List of state leaders in 981

980 state leaders - Events of 981 - 982 state leaders - State leaders by year -----

Africa

*Fatimid Caliphate - unicode|Abū Manṣūr Nizār al-'Azīz bi-llāh, Caliph (975-996)
**Ifriqiya - Buluggin ibn Ziri, Zirid Viceroy (972-984)

Americas

Asia

*Byzantine Empire - Basil II Bulgaroktonus, Byzantine emperor (976-1025)
*China (Northern Song Dynasty) - Taizong, Emperor of Song China (976-997)
** Dingnan - Li Jipeng, Dingnan Jiedushi (980-982)
*Japan -
**Monarch - Emperor En'yū, emperor of Japan (969-984)
**Regent (Kampaku) - Fujiwara no Yoritada, Kampaku (977-986)
*Korea (Goryeo Dynasty) -
*#Gyeongjong, King of Goryeo (975-981)
*#Seongjong, King of Goryeo (981-997)
*Liao (Khitan Empire) - Jingzong, Emperor of Liao (969-982)

Europe

*Al-Andalus - Hisham II, Caliph of Cordoba (976-1008)
*Bohemia - Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia (972-999)
*Bulgaria Joint rulers (Samuil was not officially proclaimed Emperor until Roman's death in 997)
**Roman I, Tsar of Bulgaria (976-997)
**Samuil, Tsar of Bulgaria (976-1014)
*Byzantine Empire - Basil II Bulgaroktonus, Byzantine emperor (976-1025)
*Denmark - Harold I, King of Denmark (c.958-986)
*England - Aethelred II, King of England (978-1016)
*Germany - Otto II, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor (973-983)
**Bavaria - Otto I, Duke of Bavaria (976-982)
**Saxony - Bernard I. Duke of Saxony (973-1011)
**Swabia - Otto I, Duke of Swabia (973-982)
*Hungary - Géza, Fejedelem of the Magyars (c.940-997)
*Kievan Rus - Vladimir I, Grand Prince of Kiev (980-1015)
*Norway - Haakon Jarl, King of Norway (976-995)
*Papal States - Benedict VII, Pope (974-983)
* Poland - Mieszko I, Duke of Poland (ca 960-992)
*Scotland - Kenneth II, King of Scotland (971-995)
*Sicily - Abu al-Qasim, Kalbid Emir (964-982)
*Sweden - Eric the Victorious, King of Sweden (970-995)
*Venice - Tribuno Memmo, Doge of Venice (979-991)
*Western Francia - Lothair, King of Western Francia (954-986)
**Anjou - Geoffrey I Greymantle, Count of Anjou (958-987)
**Aquitaine - William IV Iron Arm, Duke of Aquitaine (963-995)
**Burgundy - Otto-Henry, Duke of Burgundy (965-1002)
**Normandy - Richard I, Duke of Normandy (942-996)
**Provence - Rotbold III, Count of Provence (961-1008)

Middle East

*Abbasid Caliphate - At-Ta'i, Caliph (974-991)
*Byzantine Empire - Basil II, Byzantine Emperor (976-1025)
*Persia
**Fars (Buwayhids) - 'Adud al-Daula, Emir (976-983)
**Hamadan (Buwayhids) - Mu'ayyad al-Daula, Emir (943-983)
**Samanids - Nuh II (976-997)
**Seistan (Saffarids) - Wali-ud-Dawlah Khalaf I (963-1003)