Ship'em to Mars | Harmful Leaders Report

Higher scores indicate greater estimated harm exposure for people under a leader’s authority, including spillovers to neighbors and externally targeted violence.

Top 150

RankLeaderScoreΔ RankHarmExposure
1
Salva Kiir Mayardit
South Sudan • Head of State
0.445→0.5830.772
2
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Sudan • Head of State
0.389→0.5190.841
3
Abdalla Hamdok
Sudan • Head of Government
0.389→0.5190.841
4
Emmerson Mnangagwa
Zimbabwe • Head of State
0.340▲10.4590.788
5
Ilunga Ilunkamba Sylvestre
Democratic Republic of the Congo • Head of Government
0.304▲30.3880.877
6
Félix Tshisekedi
Democratic Republic of the Congo • Head of State
0.304▲30.3880.877
7
Mahmoud Abbas
Palestine • Head of State
0.296▼10.4040.734
8
Ali Khamenei
Iran • Head of State
0.293▼10.3370.869
9
Vladimir Putin
Russia • Head of State
0.282▲10.3210.890
10
Faustin-Archange Touadéra
Central African Republic • Head of State
0.278▲10.3970.734
11
Évariste Ndayishimiye
Burundi • Head of State
0.276▲60.4120.780
12
Kim Jong-un
North Korea • Head of State
0.273→0.3410.810
13
Yoweri Museveni
Uganda • Head of State
0.272→0.3230.840
14
Abiy Ahmed
Ethiopia • Head of Government
0.269▲20.3310.886
15
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Egypt • Head of State
0.268→0.3130.880
16
Xi Jinping
People's Republic of China • Head of State
0.268▼20.2740.999
17
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkey • Head of State
0.261▲10.3100.866
18
Mostafa Madbouly
Egypt • Head of Government
0.253▲30.3130.880
19
Paul Biya
Cameroon • Head of State
0.253→0.3100.815
20
Isaias Afwerki
Eritrea • Head of State
0.249→0.3480.715
21
Mikhail Mishustin
Russia • Head of Government
0.245▲50.3210.890
22
Isaac Herzog
Israel • Head of State
0.244▲100.3940.764
23
João Lourenço
Angola • Head of State
0.244▲10.3150.827
24
Kokhir Rasulzoda
Tajikistan • Head of Government
0.243▼10.3240.767
25
Denis Sassou-Nguesso
Republic of the Congo • Head of State
0.242▼30.3270.742
26
Min Aung Hlaing
Myanmar • Head of Government
0.242▲70.3520.844
27
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukraine • Head of State
0.239▲10.3240.827
28
Daniel Ortega
Nicaragua • Head of State
0.236▼30.3170.747
29
Alexander Lukashenko
Belarus • Head of State
0.230▼20.3030.760
30
Ilham Aliyev
Azerbaijan • Head of State
0.230▼10.3010.765
31
Norodom Sihamoni
Cambodia • Head of State
0.230▼10.2910.791
32
Mohamed Hussein Roble
Somalia • Head of Government
0.230▲50.3370.795
33
Rashad al-Alimi
Yemen • Head of State
0.228▲100.3640.830
34
Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Uzbekistan • Head of State
0.227▲10.2890.825
35
Abdulla Aripov
Uzbekistan • Head of Government
0.227▼10.2890.825
36
Teodoro Obiang
Equatorial Guinea • Head of State
0.227▼50.3310.685
37
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel • Head of Government
0.226▲70.3940.764
38
Joseph Ngute
Cameroon • Head of Government
0.226→0.3100.815
39
Hibatullah Akhundzada
Afghanistan • Head of State
0.222▲10.3280.833
40
Mswati III
Eswatini • Head of State
0.222▼40.3330.665
41
Robinah Nabbanja
Uganda • Head of Government
0.221▲10.3230.840
42
Félix Moloua
Central African Republic • Head of Government
0.219▲70.3970.734
43
Gervais Ndirakobuca
Burundi • Head of Government
0.216▲150.4120.780
44
Ali Asadov
Azerbaijan • Head of Government
0.211▼30.3010.765
45
Serdar Berdimuhamedow
Turkmenistan • Head of State
0.211▲90.3730.750
46
Paul Kagame
Rwanda • Head of State
0.208▼70.2670.781
47
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Nigeria • Head of State
0.206▲260.3340.913
48
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Saudi Arabia • Head of State
0.203▼20.2560.824
49
Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan • Head of Government
0.203▲130.2940.917
50
Ismail Omar Guelleh
Djibouti • Head of State
0.202▼50.3060.662
51
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Somalia • Head of State
0.201▲130.3370.795
52
Assimi Goïta
Mali • Head of State
0.201▲30.3070.806
53
Mohammad Mustafa
Palestine • Head of Government
0.200▼60.4040.734
54
Julius Maada Bio
Sierra Leone • Head of State
0.198▼30.2850.757
55
Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed
Djibouti • Head of Government
0.198▼70.3060.662
56
Anatole Collinet Makosso
Republic of the Congo • Head of Government
0.197▲40.3270.742
57
Sonexay Siphandone
Laos • Head of Government
0.1950.3440.752
58
Samia Suluhu Hassan
Tanzania • Head of State
0.195▲50.2800.855
59
Letsie III of Lesotho
Lesotho • Head of State
0.191▼70.2750.695
60
Phạm Minh Chính
Vietnam • Head of Government
0.191▲60.2690.874
61
Mahamat Déby
Chad • Head of State
0.190▼80.3540.798
62
Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Algeria • Head of State
0.189▼10.2530.837
63
Miguel Díaz-Canel
Cuba • Head of State
0.188▼40.2660.768
64
Hakainde Hichilema
Zambia • Head of State
0.188▲80.2890.800
65
Alassane Ouattara
Ivory Coast • Head of State
0.186▼90.2300.819
66
Alix Didier Fils-Aimé
Haiti • Head of Government
0.185▲360.4220.772
67
Mohammed VI of Morocco
Morocco • Head of State
0.185▼100.2240.827
68
Li Qiang
People's Republic of China • Head of Government
0.184▲230.2740.999
69
Mohammad Hasan Akhund
Afghanistan • Head of Government
0.184▲230.3280.833
70
Abd al-Hamid Dbeibeh
Libya • Head of Government
0.183▲60.3010.750
71
Mohamed al-Menfi
Libya • Head of State
0.183▲60.3010.750
72
Manuel Marrero Cruz
Cuba • Head of Government
0.183▼30.2660.768
73
Mamady Doumbouya
Guinea • Head of State
0.183▲50.2870.782
74
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Kazakhstan • Head of State
0.180→0.2530.798
75
Narendra Modi
India • Head of Government
0.179▼100.1841.000
76
Vajiralongkorn
Thailand • Head of State
0.179▼90.2190.857
77
Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani
Iraq • Head of Government
0.179▲90.2850.836
78
Abdul Latif Rashid
Iraq • Head of State
0.179▲90.2850.836
79
Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
Burkina Faso • Head of Government
0.179▲90.2950.805
80
Ibrahim Traoré
Burkina Faso • Head of State
0.179▲90.2950.805
81
James Marape
Papua New Guinea • Head of Government
0.177▼60.2590.767
82
Azali Assoumani
Comoros • Head of State
0.177▼110.2860.648
83
Hamad II of Bahrain
Bahrain • Head of State
0.176▼150.2610.677
84
Thongloun Sisoulith
Laos • Head of State
0.174▼140.3440.752
85
Ali Lamine Zeine
Niger • Head of Government
0.173▲130.3170.811
86
Abdourahamane Tchiani
Niger • Head of State
0.173▲130.3170.811
87
Cyril Ramaphosa
South Africa • Head of State
0.168▼20.2140.852
88
Nana Akufo-Addo
Ghana • Head of Government
0.168▼50.2170.823
89
Emomali Rahmon
Tajikistan • Head of State
0.167▼100.3240.767
90
Taye Atske Selassie
Ethiopia • Head of State
0.167▲230.3310.886
91
Masoud Pezeshkian
Iran • Head of Government
0.167▲230.3370.869
92
Choguel Kokalla Maïga
Mali • Head of Government
0.167▼120.3070.806
93
Patrice Talon
Benin • Head of State
0.166▼90.2220.782
94
William Ruto
Kenya • Head of State
0.165▲20.2590.846
95
Lazarus Chakwera
Malawi • Head of Government
0.164▼130.3050.801
96
Peter Mutharika
Malawi • Head of State
0.164▼150.3050.801
97
Xiomara Castro
Honduras • Head of State
0.163▲30.2810.768
98
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Mauritania • Head of State
0.163▼80.2490.733
99
Mohammad Shahabuddin
Bangladesh • Head of State
0.160▲80.2650.899
100
Sadyr Japarov
Kyrgyzstan • Head of State
0.160▼50.2630.749
101
Pak Thae-song
North Korea • Head of Government
0.157▲170.3410.810
102
Javier Milei
Argentina • Head of State
0.156▲70.2770.836
103
Hun Manet
Cambodia • Head of Government
0.155▼100.2910.791
104
Nayib Bukele
El Salvador • Head of State
0.153▼70.2310.742
105
Asif Ali Zardari
Pakistan • Head of State
0.153▲170.2940.917
106
Tamim bin Hamad Al
Qatar • Head of State
0.153▼120.2210.705
107
Älihan Smaiylov
Kazakhstan • Head of Government
0.152▼10.2530.798
108
Salman bin Hamad, Crown Prince of Bahrain
Bahrain • Head of Government
0.151▼70.2610.677
109
Aziz Akhannouch
Morocco • Head of Government
0.151▼50.2240.827
110
Russell Dlamini
Eswatini • Head of Government
0.149▲50.3330.665
111
Haitham bin Tarik Al Said
Oman • Head of State
0.148▼80.2350.734
112
David Sengeh
Sierra Leone • Head of Government
0.146▲50.2850.757
113
Sam Matekane
Lesotho • Head of Government
0.144▼10.2750.695
114
Adama Barrow
The Gambia • Head of State
0.142▼90.2160.703
115
Kais Saied
Tunisia • Head of State
0.141▼70.2040.774
116
Droupadi Bhumihar
India • Head of State
0.139→0.1841.000
117
Daniel Noboa
Ecuador • Head of State
0.138▲30.2580.792
118
Muhammad Yunus
Bangladesh • Head of Government
0.136▲220.2650.899
119
Tô Lâm
Vietnam • Head of State
0.134▲220.2690.874
120
Aleksandar Vučić
Serbia • Head of State
0.133▼100.1910.744
121
Bongbong Marcos
Philippines • Head of State
0.131▼20.1980.880
122
Salem Saleh bin Braik
Yemen • Head of Government
0.131▲540.3640.830
123
Gustavo Petro
Colombia • Head of State
0.130▼20.2050.843
124
Umaro Sissoco Embaló
Guinea-Bissau • Head of State
0.129▼130.2770.692
125
Rui Duarte de Barros
Guinea-Bissau • Head of Government
0.129▲20.2770.692
126
Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua
Equatorial Guinea • Head of Government
0.129▲170.3310.685
127
Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
United Arab Emirates • Head of State
0.128▼20.2220.769
128
Bah Oury
Guinea • Head of Government
0.128▲160.2870.782
129
Robert Beugré Mambé
Ivory Coast • Head of Government
0.127▲50.2300.819
130
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema
Gabon • Head of State
0.123▲80.2620.699
131
Raymond Ndong Sima
Gabon • Head of Government
0.123▲60.2620.699
132
Bernardo Arévalo de León
Guatemala • Head of State
0.122▲170.2710.793
133
José Ramos-Horta
Timor-Leste • Head of State
0.122▼20.2420.671
134
Claudia Sheinbaum
Mexico • Head of State
0.118▲180.2340.886
135
Maria Benvinda Levy
Mozambique • Head of Government
0.118▲530.3320.823
136
Daniel Chapo
Mozambique • Head of State
0.118▲510.3320.823
137
Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Nepal • Head of Government
0.117▼20.1910.816
138
Abdullah II of Jordan
Jordan • Head of State
0.116▼150.2240.771
139
Yulia Svyrydenko
Ukraine • Head of Government
0.116▲510.3240.827
140
Luis Abinader
Dominican Republic • Head of State
0.115▼120.1740.770
141
Mark Phillips
Guyana • Head of Government
0.115▼110.2080.646
142
Irfaan Ali
Guyana • Head of State
0.115▼130.2080.646
143
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
United Arab Emirates • Head of Government
0.115▼190.2220.769
144
Viktor Orbán
Hungary • Head of Government
0.114▼180.1510.762
145
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Brazil • Head of State
0.113→0.1850.909
146
Adylbek Kasymaliev
Kyrgyzstan • Head of Government
0.112▲130.2630.749
147
Željka Cvijanović
Bosnia and Herzegovina • Head of State
0.112▼50.2090.710
148
Nikol Pashinyan
Armenia • Head of Government
0.111▼160.1710.708
149
Xanana Gusmão
Timor-Leste • Head of Government
0.109▲10.2420.671
150
Salome Zourabichvili
Georgia • Head of State
0.108▼140.1640.717

Methodology

Sources:

  • Leaders & tenure: Wikidata heads of state/government [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Roster with images, start dates, roles.
  • Population: World Bank SP.POP.TOTL [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Latest country population.
  • Homicide rate: World Bank VC.IHR.PSRC.P5 [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Intentional homicides per 100k.
  • Voice & accountability: World Bank WGI VA.EST [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Governance score (higher = freer).
  • Control of corruption: World Bank WGI CC.EST [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Governance score (higher = cleaner).
  • GDP growth: World Bank NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Annual GDP growth %.
  • Extreme poverty: World Bank SI.POV.DDAY [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Share below $2.15/day.
  • Inflation CPI %: World Bank FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Consumer price inflation %.
  • Conflict deaths (place): UCDP Organized Violence CY 25.1 [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Country-year battle deaths per 100k (location-based).
  • Conflict deaths (actors): UCDP GED 25.1 [link] — 2026-01-23 19:39 UTC • Event-level state-based clashes mapped to perpetrating state (~last 8 years).

Scoring model (higher = worse):

exposure = log1p(pop) / max_log_pop
violence_score   = 0.7 * norm(actor_conflict_deaths_per_100k)
                 + 0.1 * norm(conflict_deaths_per_100k)
                 + 0.2 * norm(homicide_rate)
repression_score = 1 - norm(voice_and_accountability)
corruption_score = 1 - norm(control_of_corruption)
inflation_penalty = clip((inflation_cpi - 5) / 100, 0, 1)
gdp_penalty       = clip(-gdp_growth / 20, 0, 1)
econ_score        = 0.6 * inflation_penalty + 0.4 * gdp_penalty
poverty_score     = norm(poverty_rate)

harm_score = 0.35*violence_score + 0.25*repression_score
             + 0.20*econ_score + 0.10*corruption_score
             + 0.10*poverty_score

tenure_weight = 0.25 + 0.75 * (1 - exp(-ln(2) * tenure_years / 2.5))

score = harm_score * exposure * tenure_weight

Normalization is min–max per run; missing data yields lower penalties or median fills. Actor conflict uses recent years to avoid historic wars. Tenure ramp down-weights newly installed leaders while still assigning a minimum accountability floor.

20260123-193911

Score Distribution

RangeHigher = worse

Top slice of the ranking colored by score intensity.

Gender Split

Women–

Share of women vs. men/other among harmful leaders.

Age Distribution

Median age–

Leaders with a known birth year grouped into age buckets.

Religion Mix

Faith distribution among harmful leaders.

Score Map

LegendDeeper red = worse

Highest-scored leader by country.