The first President of Chile was Manuel Blanco Encalada, who served from 1826 to 1827 and again from 1831 to 1832. Born in Buenos Aires in 1790 to a Chilean father and an Argentine mother, Blanco Encalada was a naval officer who served in the Chilean War of Independence. He was also a member of the Chilean Congress and the Senate. As President, Blanco Encalada faced a number of challenges...
François Tombalbaye was the first President of Chad, serving from 1960 to 1975. He was born on June 15, 1918, in Bessada, a small village in the south of Chad. He belonged to the Sara ethnic group, the largest ethnic group in Chad. Tombalbaye’s early life was marked by poverty and discrimination. He was orphaned at a young age and was forced to work as a shepherd and a laborer to survive...
Barthélémy Boganda was the first President of the Central African Republic, serving from August 13, 1960, to March 29, 1961. He was a prominent political figure in the Central African Republic and is considered one of the fathers of the nation. Boganda was born on April 4, 1910, in Bobangui, a village in the Lobaye region of Ubangi-Shari, French Equatorial Africa (now the Central African...
Sir John A. Macdonald, born on January 11, 1815, in Glasgow, Scotland, holds the distinction of being the first Prime Minister of Canada, serving from 1867 to 1873 and again from 1878 to 1891. Before venturing into politics, Macdonald established a successful law practice in Kingston, Ontario. Background and History: Macdonald’s father, Hugh Macdonald, was a merchant, and his mother, Helen...
The first President of Cameroon was Ahmadou Ahidjo, who served from 1960 to 1982. He was born on August 24, 1924, in Garoua, northern Cameroon, to a Fulani family. Ahidjo’s father was a traditional chief and his mother was a homemaker. Ahidjo received his early education in Garoua before moving to Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, to attend a French high school. He later studied law and...
The first President of Cambodia was Norodom Sihanouk, who served from 1960 to 1970. He was born in 1922 to King Norodom Suramarit and Queen Sisowath Kossamak. Sihanouk was educated in France and became king in 1941 when his father died. He abdicated in 1955 to focus on politics and became prime minister. Sihanouk was a charismatic and popular leader who promoted a policy of neutrality and non...
Aristides Maria Pereira was the first President of Cabo Verde, serving from 1975 to 1991. Born on November 17, 1923, in São Vicente, Pereira came from a humble background. His father was a fisherman, and his mother was a seamstress. Pereira attended school in São Vicente and later studied law in Portugal. After completing his studies, he returned to Cabo Verde and became involved in politics...
Michel Micombero was the first President of Burundi, serving from 1966 to 1976. He was born in 1940 in Rutovu, Burundi, and belonged to the Tutsi ethnic group. Micombero’s early life was marked by political turmoil and ethnic tensions in Burundi. He attended military school in Belgium and rose through the ranks of the Burundian army, eventually becoming Chief of Staff in 1965. In 1966, he...
Maurice Yaméogo was the first President of Burkina Faso, serving from 1960 to 1966. Background and History: Birth and Early Life: Born on December 31, 1921, in Koudougou, French Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Yaméogo was the son of a wealthy farmer. Education: He received his primary education in Koudougou and completed his secondary education at the Lycée Saint-Joseph in Ouagadougou. Early...
Todor Zhivkov was the first President of Bulgaria, serving from July 7, 1971, to November 10, 1989. He was born on September 7, 1911, in Pravets, Bulgaria, to a peasant family. Zhivkov was of Bulgarian ethnicity and a member of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP). He joined the BCP in 1932 and quickly rose through the ranks. During World War II, he was a leader of the anti-Nazi resistance...
