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
Abdalla Hamdok
Sudan • Head of Government
0.389→0.5190.841
3
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Sudan • Head of State
0.389→0.5190.841
4
Emmerson Mnangagwa
Zimbabwe • Head of State
0.340→0.4590.788
5
Ilunga Ilunkamba Sylvestre
Democratic Republic of the Congo • Head of Government
0.304▲10.3880.877
6
Félix Tshisekedi
Democratic Republic of the Congo • Head of State
0.304▼10.3880.877
7
Mahmoud Abbas
Palestine • Head of State
0.296→0.4040.734
8
Vladimir Putin
Russia • Head of State
0.282▲10.3210.890
9
Faustin-Archange Touadéra
Central African Republic • Head of State
0.278▲10.3970.734
10
Évariste Ndayishimiye
Burundi • Head of State
0.276▲10.4120.780
11
Kim Jong-un
North Korea • Head of State
0.273▲10.3410.810
12
Yoweri Museveni
Uganda • Head of State
0.272▲10.3230.840
13
Abiy Ahmed
Ethiopia • Head of Government
0.269▲10.3310.886
14
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Egypt • Head of State
0.268▲10.3130.880
15
Xi Jinping
People's Republic of China • Head of State
0.268▲10.2740.999
16
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkey • Head of State
0.261▲10.3100.866
17
Mostafa Madbouly
Egypt • Head of Government
0.253▲10.3130.880
18
Paul Biya
Cameroon • Head of State
0.253▲10.3100.815
19
Isaias Afwerki
Eritrea • Head of State
0.249▲10.3480.715
20
Mikhail Mishustin
Russia • Head of Government
0.245▲10.3210.890
21
Isaac Herzog
Israel • Head of State
0.244▲10.3940.764
22
João Lourenço
Angola • Head of State
0.244▲10.3150.827
23
Kokhir Rasulzoda
Tajikistan • Head of Government
0.243▲10.3240.767
24
Denis Sassou-Nguesso
Republic of the Congo • Head of State
0.242▲10.3270.742
25
Min Aung Hlaing
Myanmar • Head of Government
0.242▲10.3520.844
26
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukraine • Head of State
0.239▲10.3240.827
27
Daniel Ortega
Nicaragua • Head of State
0.236▲10.3170.747
28
Alexander Lukashenko
Belarus • Head of State
0.230▲10.3030.760
29
Ilham Aliyev
Azerbaijan • Head of State
0.230▲10.3010.765
30
Norodom Sihamoni
Cambodia • Head of State
0.230▲10.2910.791
31
Mohamed Hussein Roble
Somalia • Head of Government
0.230▲10.3370.795
32
Rashad al-Alimi
Yemen • Head of State
0.228▲10.3640.830
33
Abdulla Aripov
Uzbekistan • Head of Government
0.227▲20.2890.825
34
Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Uzbekistan • Head of State
0.227→0.2890.825
35
Teodoro Obiang
Equatorial Guinea • Head of State
0.227▲10.3310.685
36
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel • Head of Government
0.226▲10.3940.764
37
Joseph Ngute
Cameroon • Head of Government
0.226▲10.3100.815
38
Hibatullah Akhundzada
Afghanistan • Head of State
0.222▲10.3280.833
39
Mswati III
Eswatini • Head of State
0.222▲10.3330.665
40
Robinah Nabbanja
Uganda • Head of Government
0.221▲10.3230.840
41
Félix Moloua
Central African Republic • Head of Government
0.219▲10.3970.734
42
Gervais Ndirakobuca
Burundi • Head of Government
0.216▲10.4120.780
43
Ali Asadov
Azerbaijan • Head of Government
0.211▲10.3010.765
44
Serdar Berdimuhamedow
Turkmenistan • Head of State
0.211▲10.3730.750
45
Paul Kagame
Rwanda • Head of State
0.208▲10.2670.781
46
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Nigeria • Head of State
0.206▲10.3340.913
47
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Saudi Arabia • Head of State
0.203▲10.2560.824
48
Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan • Head of Government
0.203▲10.2940.917
49
Ismail Omar Guelleh
Djibouti • Head of State
0.202▲10.3060.662
50
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Somalia • Head of State
0.201▲10.3370.795
51
Assimi Goïta
Mali • Head of State
0.201▲10.3070.806
52
Mohammad Mustafa
Palestine • Head of Government
0.200▲10.4040.734
53
Julius Maada Bio
Sierra Leone • Head of State
0.198▲10.2850.757
54
Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed
Djibouti • Head of Government
0.198▲10.3060.662
55
Anatole Collinet Makosso
Republic of the Congo • Head of Government
0.197▲10.3270.742
56
Sonexay Siphandone
Laos • Head of Government
0.195▲10.3440.752
57
Samia Suluhu Hassan
Tanzania • Head of State
0.195▲10.2800.855
58
Letsie III of Lesotho
Lesotho • Head of State
0.191▲10.2750.695
59
Phạm Minh Chính
Vietnam • Head of Government
0.191▲10.2690.874
60
Mahamat Déby
Chad • Head of State
0.190▲10.3540.798
61
Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Algeria • Head of State
0.189▲10.2530.837
62
Miguel Díaz-Canel
Cuba • Head of State
0.188▲10.2660.768
63
Hakainde Hichilema
Zambia • Head of State
0.188▲10.2890.800
64
Alassane Ouattara
Ivory Coast • Head of State
0.186▲10.2300.819
65
Alix Didier Fils-Aimé
Haiti • Head of Government
0.185▲10.4220.772
66
Mohammed VI of Morocco
Morocco • Head of State
0.185▲10.2240.827
67
Li Qiang
People's Republic of China • Head of Government
0.184▲10.2740.999
68
Mohammad Hasan Akhund
Afghanistan • Head of Government
0.184▲10.3280.833
69
Abd al-Hamid Dbeibeh
Libya • Head of Government
0.183▲10.3010.750
70
Mohamed al-Menfi
Libya • Head of State
0.183▲10.3010.750
71
Manuel Marrero Cruz
Cuba • Head of Government
0.183▲10.2660.768
72
Mamady Doumbouya
Guinea • Head of State
0.183▲10.2870.782
73
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Kazakhstan • Head of State
0.180▲10.2530.798
74
Narendra Modi
India • Head of Government
0.179▲10.1841.000
75
Vajiralongkorn
Thailand • Head of State
0.179▲10.2190.857
76
Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani
Iraq • Head of Government
0.179▲20.2850.836
77
Abdul Latif Rashid
Iraq • Head of State
0.179→0.2850.836
78
Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
Burkina Faso • Head of Government
0.179▲20.2950.805
79
Ibrahim Traoré
Burkina Faso • Head of State
0.179→0.2950.805
80
James Marape
Papua New Guinea • Head of Government
0.177▲10.2590.767
81
Azali Assoumani
Comoros • Head of State
0.177▲10.2860.648
82
Hamad II of Bahrain
Bahrain • Head of State
0.176▲10.2610.677
83
Thongloun Sisoulith
Laos • Head of State
0.174▲10.3440.752
84
Abdourahamane Tchiani
Niger • Head of State
0.173▲20.3170.811
85
Ali Lamine Zeine
Niger • Head of Government
0.173→0.3170.811
86
Cyril Ramaphosa
South Africa • Head of State
0.168▲10.2140.852
87
Nana Akufo-Addo
Ghana • Head of Government
0.168▲10.2170.823
88
Emomali Rahmon
Tajikistan • Head of State
0.167▲10.3240.767
89
Taye Atske Selassie
Ethiopia • Head of State
0.167▲10.3310.886
90
Masoud Pezeshkian
Iran • Head of Government
0.167▲10.3370.869
91
Choguel Kokalla Maïga
Mali • Head of Government
0.167▲10.3070.806
92
Patrice Talon
Benin • Head of State
0.166▲10.2220.782
93
William Ruto
Kenya • Head of State
0.165▲10.2590.846
94
Lazarus Chakwera
Malawi • Head of Government
0.164▲10.3050.801
95
Peter Mutharika
Malawi • Head of State
0.164▲10.3050.801
96
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Mauritania • Head of State
0.163▲10.2490.733
97
Mohammad Shahabuddin
Bangladesh • Head of State
0.160▲10.2650.899
98
Sadyr Japarov
Kyrgyzstan • Head of State
0.160▲10.2630.749
99
Pak Thae-song
North Korea • Head of Government
0.157▲10.3410.810
100
Javier Milei
Argentina • Head of State
0.156▲10.2770.836
101
Hun Manet
Cambodia • Head of Government
0.155▲10.2910.791
102
Nayib Bukele
El Salvador • Head of State
0.153▲10.2310.742
103
Asif Ali Zardari
Pakistan • Head of State
0.153▲10.2940.917
104
Tamim bin Hamad Al
Qatar • Head of State
0.153▲10.2210.705
105
Älihan Smaiylov
Kazakhstan • Head of Government
0.152▲10.2530.798
106
Salman bin Hamad, Crown Prince of Bahrain
Bahrain • Head of Government
0.151▲10.2610.677
107
Aziz Akhannouch
Morocco • Head of Government
0.151▲10.2240.827
108
Russell Dlamini
Eswatini • Head of Government
0.149▲10.3330.665
109
Haitham bin Tarik Al Said
Oman • Head of State
0.148▲10.2350.734
110
David Sengeh
Sierra Leone • Head of Government
0.146▲10.2850.757
111
Sam Matekane
Lesotho • Head of Government
0.144▲10.2750.695
112
Adama Barrow
The Gambia • Head of State
0.142▲10.2160.703
113
Kais Saied
Tunisia • Head of State
0.141▲10.2040.774
114
Droupadi Murmu
India • Head of State
0.139▲10.1841.000
115
Daniel Noboa
Ecuador • Head of State
0.138▲10.2580.792
116
Muhammad Yunus
Bangladesh • Head of Government
0.136▲10.2650.899
117
Tô Lâm
Vietnam • Head of State
0.134▲10.2690.874
118
Aleksandar Vučić
Serbia • Head of State
0.133▲10.1910.744
119
Bongbong Marcos
Philippines • Head of State
0.131▲10.1980.880
120
Salem Saleh bin Braik
Yemen • Head of Government
0.131▲10.3640.830
121
Gustavo Petro
Colombia • Head of State
0.130▲10.2050.843
122
Umaro Sissoco Embaló
Guinea-Bissau • Head of State
0.129▲20.2770.692
123
Rui Duarte de Barros
Guinea-Bissau • Head of Government
0.129→0.2770.692
124
Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua
Equatorial Guinea • Head of Government
0.129▲10.3310.685
125
Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
United Arab Emirates • Head of State
0.128▲10.2220.769
126
Bah Oury
Guinea • Head of Government
0.128▲10.2870.782
127
Robert Beugré Mambé
Ivory Coast • Head of Government
0.127▲10.2300.819
128
Raymond Ndong Sima
Gabon • Head of Government
0.123▲20.2620.699
129
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema
Gabon • Head of State
0.123→0.2620.699
130
Bernardo Arévalo de León
Guatemala • Head of State
0.122▲10.2710.793
131
José Ramos-Horta
Timor-Leste • Head of State
0.122▲10.2420.671
132
Claudia Sheinbaum
Mexico • Head of State
0.118▲10.2340.886
133
Maria Benvinda Levy
Mozambique • Head of Government
0.118▲10.3320.823
134
Daniel Chapo
Mozambique • Head of State
0.118▲10.3320.823
135
Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Nepal • Head of Government
0.117▲10.1910.816
136
Abdullah II of Jordan
Jordan • Head of State
0.116▲10.2240.771
137
Yulia Svyrydenko
Ukraine • Head of Government
0.116▲10.3240.827
138
Luis Abinader
Dominican Republic • Head of State
0.115▲10.1740.770
139
Irfaan Ali
Guyana • Head of State
0.115▲20.2080.646
140
Mark Phillips
Guyana • Head of Government
0.115→0.2080.646
141
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
United Arab Emirates • Head of Government
0.115▲10.2220.769
142
Viktor Orbán
Hungary • Head of Government
0.114▲10.1510.762
143
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Brazil • Head of State
0.113▲10.1850.909
144
Adylbek Kasymaliev
Kyrgyzstan • Head of Government
0.112▲10.2630.749
145
Željka Cvijanović
Bosnia and Herzegovina • Head of State
0.112▲10.2090.710
146
Nikol Pashinyan
Armenia • Head of Government
0.111▲10.1710.708
147
Xanana Gusmão
Timor-Leste • Head of Government
0.109▲10.2420.671
148
Salome Zourabichvili
Georgia • Head of State
0.108▲10.1640.717
149
Michael Randrianirina
Madagascar • Head of State
0.108▲10.3040.819
150
Ruphin Zafisambo
Madagascar • Head of Government
0.108▲10.3040.819

Methodology

Sources:

  • Leaders & tenure: Wikidata heads of state/government [link] — 2026-03-05 16:19 UTC • Roster with images, start dates, roles.
  • Population: World Bank SP.POP.TOTL [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Latest country population.
  • Homicide rate: World Bank VC.IHR.PSRC.P5 [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Intentional homicides per 100k.
  • Voice & accountability: World Bank WGI VA.EST [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Governance score (higher = freer).
  • Control of corruption: World Bank WGI CC.EST [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Governance score (higher = cleaner).
  • GDP growth: World Bank NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Annual GDP growth %.
  • Extreme poverty: World Bank SI.POV.DDAY [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Share below $2.15/day.
  • Inflation CPI %: World Bank FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Consumer price inflation %.
  • Conflict deaths (place): UCDP Organized Violence CY 25.1 [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 UTC • Country-year battle deaths per 100k (location-based).
  • Conflict deaths (actors): UCDP GED 25.1 [link] — 2026-03-05 16:20 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.

20260305-161956

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.