List of State Leaders in 1972 - Asia

Asia

• Afghanistan
  • Monarch - Mohammed Zahir Shah, King of Afghanistan (1933–1973)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Abdul Zahir, Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1971–1972)
    2. Mohammad Musa Shafiq, Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1972–1973)
• Bahrain
  • Monarch - Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain (1961–1999)
  • Prime Minister - Sheikh Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain (1970–present)
• Bangladesh -
  • President -
    1. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President of Bangladesh (1971–1972)
    2. Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh (1972–1973)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Tajuddin Ahmad, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1971–1972)
    2. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1972–1975)
• Bhutan
  • Monarch -
    1. Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, King of Bhutan (1952–1972)
    2. Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan (1972–2006)
• Brunei (British protected state)
  • High Commissioner -
    1. Arthur Robin Adair, British High Commissioner in Brunei (1968–1972)
    2. Peter Gautrey, British High Commissioner in Brunei (1972–1975)
  • Monarch - Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei (1967–present)
  • Chief Minister -
    1. Dato Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf bin Abdul Rahim, Chief Minister of Brunei (1967–1972)
    2. Pengiran Dipa Negara Laila Diraja Pengiran Abdul Mumin, Chief Minister of Brunei (1972–1981)
• Burma
  • President - Ne Win, President of Burma (1962–1981)
  • Prime Minister - Ne Win, Prime Minister of Burma (1962–1974)
• Ceylon
  • see under Sri Lanka
• China (People's Republic of China)
  • Communist Party Leader - Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Communist Party of China (1935–1976)
  • De facto Co-Heads of State -
    • Soong Ching-ling, Acting Chairman of the People's Republic of China (1968–1972)
    • Dong Biwu, Acting Chairman of the People's Republic of China (1968–1975)
  • Premier - Zhou Enlai, Premier of the People's Republic of China (1949–1976)
• Hong Kong (British crown colony)
  • Governor - Sir Murray MacLehose, Governor of Hong Kong (1971–1982)
• India
  • President - V. V. Giri, President of India (1969–1974)
  • Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India (1966–1977)
  • Sikkim (Indian protectorate)
    • Indian Politician Officer - Kayatyani Shankar Bajpai, Political Officer in Sikkim (1972–1974)
    • Monarch - Palden Thondup Namgyal, Chogyal of Sikkim (1963–1975)
    • Prime Minister - Inder Sen Chopra, Chief Administrative Officer of Sikkim (1969–1972)
• Indonesia
  • President - Suharto, President of Indonesia (1967–1998)
• Iran
  • Monarch - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran (1941–1979)
  • Prime Minister - Amir-Abbas Hoveida, Prime Minister of Iran (1965–1977)
• Iraq
  • President - Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, President of Iraq (1968–1979)
  • Prime Minister - Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, Prime Minister of Iraq (1968–1979)
• Israel
  • President - Zalman Shazar, President of Israel (1963–1973)
  • Prime Minister - Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel (1969–1974)
• Japan
  • Monarch - Hirohito, Emperor of Japan (1926–1989)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Eisaku Satō, Prime Minister of Japan (1964–1972)
    2. Kakuei Tanaka, Prime Minister of Japan (1972–1974)
• Jordan
  • Monarch - Hussein, King of Jordan (1952–1999)
  • Prime Minister - Ahmad al-Lawzi, Prime Minister of Jordan (1971–1973)
• Khmer Republic
  • Head of State -
    1. Cheng Heng, Head of State of the Khmer Republic (1970–1972)
    2. Lon Nol, President of the Khmer Republic (1972–1975)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Lon Nol, Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic (1969–1972)
    2. Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak, Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic (1972)
    3. Son Ngoc Thanh, Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic (1972)
    4. Hang Thun Hak, Prime Minister of the Khmer Republic (1972–1973)
• North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)
  • Communist Party Leader - Kim Il-sung, General Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party (1948–1994)
  • Head of State -
    1. Choi Yong-kun, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea (1957–1972)
    2. Kim Il-sung, President of North Korea (1972–1994)
  • Premier -
    1. Kim Il-sung, Premier of North Korea (1948–1972)
    2. Kim Il, Premier of North Korea (1972–1976)
• South Korea (Republic of Korea)
  • President - Park Chung-hee, President of South Korea (1962–1979)
  • Prime Minister - Kim Jong-pil, Prime Minister of South Korea (1971–1975)
• Kuwait
  • Monarch - Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait (1965–1977)
  • Prime Minister - Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait (1965–1978)
• Laos
  • Monarch - Savang Vatthana, King of Laos (1959–1975)
  • Prime Minister - Prince Souvanna Phouma, Prime Minister of Laos (1962–1975)
• Lebanon
  • President - Suleiman Frangieh, President of Lebanon (1970–1976)
  • Prime Minister - Saeb Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon (1970–1973)
• Macau (overseas province of Portugal)
  • Governor - José Manuel de Sousa e Faro Nobre de Carvalho, Governor of Macau (1966–1974)
• Malaysia
  • Monarch - Tuanku Abdul Halim, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia (1970–1975)
  • Prime Minister - Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia (1970–1976)
• Maldives
  • President - Ibrahim Nasir, President of the Maldives (1968–1978)
  • Prime Minister - Ahmed Zaki, Prime Minister of the Maldives (1972–1975)
• Mongolia
  • Communist Party Leader - Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal, General secretary of the Central Committee of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (1958–1984)
  • Head of State -
    1. Jamsrangiin Sambuu, Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural of Mongolia (1954–1972)
    2. Tsagaanlamyn Dügersüren, Acting Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural of Mongolia (1972)
    3. Sonomyn Luvsan, Acting Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Great Hural of Mongolia (1972–1974)
  • Premier - Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Mongolia (1952–1974)
• Nepal
  • Monarch -
    1. Mahendra, King of Nepal (1955–1972)
    2. Birendra, King of Nepal (1972–2001)
  • Prime Minister - Kirti Nidhi Bista, Prime Minister of Nepal (1971–1973)
• Oman
  • Monarch - Qaboos bin Said al Said, Sultan of Oman (1970–present)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Tariq bin Taimur Al-Said, Prime Minister of Oman (1970–1972)
    2. Qaboos bin Said al Said, Prime Minister of Oman (1972–present)
• Pakistan
  • President - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, President of Pakistan (1971–1973)
• Philippines
  • President - Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines (1965–1986)
• Portuguese Timor (overseas province of Portugal)
  • Governor -
    1. José Nogueira Valente Pires, Governor of Portuguese Timor (1968–1972)
    2. Fernando Alves Adeía, Governor of Portuguese Timor (1972–1974)
• Qatar
  • Monarch -
    1. Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani, Emir of Qatar (1960–1972)
    2. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar (1972–1995)
  • Prime Minister - Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar (1970–1995)
• Saudi Arabia
  • Monarch - Faisal, King of Saudi Arabia (1964–1975)
  • Prime Minister - Faisal, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia (1962–1975)
• Singapore
  • President - Benjamin Henry Sheares, President of Singapore (1971–1981)
  • Prime Minister - Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore (1959–1990)
• Sri Lanka
  • Ceylon changed name to Sri Lanka on 22 May 1972
  • Monarch - Elizabeth II, Queen of Ceylon (1952–1972)
  • Governor-General - William Gopallawa, Governor-General of Ceylon (1962–1972)
  • President - William Gopallawa, President of Sri Lanka (1972–1978)
  • Prime Minister - Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1970–1977)
• Syria
  • President - Hafez al-Assad, President of Syria (1971–2000)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Abdul Rahman Kleifawi, Prime Minister of Syria (1971–1972)
    2. Mahmoud al-Ayyubi, Prime Minister of Syria (1972–1976)
• Taiwan (Republic of China)
  • President - Chiang Kai-Shek, President of the Republic of China (1950–1975)
  • Premier -
    1. Yen Chia-kan, President of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China (1963–1972)
    2. Chiang Ching-kuo, President of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China (1972–1978)
• Thailand -
  • Monarch - Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand (1946–present)
  • Prime Minister - Thanom Kittikachorn, Prime Minister of Thailand (1963–1973)
• Turkey
  • President - Cevdet Sunay, President of Turkey (1966–1973)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Nihat Erim, Prime Minister of Turkey (1971–1972)
    2. Ferit Melen, Prime Minister of Turkey (1972–1973)
• United Arab Emirates
  • President - Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (1971–2004)
  • Prime Minister - Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (1971–1979)
• North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam)
  • Communist Party Leader - Lê Duẩn, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (1960–1986)
  • President - Tôn Đức Thắng, President of North Vietnam (1969–1980)
  • Premier - Phạm Văn Đồng, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of North Vietnam (1955–1987)
• South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam)
  • President - Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, President of South Vietnam (1965–1975)
  • Prime Minister - Trần Thiện Khiêm, Prime Minister of South Vietnam (1969–1975)
• North Yemen (Yemen Arab Republic)
  • President - Abdul Rahman al-Iryani, President of North Yemen (1967–1974)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Mohsin Ahmad al-Aini, Prime Minister of North Yemen (1971–1972)
    2. Kadhi Abdullah al-Hagri, Prime Minister of North Yemen (1972–1974)
• South Yemen (People's Democratic Republic of Yemen)
  • Head of State - Salim Rubai Ali, Chairman of the Presidential Council of South Yemen (1969–1978)
  • Prime Minister - Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas, Prime Minister of South Yemen (1971–1986)