The Leaders Who Refused to Step Down (1939-2024)

Timeline of the longest-serving national leaders from 1939 to 2024.

Methodology: Each year counts if a person held power for at least one calendar day during that year. The ruling leader is the highest-ranked political figure in a country as mandated by the constitution or, in practice, the most powerful person in the state, regardless of official title (e.g., the Putin-Medvedev case). Royal monarchies with absolute power are not included.

Bar Colors: Western countries (Blue), African countries (Black), Asian countries (Yellow), Latin American countries (Green), Soviet Union and its former republics (Red).

Source: Data Is Beautiful