Bill Gates

At a Glance

• Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Age: 58
• Source of Wealth: Microsoft, self-made
• Residence: Medina, WA
• Country of Citizenship: United States
• Education: Drop Out, Harvard University
• Marital Status: Married
• Children: 3

Profile

 Bill Gates is the wealthiest man in the U.S. (and the world, for that matter), despite past gifts of more than $28 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He bolstered his foundation's efforts to eradicate polio in April, securing $335 million in pledges to the cause from six billionaire comrades,

Angela Merkel

• Chancellor, Germany
• Age: 59
• Residence: Berlin, Germany
• Country of Citizenship: Germany
• Education: Master of Science, Leipzig University; Doctorate, Leipzig University
• Marital Status: Married

• Profile

   The world's most powerful woman is the backbone of the 27-member European Union and carries the fate of the euro on her shoulders.

Pope Francis

• Pope, Roman Catholic Church
• Age: 77
• Residence: Vatican City, Vatican City State
• Country of Citizenship: Argentina

• Profile

   The March 2013 election of Pope Francis has breathed new energy into the world's largest religion with 1.2 billion followers. The first Jesuit and Latin American Bishop of Rome preaches compassion for the poor and a greater role for women while signaling the church to quiet its focus on "only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptives

Xi Jinping

• General Secretary, Communist Party, China
• Age: 60
• Residence: Beijing, China
• Country of Citizenship: China
• Marital Status: Married

• Profile

  The 60-year-old Xi is the paramount political and military leader of China, ruling over 1.3 billion people (close to 20% of the world's population). China owns some $1.3 trillion in U.S. securities, making it the largest shareholder of U.S. debt. There are 122 billionaires in the country, up from zero one decade ago. In addition to his title of general secretary of the Communist Party in China, Xi is also president of the People's Republic of China and the chairman of the Central Military Commission.

   

Barack Obama

At a Glance

• President, United States
• Age: 52
• Residence: Washington, DC
• Country of Citizenship: United States
• Marital Status: Married
• children: 2

• Profile

  His signature legislation, Obamacare, is under fire, U.S. allies are outraged over NSA surveillance overseas and the government shutdown for 16 days in October begs the question: who's in control here? It appears that President Obama's lame duck period has set in earlier than usual for a two-term president, causing him to drop one notch from the No.