|
Hint
|
First Name
|
Famous Person
|
|
First president of his Indian Ocean island country (1975 and 1978-89), shot by soldiers commanded by infamous mercenary Bob Denard
|
Ahmed
|
Abdallah
|
|
Longtime striker in the English Premier League (97 goals) and 2008 African footballer of the year
|
Emmanuel
|
Adebayor
|
|
Revolutionary and authoritarian leader of his East African country since 1991
|
Isaias
|
Afwerki
|
|
Emir of his oil-rich country from 1977-2006, shortly in exile after an Iraqi invasion
|
Jaber (al-)
|
Ahmad (al-)Sabah
|
|
Warlord in his country at the Horn of Africa, enemy of the US troops in "Black Hawk Down"
|
Mohamed Farrah
|
Aidid
|
|
Author of "Jamila", dubbed "the world's most beautiful love story" by a critic.
|
Chinghiz
|
Aitmatov
|
|
Authoritarian first ruler of his oil-rich country at the Caspain Sea
|
Heydar
|
Aliyev
|
|
Bloodthirsty dictator of the 1970s, responsible for up to 500'000 deaths in his East African country
|
Idi
|
Amin
|
|
Author of fairy tales like "The Little Mermaid"
|
Hans Christian
|
Andersen
|
|
UN Secretary General 1997-2006
|
Kofi
|
Annan
|
|
5000 m gold medal winner at the 1984 Olympics and former world record holder
|
Saïd
|
Aouita
|
|
Peasant girl and heroine of the Hundred Years' War
|
Jeanne d' (Joan of)
|
Arc
|
|
Dictator heavily responsible for the civil war ravaging his country since 2011
|
Bashar (al-)
|
Assad
|
|
Founding father and modernizer of his country after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire
|
* Mustafa Kemal
|
Atatürk
|
|
Striker for AC Milan, Dortmund, and Arsenal
|
Pierre-Emerick
|
Aubameyang
|
|
Strongman of his Southern African country formerly called Nyasaland from 1964-1994
|
Hastings
|
Banda
|
|
The world's first female Prime Minister (1960), mother of future President Chandrika Kumaratunga
|
Sirimavo
|
Bandaranaike
|
|
Heptathlon and long jump World Champion, competing first for her native West African country, later for France
|
Eunice
|
Barber
|
|
Former Swansea and Reading player with 51 Premier League games
|
Modou ("Mo")
|
Barrow
|
|
High jumper (2.43 m) and 2021 Olympic gold medalist
|
Mutaz Essa
|
Barshim
|
|
Ruler of his North East African country from 1989-2019, charged with genocide and war crimes by the International Criminal Court
|
Omar (al-)
|
Bashir
|
|
"Fidelio" and "Ode to Joy" composer
|
Ludwig (van)
|
Beethoven
|
|
Argentina-born head of the Catholic Church (since 2013)
|
* Jorge Mario
|
Bergoglio (Pope Francis)
|
|
Prime Minister (1988-90, 1993-96), influential party and opposition leader, assassinated in 2007
|
Benazir
|
Bhutto
|
|
Socialist PM in his Caribbean country (1979-83), his policy resulting in a US invasion
|
Maurice
|
Bishop
|
|
Dictator and self-declared "emperor" of his country in Central Africa (1966-79)
|
Jean-Bédel
|
Bokassa
|
|
Very tall (2.30 m) NBA player with a great shot-block record, activist for the independence of his country from Sudan
|
Manute
|
Bol
|
|
Independence hero of his Maghreb country
|
Habib
|
Bourguiba
|
|
Supermodel, ex-wife of football player Tom Brady
|
Gisele
|
Bündchen
|
|
Army officer in his troubled Central African country, led two military coups to serve two presidential terms (1987-93, 1996-2004)
|
Pierre
|
Buyoya
|
|
Investigative journalist and blogger murdered in 2017
|
Daphne
|
Caruana Galizia
|
|
Revolutionary, dictator, cigar enthusiast
|
Fidel
|
Castro
|
|
Painter and musician, pioneer of Punta Rock with his "Turtle Shell Band"
|
Pen
|
Cayetano
|
|
First Asian to win a heavyweight world championship title of a major boxing organization
|
Ruslan
|
Chagayev
|
|
Authoritarian president introducing the "Bolivarian revolution" in his country, died of cancer in 2013
|
Hugo
|
Chavez
|
|
Author ("Sens-plastique", "Pensées") and artist from an Indian Ocean island country, famous for his aphorisms
|
Malcolm (de)
|
|
|
Legendary soccer goal keeper known for his attacking spirit
|
José Luis
|
Chilavert
|
|
Last female Pharaoh, lover of Caesar and Antonius, committed suicide in 30 B.C.
|
* Queen
|
Cleopatra VII Philopator
|
|
Lawyer, human rights activist, and wife of actor George
|
Amal
|
Clooney
|
|
Five time Olympic gold medalist and first gymnast to get a perfect 10.0 at Olympic Games (1976)
|
Nadia
|
Comaneci
|
|
Leftist president of his Andean country (2007-17) with successes in reducing poverty but critiziced for restricting liberties
|
Rafael
|
Correa
|
|
Surrealist painter of melting watches
|
Salvador
|
Dali
|
|
Probably the greatest genius of the Middle Ages ("Mona Lisa", "Vitruvian Man", helicopter)
|
* Leonardo
|
Da Vinci
|
|
Motorcyclist from a tiny European country (active 1999-2020) winning four Grand Prix races
|
Alex
|
De Angelis
|
|
Authoritarian long-time ruler of his landlocked African country, "winning" 6 presidential elections, died from gunshot wounds in 2021
|
Idriss
|
Déby
|
|
Independence hero and four-time president of his Pacific island country, made Australian rules football the national sport
|
Hammer
|
DeRoburt
|
|
Singer, saxophonist, bandleader, pioneer of "Mokassa" style fusioning funk, brass and traditional elements
|
Manu
|
Dibango
|
|
Winner of 23 tennis Grand Slam titles, record number of weeks as No1 of the ATP world ranking
|
Novak
|
Djokovic
|
|
Leftist guerrilla leader and controversial long-time president of his oil-rich country in South West Africa
|
José Eduardo
|
Dos Santos
|
|
Longtime Chelsea striker (164 goals), voted African Footballer of the Year twice
|
Didier
|
Drogba
|
|
African swimmer famous for swimming the 100 m freestyle in an extremely slow time at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but frenetically applauded by the public
|
* Eric (the)
|
Eel (Moussambani)
|
|
First European on the American continent
|
Leif
|
Eriksson
|
|
Billionaire drug lord shot in 1993
|
Pablo
|
Escobar
|
|
Singer ("Sodade"), 1994 Grammy Award winner, and "Queen of Morna"
|
Cesaria "Cise"
|
Evora
|
|
Winner of 20 tennis Grand Slam titles
|
Roger
|
Federer
|
|
"Rude Boy" singer
|
Rihanna
|
Fenty
|
|
Sprinter, four time Olympic medalist, 200 m World Champion in 1993
|
Frankie
|
Fredericks
|
|
Revolutionary "Colonel", longtime dictator, and terrorism sponsor
|
Muammar (al-)
|
Gaddafi
|
|
First female PM of her country, assassinated in 1984. Not related to Mahatma, the pacifist liberator of the same name.
|
Indira
|
Gandhi
|
|
Authoritarian longtime president (1978-2008) of his island country in the Indian Ocean
|
Maumoon Abdul
|
Gayoom
|
|
Possibly the most legendary long-distance and marathon runner of all time, setting 27 world records
|
Haile
|
Gebrselassie
|
|
Rugby union player on the scrum-half position, competing for Australia (110 caps) since moving to Brisbane
|
Will
|
Genia
|
|
Long jumper and heptathlete, later competing for Portugal, winning two gold medals at World Indoor Championships
|
Naide
|
Gomes
|
|
Actor ("Withnail & I", "Bram Stoker's Dracula"), nominated for a 2019 Academy Award for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"
|
Richard E.
|
Grant
|
|
Voivode of his country 1457-1504
|
* Stephen (the)
|
Great (cel Mare)
|
|
"The Great One": Best ice hockey player of all time
|
Wayne
|
Gretzky
|
|
Prince of a rich Mediterranean country and husband of Grace Kelly
|
Rainier
|
Grimaldi
|
|
US Founding Father, emigrated from his Caribbean island in 1772, killed in a duel
|
Alexander
|
Hamilton
|
|
Striker for Chelsea, Leeds and Middlesbrough, played for the national team of the Netherlands (former colonial power of his native country)
|
Jimmy Floyd
|
Hasselbaink
|
|
Playwright and first president of his country
|
Vaclav
|
Havel
|
|
First female president of her Pacific island country (2016-20), and women's rights advocate
|
Hilda
|
Heine
|
|
Revolutionary and communist president of his SE Asian country, giving France and the US a hard time
|
* Chi Minh
|
Ho
|
|
Actor and film director ("Soleil O"), winner of the 1970 Golden Leopard at Locarno film festival
|
Med (Mohamed Abid)
|
Hondo
|
|
"The Kite Runner" author who fled with his family to the US in 1980
|
Khaled
|
Hosseini
|
|
Longtime dictator of his communist country in the Balkans with strong ties to China
|
Enver
|
Hoxha
|
|
Brutal dictator, attacked Kurds with poison gas
|
Saddam
|
Hussein
|
|
"Lord of the Rings" director, triple Oscar winner
|
Peter
|
Jackson
|
|
Actress, human rights activist and former wife of British rock singer Mick
|
Bianca
|
Jagger
|
|
Rapper, "Fugees"-Member, intended to run for president
|
Wyclef
|
Jean
|
|
Authoritarian PM of his country, getting in growing conflict with the neighboring Apartheid regime
|
Leabua
|
Jonathan
|
|
"Ulysses" author
|
James
|
Joyce
|
|
PM of his country and president of the EU commission (2014-19)
|
Jean-Claude
|
Juncker
|
|
Increasingly authoritarian president since 2000, ended the genocide on Tutsi in his small Central African country
|
Paul
|
Kagame
|
|
West African singer and musician best known for his hit "Yé ké yé ké"
|
Mory
|
Kanté
|
|
Anti-colonial activist and first president of his country in Southern Africa (1964-91)
|
Kenneth
|
Kaunda
|
|
Raï singer/songwriter ("Aïcha", "Didi")
|
* Cheb
|
Khaled
|
|
Conqueror of a huge empire in Eurasia
|
* Genghis
|
Khan
|
|
Leader of the Islamic Revolution
|
* Ayatollah
|
Khomeini
|
|
West African singer ("Agolo", "Batonga"), choreographer, activist, four time Grammy winner
|
Angélique
|
Kidjo
|
|
Founder and longtime dictator of his isolated Asian country
|
Il-Sung
|
Kim
|
|
Former heavyweight boxing champion and mayor of his country's capital
|
Vitali
|
Klitschko
|
|
High jump world record holder (2.09 m) since 1987
|
Stefka
|
Kostadinova
|
|
Legendary "Seven Samurai" director
|
Akira
|
Kurosawa
|
|
Singer, band leader, pioneer of Afrobeat genre and civil rights activist
|
Fela
|
Kuti
|
|
Al Qaeda leader, killed in 2011
|
Osama (bin)
|
Laden
|
|
Rugby union player (flanker), captained the national team of his Pacific kingdom 42 times
|
* Nili
|
Latu
|
|
Film director ("Hulk", "Brokeback Mountain"), winner of three Oscars
|
Ang
|
Lee
|
|
Rugby Hall of Famer called "The Chiropractor" because of his powerful hits
|
Brian
|
Lima
|
|
"Europe's last dictator"
|
Alexander
|
Lukashenko
|
|
Anti-colonial and social justice leader, first PM of his country, ousted by General Mobutu, assassinated in 1961
|
Patrice
|
Lumumba
|
|
Soca singer ("Turn Me On") with a falsetto voice from a Caribbean island nation
|
Kevin
|
Lyttle
|
|
|
Hint
|
First Name
|
Famous Person
|
|
Human rights activist and third wife of Nelson Mandela, only First Lady of two different countries
|
Graça
|
Machel
|
|
"This is not a pipe" painter
|
René
|
Magritte
|
|
Guitar player and folk musician singing in Malagasy ("Tambazako", "Tsy Ferana")
|
* Erick
|
Manana
|
|
Film director, winner of the 1994 Golden Lion in Venice for "Before the Rain"
|
Milcho
|
Manchevski
|
|
ANC leader jailed on Robben Island, first democratically elected president of his country
|
Nelson
|
Mandela
|
|
Went on a "Long March" and wrote a "Little Red Book"
|
Zedong
|
Mao
|
|
Reggae legend ("Buffalo Soldier")
|
Bob
|
Marley
|
|
17th century chief whose gravesite is the first Unesco World Heritage Site of his Melanesian island country
|
* Roi
|
Mata
|
|
Indigenous human rights activist, feminist and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1982
|
Rigoberta
|
Menchu
|
|
"Queen of Rap", R&B and pop singer ("Pink Friday")
|
Nicki
|
Minaj
|
|
Singer ("I Should Be So Lucky", "Can't Get You Out Of My Head") and actress ("Swinging Safari")
|
Kylie
|
Minogue
|
|
Real Madrid soccer player (1996-99) from a small Balkan country
|
Predrag
|
Mijatovic
|
|
400 m sprinter, 2011 world champion by beating Allyson Felix
|
Amantle
|
Montsho
|
|
Founder of the Unification Church known for its mass weddings
|
Sun Myung
|
Moon
|
|
Leftist and first indigenous president of his Andean country (2006-19)
|
Evo
|
Morales
|
|
President of his Pacific island country, descendant of Japanese explorer Koben
|
Manny
|
Mori
|
|
"Magic Flute" composer
|
Wolfgang Amadeus
|
Mozart
|
|
President in his Southern African country from 1987 to 2017, evolving from a respected anti-colonial reformer to a corrupt dictator
|
Robert
|
Mugabe
|
|
Painter of "The Scream"
|
Edvard
|
Munch
|
|
Real Madrid and Paris SG goalkeeper, helped his country's national team reach the 2014 World Cup quarter finals
|
Keylor
|
Navas
|
|
Longtime dictator in his country and name giver of its capital
|
Nursultan
|
Nazarbayev
|
|
Mbalax singer ("7 seconds"), 2005 Grammy winner for "Egypt", actor, and politician
|
Youssou
|
N'Dour
|
|
National poet of his South American country ("Canto general"), 1971 Nobel Prize winner
|
Pablo
|
Neruda
|
|
Controversial multiple Prime Minister of his country located between Egypt and Lebanon
|
Benjamin
|
Netanyahu
|
|
Actress ("Rambo: First Blood Part II", "Sidekicks"), ex-wife of David Soul
|
Julia
|
Nickson
|
|
Dictator of his central Asian country with an absurd cult of personality
|
Saparmurat
|
Niyazov
|
|
First or second man on the summit of Mt Everest
|
Tenzing
|
Norgay
|
|
Drug dealing ruler of his Central American country, removed from power and arrested by a US Invasion in 1989
|
Manuel
|
Noriega
|
|
Winner of 9 Olympic Gold medals in athletics in the 1920s
|
Paavo
|
Nurmi
|
|
1st president and "Father" of his SE African country, achieved the union with Zanzibar
|
Julius
|
Nyerere
|
|
Economist and father of the 44th US President
|
Barack
|
Obama Sr.
|
|
Shipping magnate and second husband of Jackie Kennedy
|
Aristotle
|
Onassis
|
|
2017 French Open surprise winner
|
Jelena
|
Ostapenko
|
|
Politician, diplomat, secretary-general of the Organization of African Unity, and writer (won the Grand prix littérarie d'Afrique noire for "Gros Plan")
|
Idé
|
Oumarou
|
|
Only boxer to win World Champion titles in eight weight divisions, now a politician
|
Manny
|
Pacquiao
|
|
Composer, inventor of the tintinnabuli style
|
Arvo
|
Pärt
|
|
Popular First Lady of her country, her life being told in musical (Andrew Lloyd Webber) and film (Madonna)
|
Maria Eva ("Evita")
|
Peron
|
|
World Chess Champion 1963-69
|
Tigran
|
Petrosian
|
|
Actor ("In the Heat of the Night", "They call me Mister Tibbs!") and 1964 Academy Award winner
|
Sidney
|
Poitier
|
|
Communist revolutionary and dictator, responsible for the death of up to 2 million people ("Killing fields"), subject of a Dead Kennedys song
|
* Pol
|
Pot
|
|
Leader of communist Pathet Lao, first president of his country, and son of Prince Bounkhong
|
* (Souphanouvong), the Red
|
Prince
|
|
Assassin of archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914
|
Gavrilo
|
Princip
|
|
Dub music producer and sound engineer ("Dub Me Crazy")
|
* Mad
|
Professor
|
|
11 time MLB Allstar, first baseman (Cardinals, Angels, dodgers), has hit over 700 home runs so far
|
Albert
|
Pujols
|
|
Authoritarian president of his Central Asian country since 1994
|
Emomali
|
Rahmon
|
|
Human rights activist in his small island country in the Persian Gulf
|
Nabeel
|
Rajab
|
|
Popular Queen of the "Hashemite Kingdom", wife of King Abdullah II
|
* Queen
|
Rania (al-)Abdullah
|
|
Won four presidential elections in his small island country in Oceania, awarded the UN title "Champion of the Earth" for his environment policy
|
Tommy
|
Remengesau
|
|
Authoritarian longtime president of his Indian Ocean island country, came to power by a coup d'état in 1977
|
(France-)Albert
|
René
|
|
Outstanding batter, captain of the West Indies cricket team in 50 Test matches (1984-91)
|
Viv
|
Richards
|
|
Cardinal, archbishop of Tegucigalpa, and strong advocate of debt relief for poor countries
|
Oscar
|
Rodriguez Maradiaga
|
|
Archbishop of his country's capital, murdered in 1980, canonized in 2018
|
Oscar
|
Romero
|
|
Five time winner of "Ballon d'Or" soccer trophy
|
Cristiano
|
Ronaldo
|
|
Inventor of the Magic Cube
|
Ernö
|
Rubik
|
|
Tall basketball player (2,21 m) for the Indiana Pacers and Olympic gold medalist in 1988
|
Arvydas
|
Sabonis
|
|
Sultan of his country on the Arabian Peninsula for 50 years (1970-2020)
|
Qabus (bin)
|
Said (al-)Said
|
|
Longtime president of his country on the Arab peninsula, toppled in the Arab Spring in 2011, killed by Houthi rebels in 2017
|
Ali Abdullah
|
Saleh
|
|
Author of historical novels, writing in Catalan (the official language of his Pyrenean country) and Spanish
|
Albert
|
Salvado
|
|
Influential revolutionary with a socialist and Pan-African ideology, president of his country, murdered in 1987
|
Thomas
|
Sankara
|
|
Dominating and controversial political figure in his Central African country since 1979 (officer, rebel, president for decades)
|
Denis
|
Sassou-Nguesso
|
|
"Devilish" ice hockey player with 15 NHL seasons and a 2009 Stanley Cup win
|
Miroslav
|
Satan
|
|
Author ("The Orchid House"), labour activist, and Minister of Labour and Social Affaires in the West Indies Federation 1958-62
|
Phyllis
|
Shand Allfrey
|
|
Businessman, PM of his SE Asian country, briefly owned Manchester City Football Club
|
Thaksin
|
Shinawatra
|
|
The world's No1 golfer 2004/05, won three major titles (Masters, 2 PGA Championships)
|
Vijay
|
Singh
|
|
Diplomat, PM of his tiny Pacific island country 2013-19
|
Enele
|
Sopoaga
|
|
Soviet dictator, responsible for millions of deaths
|
Josef
|
Stalin
|
|
Striker for Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico, and notorious biter
|
Luis
|
Suarez
|
|
First female president of her South East Asian country, daughter of former president Sukarno
|
* Megawati
|
Sukarnoputri
|
|
Longtime Emir and founding father of the Union of seven Arab emirates
|
Sheikh Zayed (bin)
|
Sultan (al-)Nahyan
|
|
Freedom fighter, over 15 years under house arrest, State Counselor from 2016 to 2021 (ousted through a military coup)
|
Aung San
|
Suu Kyi
|
|
Warlord and cruel president of his West African country, condemned in The Hague to 50 years for war crimes
|
Charles
|
Taylor
|
|
First PM of his newly independent Balkan country (2008-14), accused of war crimes
|
Hashim
|
Thaci
|
|
"Iron Lady"
|
Margaret
|
Thatcher
|
|
Her "School Strike for Climate" inspired millions to protest against global warming
|
Greta
|
Thunberg
|
|
WWII resistance fighter and longtime dictator of Yugoslavia
|
Josip
|
Tito
|
|
"War and Peace" author
|
Leo
|
Tolstoy
|
|
President of his Pacific island country (2003-16), advocated measures against global warming, got into a row with China
|
Anote
|
Tong
|
|
Singer, guitarist and pioneer of West Africa's "desert blues"
|
Ali Farka
|
Touré
|
|
Model and First Lady of the US 2017-2021
|
Melania
|
Trump
|
|
"Huckleberry Finn" author
|
Mark
|
Twain
|
|
"Starry Night" painter, cut off his ear
|
Vincent
|
Van Gogh
|
|
South American author ("The Green House", "Death in the Andes"), winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature
|
Mario
|
Vargas Llosa
|
|
Military coup leader and three time president of his small West African country, assassinated in 2009
|
João "Nino"
|
Vieira
|
|
Outlaw, revolutionary General, "Robin Hood" of his country, and Hollywood actor (portraying himself)
|
* Pancho
|
Villa
|
|
Pop singer ("To poli-poli") and multiple Eurovision song contest participant for her Mediterranean island country and for Greece
|
Anna
|
Vissi
|
|
Best known novelist and poet of his small country at the Horn of Africa ("In the United States of Africa", "Passage of Tears")
|
Abdourahman
|
Waberi
|
|
Poet ("Omeros") and 1992 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature
|
Derek
|
Walcott
|
|
Leader of the "Solidarity" trade union, president after the fall of the Iron Curtain
|
Lech
|
Walesa
|
|
Current King of his Himalayan country
|
Jigme Khesar Namgyel
|
Wangchuck
|
|
Successful alpine skier, wife of Austrian skier Harti, and mother of skier Tina
|
Hanni
|
Weirather (Wenzel)
|
|
Swimmer from a Pacific island country, pioneer of the front crawl style, broke the world diving record (62 m) in 1918
|
Alick
|
Wickham
|
|
Actor ("14 Blades") and singer from a small SE Asian monarchy, member of Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit
|
Chun
|
Wu
|
|
Bishop of Lonum, awarded the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize (together wirth José Ramos-Horta) for his peaceful efforts to seek independence of his small SE Asian country
|
Carlos Filipe
|
Ximenes Belo
|
|
SE Asian action star, best known for her roles in "Tomorrow Never Dies" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"
|
Michelle
|
Yeoh
|
|
Economist, pioneer of the microfinance concept, and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2006
|
Muhammad
|
Yunus
|
|
