Quiz

BuzzFeed News World Editor

World

These guys, because of course they're all guys, have tremendous staying power.

Can You Pick Who's Managed To Say In Power The Longest?

The election in November is sure to be nuts, but around the world there are elections where the outcome is clear before a single vote has been cast.

But are you able to tell which of these guys has managed to hold onto their proverbial throne for the most years?

Can You Pick Who's Clung To Power The Longest?

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, who took power in a coup, has been in power for the second-longest amount of time of anyone — since August 3, 1979.

Argh, you guinea-d to try once more, you almost had it!

President Santos has been in power for the third-longest amount of time — since September 10, 1979.

SO CLOSE TO YOUR ANGOLA!

Sorry! Khamenei has been in power since 1981, first as president of Iran and then Supreme Leader with a brief overlap between the two.

More like Aya-no-lah

Even before the fall of the Soviet Union and Uzbekistan's independence, President Karimov was in power — since June 23, 1989, when he was Secretary of the Uzbek 
Soviet Republic.

Uzbek-er try again

Cameroon's Paul Biya is 83 years young and took as office as Prime Minister on June 30, 1975. He's later became President and is still desperately holding on to the reins of power despite being born during the Great Depression.

DING DING DING!

Cambodia's Hun Sen first took office back in 1985. Despite having actually been voted out of office in 1993, Hun still hung onto power enough that he took control of the country back and has yet to let go since.

You were a khmer five spots off

After Museveni overthrew dictator Idi Amin and took control on January 29, 1986, it seemed like a big change ahead for Uganda. Museveni has stuck around ever since.

Uganda get closer next time

Much like his Uzbek counterpart, President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan has been in power since before the fall of the Soviet Union — in his case since June 22, 1989.

There's no Kazakh for alarm, just try again

Robert Mugabe may be one of the oldest heads of state in the world, but the once-popular freedom fighter turned dictator first took power on April 18, 1980.

You weren't Zimbabwe off!

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Can You Pick Who's Managed To Say In Power The Longest?

The United States's presidential election is getting ~super official~ on Monday as the Republican National Convention kicks off in Cleveland.

Not counting royals, the nine men in this article have been continuously in power — in one role or another — for longer than anyone else on the planet, often winning their "elections" in landslides.