917â21). Born to a distinguished......
Chamorro, Violeta Barrios de
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro was a Nicaraguan newspaper publisher and politician who served as president of Nicaragua......
Chamoun, Camille
Camille Chamoun was a political leader who served as president of Lebanon in 1952â58. Chamoun spent his early political......
Chehab, Fuad
Fuad Chehab was a Lebanese army officer and statesman who served as president of Lebanon in 1958â64. Noted for......
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a lawyer and politician who served as president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to......
Chernenko, Konstantin
Konstantin Chernenko was the chief political leader of the Soviet Union from February 1984 until his death in 1985.......
Chiang Ching-kuo
Chiang Ching-kuo was the son of Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), and his successor as leader of the Republic of......
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a soldier and statesman, head of the Nationalist government in China from 1928 to 1949 and......
Childers, Erskine H.
Erskine H. Childers was an Irish politician, a member of the Fianna FĂĄil party who served as the fourth president......
Chinchilla, Laura
Laura Chinchilla is a Costa Rican politician who served as vice president (2006â08) and president (2010â14) of......
Chirac, Jacques
Jacques Chirac was a French politician, who served as the countryâs president (1995â2007) and prime minister (1974â76,......
Choi Kyu-Hah
Choi Kyu-Hah was a South Korean diplomat and politician who served briefly as the countryâs president (1979â80)......
Christophe, Henry
Henry Christophe was a leader in the war of Haitian independence (1791â1804) and later president (1807â11) and......
Chun Doo-Hwan
Chun Doo-Hwan Korean soldier and politician who was president of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Born into a peasant......
ChĂĄvez, Federico
Federico ChĂĄvez was a Paraguayan politician and soldier who served as president of his country (1949â54). ChĂĄvez,......
ChĂĄvez, Hugo
Hugo ChĂĄvez was a Venezuelan politician who was president of Venezuela (1999â2013). ChĂĄvez styled himself as the......
Cleveland, Grover
Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States (1885â89 and 1893â97) and the first president......
Clinton, Bill
Bill Clinton is the 42nd president of the United States (1993â2001), who oversaw the countryâs longest peacetime......
Collor de Mello, Fernando
Fernando Collor de Mello is a Brazilian politician who served as president of Brazil (1990â92). Born into wealth,......
Compaoré, Blaise
Blaise Compaoré is a military leader and politician who ruled Burkina Faso from 1987, seizing power following a......
Coolidge, Calvin
Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States (1923â29). Coolidge acceded to the presidency after......
Correa, Rafael
Rafael Correa is an economist and politician who was president of Ecuador (2007â17). Correa, whose maternal grandfather......
Cosgrave, William Thomas
William Thomas Cosgrave was an Irish statesman, who was the first president of the Executive Council (prime minister;......
Coty, René
René Coty was the last president of the Fourth French Republic, from 1954 to 1959. After taking degrees in law......
CĂĄrdenas, LĂĄzaro
LĂĄzaro CĂĄrdenas was the president of Mexico (1934â40), noted for his efforts to carry out the social and economic......
Dacko, David
David Dacko was the president of the Central African Republic from 1960 to 1965 and from 1979 to 1981. Dacko, a......
Daddah, Moktar Ould
Moktar Ould Daddah was a statesman who was the first president of independent Mauritania (1961â78). He was noted......
Daud Khan, Mohammad
Mohammad Daud Khan was an Afghan politician who overthrew the monarchy of Mohammad Zahir Shah in 1973 to establish......
Davis, Jefferson
Jefferson Davis was the president of the Confederate States of America throughout its existence during the American......
de Klerk, F.W.
F.W. de Klerk was a politician who as president of South Africa (1989â94) brought the apartheid system of racial......
de Valera, Eamon
Eamon de Valera was an Irish politician and patriot who served as taoiseach (prime minister; 1932â48, 1951â54,......
Delors, Jacques
Jacques Delors was a French statesman who served as president of the European Commission, the executive body of......
Demirel, SĂŒleyman
SĂŒleyman Demirel was a politician and civil engineer who served seven times as prime minister of Turkey and was......
DeRoburt, Hammer
Hammer DeRoburt was a Nauruan politician who was at the centre of political life on the central Pacific island......
Deschanel, Paul
Paul Deschanel was a French political figure who was an important parliamentary leader during the Third Republic......
Diori, Hamani
Hamani Diori was a nationalist politician and the first president (1960â74) of independent Niger. A teacher after......
Diouf, Abdou
Abdou Diouf is a politician who was president of Senegal from 1981 to 2000. Diouf, the son of a postman, was a......
Dissanayake, Anura Kumara
Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the ninth executive president of Sri Lanka (2024â ) and leader of the leftist Peopleâs......
Doe, Samuel K.
Samuel K. Doe was a soldier and Liberian head of state from 1980 to 1990. Doe, a member of the Krahn (Wee) tribe,......
Dole, Sanford Ballard
Sanford Ballard Dole was a lawyer, legislator, and jurist who led the provisional government of Hawaii established......
Donald Trumpâs very busy calendar
Campaigning for president of the United States is a full-time job. There are speeches to deliver, debates to prepare......
dos Santos, José
JosĂ© dos Santos was an Angolan politician who served as president of Angola (1979â2017). In 1961 dos Santos, a......
Doumer, Paul
Paul Doumer was the 13th president of the French Third Republic whose term was cut short by an assassinâs bullet.......
Doumergue, Gaston
Gaston Doumergue was a French political figure whose term as the 12th president of the Third Republic was marked......
Droz, Numa
Numa Droz was a prominent Swiss politician and twice federal president, who is best-remembered for his stand against......
Duan Qirui
Duan Qirui was a warlord who dominated China intermittently between 1916 and 1926. A student of military science......
Duarte, José Napoleon
JosĂ© Napoleon Duarte was the president of El Salvador (1984â89) who unsuccessfully tried to reduce poverty and......
Duque, IvĂĄn
IvĂĄn Duque is a Colombian centre-right politician, lawyer, and author who became president of Colombia in 2018.......
Duterte, Rodrigo
Rodrigo Duterte is a Filipino politician who was president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. Duterteâs father......
Dutra, Eurico Gaspar
Eurico Gaspar Dutra was a soldier and president of Brazil (1945â50), whose administration was noted for its restoration......
Duvalier, François
François Duvalier was the president of Haiti whose 14-year regime was of unprecedented duration in that country.......
Duvalier, Jean-Claude
Jean-Claude Duvalier was the president of Haiti from 1971 to 1986. The only son of François (âPapa Docâ) Duvalier,......
DĂ©by, Idriss
Idriss DĂ©by was a military leader and politician who ruled Chad after he seized power in 1990 until his death in......
DĂaz Ordaz, Gustavo
Gustavo DĂaz Ordaz was the president of Mexico from 1964 to 1970. A descendant of JosĂ© MarĂa DĂaz Ordaz, associate......
DĂaz, Porfirio
Porfirio DĂaz was a soldier and president of Mexico (1877â80, 1884â1911), who established a strong centralized......
DĂaz-Canel, Miguel
Miguel DĂaz-Canel is a Cuban politician who served as president of Cuba (2018â ) and secretary-general of the Communist......
Ebert, Friedrich
Friedrich Ebert was a leader of the Social Democratic movement in Germany and a moderate socialist, who was a leader......
EcheverrĂa Ălvarez, Luis
Luis EcheverrĂa Ălvarez was a Mexican politician who was president of Mexico from 1970 to 1976. EcheverrĂa became......
Einaudi, Luigi
Luigi Einaudi was an Italian economist and statesman, the first president (1948â55) of the Republic of Italy. After......