List of state leaders in 1982
state leaders in 1981 - Events in 1982 - State leaders in 1983 - State leaders by year
Africa
- Algeria -
- President - Chadli Bendjedid, President of Algeria (1979-1992)
- Prime Minister - Mohamed Ben Ahmed Abdelghani, Prime Minister of Algeria (1979-1984)
- Angola - José Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola (1979-present)
- Benin - Mathieu Kérékou, President of Benin (1972-1991)
- Botswana - Quett Masire, President of Botswana, (1980-1998)
- Burundi - Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, President of Burundi (1976-1987)
- Djibouti -
- President - Hassan Gouled Aptidon, President of Djibouti (1977-1999)
- Prime Minister - Barkat Gourad Hamadou, Prime Minister of Djibouti (1978-2001)
Asia
- Afghanistan
- President - Babrak Karmal, President of Afghanistan, (1979-1986)
- Prime Minister - Sultan Ali Keshtmand, Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1981-1988)
- Bangladesh
- President - Abdus Sattar, Acting President of Bangladesh
- Prime Minister - Shah Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1979-1982)
- Bhutan - King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, King of Bhutan (1972-
- Burma
- President - Ne Win, President of Burma (1962-1988)
- Prime Minister - Maung Muand Ka, Prime Minister of Burma (1977-
- People's Republic of China
- De facto Head of State - Ye Jianying, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (1978-1983)
- Premier - Zhao Ziyang, Premier of the State Council (1980-1987)
- Head of Communist Party -
- De facto leader - Deng Xiaoping (late 1970s - early 1990s)
- Pakistan -
- President - Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan (1978-1988)
- Head of Government - Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, Chief Martial Law Administrator (1977-1985)
- Taiwan (Republic of China)
- President - Chiang Ching-kuo, President of the Republic of China (1978-1988)
- Premier - Sun Yün-suan, President of the Executive Yuan (1978-1984)
Australia and Oceania
- Australia
- Monarch - Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, (1952-present)
- Governor-General - Zelman Cowen, Governor-General of Australia, (1977-
- Prime Minister - Malcolm Fraser, Prime Minister of Australia (1975-1982)
- Tuvalu
- Monarch - Elizabeth II, Queen of Tuvalu (1978-present)
- Governor-General - Fiatau Penitala Teo, Governor-General of Tuvalu (1978-1986)
- Prime Minister - Tomasi Puapua, Prime Minister of Tuvalu (1981-1989)
Europe
- Albania -
- President - Haxhi Lleshi, President of Albania (1953-
- Head of government - Mehmet Shebu, Chairman of Albania (1954-
- Andorra -
- French Co-prince - François Mitterrand, President of France, (1981-1995)
- Spanish Co-prince - Joan Martí Alanís, Bishop of Urgel, (1971-2003)
- Syndic - Estanislao Sangra Font (1979-
- Austria -
- President - Rudolf Kirchschläger, President of Austria (1974-1986)
- Chancellor - Bruno Kreisky, Chancellor of Austria (1970-1983)
- Belgium -
- Monarch - King Baudouin, King of the Belgians (1951-1993)
- Prime Minister - Wilfried Martens, Prime Minister of Belgium, (1979-1981, 1981-1992)
- Bulgaria -
- President - Todor Zhivkov, President of Bulgaria (1971-1989, Head of Communist Party of Bulgaria (1954-1989)
- Prime Minister - Grisha Filipov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (1981-1986)
- Denmark
- Monarch - Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark (1972-present)
- Prime Minister -
- France -
- President - François Mitterrand, President of France (1981-1995)
- Prime Minister - Pierre Mauroy, Prime Minister of France (1981-1984)
- Federal Republic of Germany -
- German Democratic Republic -
- Communist Party Leader - Erich Honecker, General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (1971-1989)
- Head of State - Erich Honecker, Chairman of the Council of State (1976-1989)
- Premier - Willi Stoph, Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1976-1989)
- Ireland
- President - Patrick Hillery, President of Ireland (1976-1990)
- Prime Minister -
- Sweden -
- Monarch - King Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden (1973-present)
- Prime Minister -
- United Kingdom -
- Monarch - Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom (1952-present)
- Prime Minister - Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979-1990)
Middle East
- Bahrain
- Prime Minister - Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain (1970-
North America and Caribbean
- Bahamas
- Monarch - Queen Elizabeth, Queen of the Bahamas (1952-present)
- Governor-General - Gerald C. Cash, Governor-General of the Bahamas (1979-
- Prime Minister - Lynden Oscar Pindling, Prime Minister of the Bahamas (1967-
- Barbados
- Monarch - Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Barbados (1952-present)
- Governor-General - Deighton L. Ward, Governor-General of Barbados (1976-
- Prime Minister - John M.G. Adams, Prime Minister of Barbados (1976-
- Canada
- Monarch - Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada (1962-present)
- Governor General - Edward Schreyer, Governor General of Canada (1979-1984)
- Prime Minister - Pierre Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada (1980-1984)
- Cuba - Fidel Castro, President of Cuba (1976-present)
- United States - Ronald Reagan, President of the United States (1981-1989)