The 2006 top ten dictators ranked by Parade Magazine
1) Omar al-Bashir, Sudan. Age 62. In power since 1989. Last yearâ??s rank: 1
2) Kim Jong-il, North Korea. Age 63. In power since 1994. Last yearâ??s rank: 2
3) Than Shwe, Burma (Myanmar). Age 72. In power since 1992. Last yearâ??s rank: 3
4) Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe. Age 81. In power since 1980. Last yearâ??s rank: 9
5) Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan. Age 67. In power since 1990. Last yearâ??s rank: 15
6) Hu Jintao, China. Age 63. In power since 2002. Last yearâ??s rank: 4
7) King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia. Age 82. In power since 1995. Last yearâ??s rank: 5
8) Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan. Age 65. In power since 1990. Last yearâ??s rank: 8
9) Seyed Ali Khamaneâ??i, Iran. Age 66. In power since 1989. Last yearâ??s rank: 18
10) Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Equatorial Guinea. Age 63. In power since 1979. Last yearâ??s rank: 10
Number 8 seems particularly weird, his work includes “bans on car radios, lip-synching and playing recorded music on TV or at weddings” (the lip-synching I can almost understand!) and he has ordered Turkmenistanâ??s physicians to give up the Hippocratic Oath and to swear allegiance to him instead.
– The ones who didnt make it are listed in 11-20, they are not a friendly bunch either.