List of Heads of State 1959

Overview
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Africa

• Ethiopia
  • Head of State: Emperor Haile Selassie (1930–1974) (1916–1930 regent, 1936–1941 in exile)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Abebe Aragai (1957–1960)

• Ghana
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (1957–1960)
    • Governor General: William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel (1957–1960)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah (1957–1960) (1960–1966 President)

• Guinea
  • Head of State and Government: President Ahmed Sékou Touré (1958–1984)

• Liberia
  • Head of State or Government: President William S. Tubman (1944–1971)

• Libya
  • Head of State: King Idris (1951–1969)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Abd al-Madschid Kubar (1957–1960)

• Morocco
  • Head of State: King Mohammed V ( 1927–1953 , 1955–1961) (until 1957 Sultan)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Abdallah Ibrahim (1958–1960)

• South Africa
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (1952–1961)
    • Governor General :
      • Ernest George Jansen (1951-25 November 1959)
      • Lucas Cornelius Steyn (November 26, 1959–1960, 1961 ) (acting)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd (1958–1966)

• Sudan
  • Head of State: President Ibrahim Abbud (1958–1964)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Ibrahim Abbud (1958–1964)

• Tunisia
  • Head of State and Government: President Habib Bourguiba (1957–1987) (1956–1957 Prime Minister)

• United Arab Republic (1958–1961 unification of Egypt and Syria)
  • Head of State and Government: President Gamal Abdel Nasser (1958–1961)

America

North America

• Canada
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)
    • Governor General :
    • Vincent Massey (1952– September 15, 1959)
    • Georges Vanier (September 15, 1959–1967)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister John Diefenbaker (1957–1963)

• Mexico
  • Head of State and Government: President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines (1958–1964)

• United States of America
  • Head of State or Government: President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)

Central America

• Costa Rica
  • Head of State and Government: President Mario Echandi Jiménez (1958–1962)

• Dominican Republic
  • Head of State and Government: President Hector Bienvenido Trujillo Molina (1952–1960)

• El Salvador
  • Head of State and Government: President José María Lemus López (1956–1960)

• Guatemala
  • Head of State and Government: President José Miguel Ramón Idígoras Fuentes (1958–1963)

• Haiti
  • Head of State and Government: President François Duvalier (1957–1971)

• Honduras
  • Head of State and Government: President José Ramón Villeda Morales (1957–1963)

• Cuba
  • Head of State:
    • President Fulgencio Batista (1952–1 January 1959)
    • Senate President Anselmo Alliegro y Milá (January 1, 1959– January 2, 1959) (acting)
    • President Carlos Manuel Piedra (January 2, 1959– January 2, 1959) (acting)
    • President Manuel Urrutia Lleó (January 3, 1959– July 17, 1959)
    • President Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado (July 18, 1959–1976)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Gonzalo Güell y Morales de los Ríos (1958–1 January 1959)
    • Prime Minister Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado (January 5, 1959– February 13, 1959)
    • Prime Minister Fidel Castro (February 16, 1959–2008) (1976–2008 President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers)

• Nicaragua
  • Head of State and Government: President Luís Somoza Debayle (1956–1963)

• Panama
  • Head of State and Government: President Ernesto de la Guardia Navarro (1956–1960)

• West Indian Federation (1958–1962 Federation of British Colonies)
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (1958–1962)
    • Governor General: Patrick Buchan-Hepburn, 1st Baron Hailes (1958–1962)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Grantley Herbert Adams (1958–1962)

South America

• Argentina
  • Head of State and Government: President Arturo Frondizi (1958–1962)

• Bolivia
  • Head of State and Government: President Hernán Siles Zuazo ( 1952 , 1956–1960, 1982–1985 )

• Brazil
  • Head of State and Government: President Juscelino Kubitschek (1956–1961)

• Chile
  • Head of State and Government: President Jorge Alessandri (1958–1964)

• Ecuador
  • Head of State and Government: President Camilo Ponce Enríquez (1956–1960)

• Colombia
  • Head of State and Government: President Alberto Lleras Camargo ( 1945–1946 , 1958–1962)

• Paraguay
  • Head of State and Government: President Alfredo Stroessner (1954–1989)

• Peru
  • Head of State: President Manuel Prado y Ugarteche ( 1939–1945 , 1956–1962)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Luis Gallo Porras ( 1944–1945 , 1958–17 July 1959)
    • Prime Minister Pedro Beltrán Espantoso (July 17, 1959–1961)

• Uruguay
  • Head of State and Government:
    • Chairman of the National Council Carlos Fischer (1958–1 March 1959)
    • Chairman of the Mationalrat Martín Etchegoyen (March 1, 1959–1960)

• Venezuela
  • Head of State and Government:
    • President Edgar Sanabria (1958– February 13, 1959)
    • President Rómulo Betancourt ( 1945–1948 , February 13, 1959–1964)

Asia

East, South and Southeast Asia

• Bhutan
  • Head of State: King Jigme Dorje Wangchuck (1952–1972)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Jigme Palden Dorji (1952–1964)

• Burma (from 1989 Myanmar )
  • Head of State: President Win Maung (1957–1962)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Ne Win (1958–1960, 1962–1974 ) (1962–1981 President)

• Ceylon (from 1972 Sri Lanka )
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (1952–1972)
    • Governor General : Oliver Goonetilleke (1954–1962)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister S. WRD Bandaranaike (1956–26 September 1959)
    • Prime Minister Vijayananda Dahanayake (September 26, 1959–1960)

• Republic of China (Taiwan)
  • Head of State: President Chiang Kai-shek (1950–1975) (1928–1931, 1943–1948 Chairman of the National Government of China, 1948–1949 President of National China; 1930–1931, 1935–1938, 1939–1945, 1947 Prime Minister of National China)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Chen Cheng ( 1950–1954 , 1958–1963)

• People's Republic of China
  • Party leader: Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong (1943–1976) (1949–1954 Chairman of the Central People's Government; 1954–1959 President)
  • Head of State:
    • President Mao Zedong (1949-27 April 1959) (until 1954 Chairman of the Central People's Government) (1942-1976 party leader)
    • President Liu Shaoqi (April 27, 1959–1968)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Zhou Enlai (1949–1976)

• India
  • Head of State: President Rajendra Prasad (1950–1962)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964)

• Indonesia
  • Head of State: President Sukarno (1945–1967)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Djuanda Kartawidjaja (1957–1963)

• Japan
  • Head of State: Emperor Hirohito (1926–1989)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi (1957–1960)

• Cambodia
  • Head of State: King Norodom Suramarit (1955–1960)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Norodom Sihanouk ( 1945, 1950, 1952–1953, 1954, 1955–1956, 1956, 1956, 1957 , 1958–1960, 1961–1962 ) (1941–1955, 1993–2004 König) (1991–1993 Chairman of the supreme national council)

• North Korea
  • De facto ruler : Kim Il-sung (1948–1994)
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Choe Yong-gon (1957–1972)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Kim Il-sung (1948–1972)

• South Korea
  • Head of State and Government: President Rhee Syng-man (1948–1960)

• Laos
  • Head of State:
    • King Sisavang Vong ( 1945 , 1946–29 October 1959) (1904–1945 King of Luang Prabang)
    • King Savang Vatthana (August 21, 1959–1975) (regent until November 4, 1959)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Phoui Sananikone ( 1950–1951 , 1958–31 December 1959)
    • Army Chief of Staff Sounthone Pathammavong (December 31, 1959–1960)

• Malaya (from 1963 Malaysia )
  • Head of State: Supreme Ruler Abdul Rahman (1957–1960)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Abdul Rahman (1957– April 15, 1959, 1959–1970 )
    • Prime Minister Abdul Razak (April 16, 1959– August 21, 1959, 1970–1976 )
    • Prime Minister Abdul Rahman ( 1957–1959 , August 21, 1959–1970)

• Nepal
  • Head of State: King Mahendra (1955–1972)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Subarna Shamsher Rana (1958– May 27, 1959)
    • Prime Minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala (May 27, 1959–1960)

• Pakistan
  • Head of State and Government: President Muhammed Ayub Khan (1958–1969) (1958 Prime Minister)

• Philippines
  • Head of State and Government: President Carlos P. Garcia (1957–1961)

• Sikkim (under Indian suzerainty)
  • Head of State: King Tashi Namgyal (1914–1963)
  • Head of Government:
    • Dewan Nari Kaikhosru Rustomji (1954-1959)
    • Dewan Baleshwar Prasad (August 22, 1959–1963)

• Singapore (independent since June 3, 1959)
  • Head of State:
    • President William Allmond Codrington Goode (June 3, 1959– December 3, 1959) (1957–1959 Governor)
    • President Yusof bin Ishak (December 3, 1959–1970)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (June 5, 1959–1990)

• Thailand
  • Head of State: King Rama IX. Bhumibol Adulyadej (1946-2016)
  • Head of government: Prime Minister Sarit Thanarat (1958–1963) (provisional until February 10, 1959)

• North Vietnam
  • Head of State: President Hồ Chí Minh (1945–1969) (1945–1955 Prime Minister)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Phạm Văn Đồng (1955–1976) (1976–1987 Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam)

• South Vietnam
  • Head of State and Government: President Ngô Đình Diệm (1955–1963) (1954–1955 Prime Minister)

Middle East

• Iraq
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Sovereignty Council Muhammad Najib ar-Rubai'i (1958–1963)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim (1958–1963)

• Iran
  • Head of State: Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1941–1979)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Manutschehr Eghbal (1957–1960)

• Israel
  • Head of State: President Jizchak Ben Zwi (1952–1963)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion ( 1948–1953 , 1955–1963)

• Yemen (April 8, 1958–1961 part of the United Arab Republic )
  • Ruler: King Ahmad ibn Yahya ( 1948–1955 , 1955–1962)

• Jordan
  • Head of State: King Hussein (1952–1999)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Samir ar-Rifaʿi ( 1944–1945, 1947, 1950–1951, 1956 , 1958–6 May 1959, 1963 )
    • Prime Minister Hazza 'al-Majali ( 1955 , May 6, 1959–1960)

• Lebanon
  • Head of State: President Fuad Schihab ( 1952 , 1958–1964) (1952 Prime Minister)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Rashid Karami ( 1955–1956 , 1958–1960, 1961–1964, 1965–1966, 1966–1968, 1969–1970, 1975–1976, 1984–1987 )

• Oman (British Protectorate 1891–1971)
  • Ruler: Sultan Said ibn Taimur (1932–1970)

• Saudi Arabia
  • Head of State and Government: King Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz (1953–1964)

• Syria (1958–1961 united with Egypt as the United Arab Republic )

• Turkey
  • Head of State: President Celâl Bayar (1950–1960) (Prime Minister 1937–1939)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Adnan Menderes (1950–1960)

Central Asia

• Afghanistan
  • Head of State: King Mohammed Sahir Shah (1933–1973)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Mohammed Daoud Khan (1953–1963) (1973–1978 President)

• Mongolia
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Great People's Chural Jamsrangiin Sambuu (1954–1972)
  • Head of Government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal (1952–1974) (1974–1984 Chairman of the Great People's Churals)

Australia and Oceania

• Australia
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)
    • Governor General : William Slim (1953-1960)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Robert Menzies ( 1939–1941 , 1949–1966)

• New Zealand
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)
    • Governor General : Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham (1957–1962)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Walter Nash (1957–1960)

Europe

• Albania
  • Party leader: 1st Secretary of the Albanian Workers' Party Enver Hoxha (1948–1985) (1946–1954 Prime Minister)
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly Haxhi Lleshi (1953–1982)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu (1954–1981)

• Andorra
  • Co-princes :
    • President of France :
      • René Coty (1954–8 January 1959)
      • Charles de Gaulle (January 8, 1959–1969)
    • Bishop of Urgell : Ramon Iglésias Navarri (1943–1969)

• Belgium
  • Head of State: King Baudouin I (1951–1993)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens ( 1949–1950 , 1958–1961, 1968–1973 )

• Bulgaria
  • Party leader: General Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party Todor Zhivkow (1954–1989) (1971–1989 Chairman of the State Council) (1962–1971 Prime Minister)
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly Dimitar Ganew (1958–1964)
  • Head of Government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Anton Jugow (1956–1962)

• Denmark
  • Head of State: King Friedrich IX. (1947–1972)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Hans Christian Svane Hansen (1955–1960)
  • Faroe Islands (politically self-governing and autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark)
    • Representative of the Danish government: Reichsombudsman Niels Elkær-Hansen (1954–1961)
    • Head of Government:
      • Prime Minister Kristian Djurhuus (1950–9 January 1959, 1968–1970 )
      • Prime Minister Peter Mohr Dam (January 9, 1959–1963, 1967–1968 )

• Federal Republic of Germany
  • Head of State:
    • Federal President Theodor Heuss (1949–12 September 1959)
    • Federal President Heinrich Lübke (September 13, 1959–1969)
  • Head of Government: Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (1949–1963)

• German Democratic Republic
  • Party leader: General Secretary of the Central Committee of the SED Walter Ulbricht (1950–1971) (1960–1973 Chairman of the State Council)
  • Head of State: President Wilhelm Pieck (1949–1960) (1946–1950 party leader)
  • Head of government: Prime Minister Otto Grotewohl (1949–1964) (1946–1950 party leader)

• Finland
  • Head of State: President Urho Kekkonen (1956–1982) (1950–1953, 1954–1956 Prime Minister)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Karl-August Fagerholm ( 1948–1950, 1956–1957 , 1958–13 January 1959)
    • Prime Minister Vieno Sukselainen ( 1957 , January 13, 1959–1961)

• France
  • Head of State:
    • President René Coty (1954– January 8, 1959)
    • President Charles de Gaulle (January 8, 1959–1969) (1944–1946 Head of the Provisional Government), (1958–1959 President of the Council of Ministers)
  • Head of Government:
    • President of the Council of Ministers Charles de Gaulle (June 1, 1958–1959) (1944–1946 Head of the Provisional Government), (1959–1969 President)
    • Prime Minister Michel Debré (January 8, 1959–1962)

• Greece
  • Head of State: King Paul (1947–1964)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis ( 1955–1958 , 1958–1961, 1961–1963, 1974–1980 ) (1980–1985, 1990–1995 President)

• Ireland
  • Head of State:
    • President Seán Ó Ceallaigh (1945– June 24, 1959)
    • President Éamon de Valera (June 25, 1959–1973) (1932–1948, 1951–1954, 1957–1959 Prime Minister)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister ( 1932–1948, 1951–1954 , 1957–23 June 1959) (1959–1973 President)
    • Prime Minister Seán Lemass (June 23, 1959–1966)

• Iceland
  • Head of State: President Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (1952–1968) (Prime Minister 1932–1934)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Emil Jónsson (1958–20 November 1959)
    • Prime Minister Ólafur Thors ( 1942, 1944–1947, 1949–1950, 1953–1956 , November 20, 1959–1963)

• Italy
  • Head of State: President Giovanni Gronchi (1955–1962)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister ( 1954 , 1958–15 February 1959, 1960–1963, 1982–1983, 1987 )
    • Prime Minister Antonio Segni ( 1955–1957 , February 15, 1959–1960) (President 1962–1964)

• Yugoslavia
  • Head of State: President Josip Broz Tito (1953–1980) (1945–1963 Prime Minister)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Josip Broz Tito (1945–1963) (1953–1980 President)

• Channel Islands
  • guernsey
    • Head of State and Government: Duchess Elisabeth II (since 1952)
      • Lieutenant Governor: Geoffrey Robson (1958–1964)
  • jersey
    • Head of State and Government: Duchess Elisabeth II (since 1952)
      • Lieutenant Governor: George Erskine (1958–1963)

• Liechtenstein
  • Head of State: Prince Franz Josef II. (1938–1989)
  • Head of Government : Alexander Frick (1945–1962)

• Luxembourg
  • Head of State: Grand Duchess Charlotte (1919–1964) (1940–1945 in British exile)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Pierre Frieden (1958–23 February 1959)
    • Prime Minister Pierre Werner (March 2, 1959–1974, 1979–1984 )

• Isle of Man
  • Head of State: Lord of Man Elizabeth II (since 1952)
    • Lieutenant Governor :
      • Ambrose Dundas Flux Dundas (1952-1959)
      • Ronald Herbert Garvey (September 8, 1959–1966)

• Monaco
  • Head of State: Prince Rainier III. (1949-2005)
  • Head of Government:
    • Secretary of State Henry Soum (1953– February 12, 1959)
    • Minister of State Émile Pelletier (February 12, 1959–1962)

• Netherlands
  • Head of State: Queen Juliana (1948–1980)
  • Head of Government:
    • Prime Minister Louis Beel ( 1946–1948 , 1958–19 May 1959)
    • Prime Minister Jan de Quay (May 19, 1959–1963)

• Norway
  • Head of State: King Olav V (1957–1991)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen ( 1945–1951 , 1955–1963, 1963–1965 )

• Austria
  • Head of State: Federal President Adolf Schärf (1957–1965)
  • Head of Government: Federal Chancellor Julius Raab (1953–1961)

• Poland
  • Party leader: 1st Secretary Władysław Gomułka ( 1943–1948 , 1956–1970)
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Council of State Aleksander Zawadzki (1952–1964)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Józef Cyrankiewicz ( 1947–1952 , 1954–1970) (1970–1972 Chairman of the State Council)

• Portugal
  • Head of State: President Américo Tomás (1958–1974)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar (1932–1968)

• Romania
  • Party leader: General Secretary Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej ( 1945–1954 , 1955–1965) (1952–1954 Prime Minister) (1961–1965 Head of State)
  • Head of State: President of the Presidium of the National Assembly Ion Gheorghe Maurer (1958–1961)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Chivu Stoica (1955–1961) (1965–1967 Head of State)

• San Marino
  • Head of State: Capitani Reggenti
    • Domenico Forcellini ( 1947–1948, 1951–1952, 1955 , October 1, 1958– April 1, 1959, 1962, 1967–1968 ) and Pietro Reffi (October 1, 1958– April 1, 1959, 1965–1966 )
    • Marino Benedetto Belluzzi (April 1 – October 1, 1959, 1964, 1968, 1972 ) and Agostino Biordi ( 1949–1950 , April 1 – October 1, 1959, 1962–1963 )
    • Giuseppe Forcellini ( 1946, 1950, 1954 , October 1, 1959– April 1, 1960) and Ferruccio Piva (October 1, 1959– April 1, 1960, 1965, 1969, 1974 )

• Sweden
  • Head of State: King Gustav VI. Adolf (1950–1973)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Tage Erlander (1946–1969)

• Switzerland
  • Federal President : Paul Chaudet (1959, 1962 )
  • Federal Council :
    • Philipp Etter (1934–31 December 1959)
    • Max Petitpierre (1945–1961)
    • Hans Streuli (1954–31 December 1959)
    • Thomas Holenstein (1955–31 December 1959)
    • Giuseppe Lepori (1955–31 December 1959)
    • Paul Chaudet (1955–1966)
    • Friedrich Traugott Elections (January 1, 1959–1965)

• Soviet Union
  • Party leader: First Secretary of the CPSU Nikita Khrushchev (1953–1964) (1958–1964 Chairman of the Council of Ministers)
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet Kliment Voroshilov (1953–1960)
  • Head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikita Khrushchev (1958–1964) (1953–1964 party leader)

• Spain
  • Head of State and Government: Caudillo Francisco Franco (1939–1975)

• Czechoslovakia
  • Party leader: Chairman Antonín Novotný (1953–1968) (1957–1968 President)
  • Head of State: President Antonín Novotný (1957–1968) (1953–1968 party leader)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Viliam Široký (1953–1963)

• Hungary
  • Party leader: General Secretary of the Party of Hungarian Working People János Kádár (1956–1988) (1956–1958, Prime Minister 1961–1965)
  • Head of State: Chairman of the Presidential Council István Dobi (1952–1967) (1948–1952 Prime Minister)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Ferenc Münnich (1958–1961)

• Vatican city
  • Head of State: Pope John XXIII. (1958–1963)
  • Head of Government: Cardinal State Secretary Domenico Tardini (1958–1961)

• United Kingdom
  • Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952) (crowned 1953)
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Harold Macmillan (1957–1963)

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b} The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are areas that are directly under the British Crown. They are not part of the UK.
2. ↑ The Federal Council is the collective head of state in Switzerland. The Federal President has the role of primus inter pares