BRITAIN
GERMANY
INDIA
AUSTRALIA
SOUTH
AFRICA
HOLLAND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BRITAIN
|
GERMANY
|
INDIA
|
AUSTRALIA
|
SOUTH
AFRICA
|
HOLLAND
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
CANADA
|
FINLAND
|
FRANCE
|
CZECH
REPUBLIC
|
UNITED
STATES
|
BELGIUM
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
NEW
ZEALAND
|
ROMANIA
|
HUNGARY
|
PORTUGAL
|
BULGARIA
|
SPAIN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARGENTINA
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
The World's Greatest People
First the countries
of the world were trying to decide who their best pop star was. Now they're
trying to name their best citizens.
Following the lead of Britain, who held a "Greatest Briton" survey
in 2002, over a dozen countries have so far held popular votes through their
national TV network to determine their greatest citizen.
This is the way it usually works. The network makes a website, where ordinary people can submit names of great individuals. After a certain cut-off point, the network tallies all the entries, and assembles a list of the top ten most popular names. Over the course of the next few weeks, ten local national celebrities (usually of a b-list nature) serve as official "advocates" for one each of the top ten greats on ten special episodes. When this is done, a second public vote is held to rank the top ten, and determine the greatest citizen of all.
Here are the country-by-country
results thusfar.
| scientist / inventor | activist | athelete |
| politician / ruler | TV personality | musician |
| military figure | author | artist |
| businessman | actor / director | religious leader |
Nobel Prize
winner |
FB foreign born | X assasinated / murdered |
UNITED
KINGDOM
"Greatest
Britons" Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Sir Winston Churchill | World
War II-era Prime Minister |
1965 |
|
2
|
Isambard Kingdom Brunel | London's leading engineer and architect of the 19th century | 1859 |
|
3
|
Princess Diana | ex-wife of Prince Charles, glamorous social activist | 1997 |
|
4
|
Charles Darwin | biologist, founder of evolution theory | 1882 |
|
5
|
William Shakespeare | legendary playwright, director | 1616 |
|
6
|
Sir Isaac Newton | scientist, pioneer of gravity, motion theories | 1727 |
|
7
|
Queen Elizabeth I | powerful ruler during golden age of British expansion and enlightenment | 1603 |
|
8
|
John Lennon | musician, lead singer, lyricist of "the Beatles" | 1980 X |
|
9
|
Adm. Horatio Nelson | naval commander who led British forces to victory during Napoleonic wars | 1805 X |
|
10
|
Oliver Cromwell | republican military ruler who briefly deposed the monarchy | 1658 |
GERMANY
"Our
Best " Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Konrad Adenauer | West Germany's first Chancellor | 1967 |
|
2
|
Martin Luther | leader of the reformation, father of Protestant Christianity | 1546 |
|
3
|
Karl Marx | philosopher, founder of Communist ideology | 1883 |
|
4
|
Sophie and Hans Scholl | leaders of White Rose Society, a non-violent Nazi resistance movement | 1943 X |
|
5
|
Willy Brandt | socialist
chancellor of West Germany during the 70's |
1992 |
|
6
|
Johann Sebastian Bach | classical composer | 1750 |
|
7
|
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe | 18th century writer, author of Faust | 1832 |
|
8
|
Johannes Gutenberg | inventor of the printing press | 1468 |
|
9
|
Otto von Bismarck | founder and first chancellor of united German Empire | 1898 |
|
10
|
Albert Einstein | scientist, founder of theory of relativity | 1955 |
Mahatma Ghandi, India's leading independence leader and "father of the nation" was excluded from the voting process because he is already widely revered by most Indians, and was thus deemed to be "above" such a contest.
India
is also the only country to date that held their contest through a magazine,
rather than than a TV series.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Mother Teresa |
Catholic nun, child poverty activist |
1997 FB |
|
2
|
Jawaharlal Nehru | India's first Prime Minister, independence leader | 1964 |
|
3
|
Vallabhbhai Patel | Deputy PM, independence leader, incorporated princely states into India | 1950 |
|
4
|
Indira Gandhi | left-wing Prime Minister who ruled during the 60's and 70's | 1984 X |
|
5
|
J.R.D. Tata | pilot, founder of Air India | 1993 |
|
6
|
B.R. Ambedkar | cabinet minister, architect of the Indian constitution, "untouchable" caste rights activist, Bhuddist revivalist | 1956 |
|
7
|
Dhirubhai Ambani | founder of Reliance industries, India's biggest corporation | 2002 |
|
8
|
Sachin Tendulkar | cricket champion | |
|
9
|
J.P. Narayan | independence leader, founder and leader of socialist political party | 1979 |
|
10
|
Atal Bihari Vajpayee | (then) current Prime Minister |
AUSTRALIA
(No
official website)
The
Australians were apparently in a big rush because their version of the show
was greatly condensed. They did the entire special in just one day, with the
celebrity advocates choosing the top seven, followed by a citizen "jury"
ranking their picks (though only the "number one" rank was ultimately
revealed). As such, this list may be dismissed as being the least legitimate
"greatest" pick.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Lord Howard Florey |
inventor of penicillin |
1968 |
|
?
|
Henry Parkes | founder of Australian federation | 1896 FB |
|
?
|
Lt. Thomas Derrick | heroic World War II soldier who was killed in action | 1945 |
|
?
|
Rupert Murdoch | media mougul, owner of FOX network and many other outlets | |
|
?
|
Evonne Goolagong Cawley | tennis champion | |
|
?
|
Michael Leunig | politicial cartoonist, comic strip artist | |
|
?
|
Barry Humphries | actor and comedian best-known for "Dame Edna" role |
SOUTH
AFRICA
"Great
South Africans" Official Website
The "Greatest South African" special was canceled mid-series due to controversy over some of the members of the top 100. As a result, the top 10 were never ranked. Nelson Mandela was given the number one spot automatically.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Nelson Mandela | South
Africa's first black President, anti-apartheid activist |
|
|
?
|
Dr. Christiaan Barnard | surgeon, performed first open heart transplantation | 2001 |
|
?
|
F.W. de Klerk | last
white President, dismantled apartheid system |
|
|
?
|
Mahatma Gandhi | Indian independence leader | 1948 FB X |
|
?
|
Nkosi Johnson | young AIDS activist | 2002 |
|
?
|
Winnie Mandela | radical political activist, ex-wife of Nelson Mandela | |
|
?
|
Thabo Mbeki | current President | |
|
?
|
Gary Player | PGA golf champion | |
|
?
|
Jan Smuts | World War II-era Prime Minister | 1950 |
|
?
|
Desmond Tutu | Anglican
archbishop, anti-apartheid activist |
HOLLAND
"The
Greatest Dutchperson" Official Website
Though
Pim Fortuyn is ranked in first place, the Dutch television station which ran
the contest has since admitted that a large number of call-in votes could not
be counted due to time restraints. After the contested ended, it was revealed
that had the vote counting deadline been extended, Prince William would have
actually placed first and Fortuyn second.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Pim Fortuyn | leader of conservative political party | 2002 X |
|
2
|
Prince William of Orange | Dutch independence leader, Holland's first independent Head of State | 1584 X |
|
3
|
Willem Drees | post-World War II socialist prime minister | 1988 |
|
4
|
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek | biologist, pioneer of microscope technology | 1723 |
|
5
|
Desiderius Erasmus | Humanist philosopher | 1536 |
|
6
|
Johan Cruijff | soccer player / coach | |
|
7
|
Adm. Michiel de Ruyter | naval commander who led Dutch forces to victory in Dutch-Anglo wars | 1679 |
|
8
|
Ann Frank | Jewish girl who kept a diary as she hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam | 1945 FB |
|
9
|
Rembrandt | Renaissance-era painter | 1669 |
|
10
|
Vincent van Gogh | impressionist painter | 1890 |
CANADA
"The
Greatest Canadian" Official Website
You can view the whole top 100 here.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Tommy Douglas | socialist party leader, founder of Canadian healthcare system | 1986 FB |
|
2
|
Terry Fox | Cancer activist who died during an attempted cross-country marathon | 1981 |
|
3
|
Pierre Trudeau | left-wing Prime Minister during 70's and 80's | 2000 |
|
4
|
Dr. Frederick Banting | inventor
of Insulin |
1941 |
|
5
|
David Suzuki | host of nature television show, environmentalist | |
|
6
|
Lester Pearson | Prime
Minister, UN diplomat, founder of modern peacekeeping |
1972 |
|
7
|
Don Cherry | televison hockey commentator | |
|
8
|
Sir John A. MacDonald | Canada's first Prime Minister | 1891 FB |
|
9
|
Alexander Graham Bell | purported inventor of the telephone | 1922 FB |
|
10
|
Wayne Gretzky | hockey player |
FINLAND
"Great
Finns" Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
C.G.E. Mannerheim | independence leader, military commander-in-chief, President during 40's | 1951 |
|
2
|
Risto Ryti | President who led Finland in war against Soviet Union during the 1940's | 1956 |
|
3
|
Urho Kekkonen | Prime Minister and President of Finland who ruled for 30 years (1950-1981) | 1986 |
|
4
|
Adolf Ehrnrooth | General who led national forces to victory in Finnish-Soviet wars | 2004 |
|
5
|
Tarja Halonen | current President | |
|
6
|
Dr. Arvo Ylppö | doctor who helped reduce infant mortality rates | 1992 |
|
7
|
Mikael Agricola | founder of written Finnish language, Protestant reformist cleric | 1557 |
|
8
|
Jean Sibelius | classical composer | 1957 |
|
9
|
Aleksis Kivi | author, playwright, wrote first full-length Finnish novel | 1872 |
|
10
|
Elias Lönnrot | poet, author of the Kalevala, Finland's "national epic" | 1884 |
FRANCE
"The
Grestest Frenchpeople" Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Charles DeGaulle | anti-Nazi resistance leader, President during 50's-60's | 1970 |
|
2
|
Louis Pasteur | microbiologist, pioneer of germ research | 1895 |
|
3
|
Abbé Pierre | catholic priest, anti-poverty activist | |
|
4
|
Marie Curie | radiation
researcher |
1934 |
|
5
|
Coluche | comedian, anti-poverty / anti-intolerance activist | 1986 |
|
6
|
Victor Hugo | author of Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables | 1885 |
|
7
|
Bourvil | comedic actor, singer | 1970 |
|
8
|
Molière | 17th century satirical author, critic | 1673 |
|
9
|
Jacques Cousteau | underwater explorer, researcher, TV show host | 1997 |
|
10
|
Edith Piaf | singer | 1963 |
CZECH
REPUBLIC
"Greatest
Czechs " Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Emperor Charles IV | Holy Roman Emperor, leader of Bohemian rennisance, founder of Czech state | 1378 |
|
2
|
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk | Czech independence leader, first President of Czechoslovakia | 1937 |
|
3
|
Václav Havel | anti-Communist activist, first post-Communist President of Czechoslovakia | |
|
4
|
Jan Ámos Komenský | Protestant bishop, prominant writer, intelectual, and philosopher | 1670 |
|
5
|
Jan Žižka | Pro-Hussite general during Bohemian Civil War | 1424 |
|
6
|
Jan
Werich |
author, film director | 1980 |
|
7
|
Jan Hus | early Protestant reformist leader, founder of Hussite movement | 1415 |
|
8
|
Antonín Dvorák | classical composer | 1904 |
|
9
|
Karel Capek | pioneering science fiction author | 1938 |
|
10
|
Božena Nemcová | folk author | 1862 |
UNITED
STATES
"The
Greatest American" Official Website
You can check out
the names of the top 100 nominees here.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
| 1 | Ronald Reagan | conservative President during 1980's | 2004 |
| 2 | Abraham Lincoln | Civil War era President who abolished slavery | 1865 X |
| 3 | Martin Luther King Jr. | anti-segregation
activist |
1968 X |
| 4 | George Washington | independence leader, first President of the USA | 1799 |
| 5 | Ben Franklin | founding father, inventor | 1790 |
|
6
|
George W. Bush | current President | |
| 7 | Bill Clinton | liberal President during 1990's | |
| 8 | Elvis Presley | rock / blues singer | 1977 |
| 9 | Oprah Winfrey | women's talk-show host, self-help author | |
| 10 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | president during WW2 | 1945 $ |
BELGIUM
"The
Greatest Belgian" Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Father Pater Damien | Catholic missionary who worked with lepers, outcasts | 1889 |
|
2
|
Dr. Paul Janssen | medical research pioneer | 2003 |
|
3
|
Eddy Merckx | champion cyclist | |
|
4
|
Ambiorix | anti-Roman Belgic tribal leader | ? |
|
5
|
Adolf Daens | Flemish-rights politician and union activist | 1907 |
|
6
|
Andreas Vesalius | anatomist, author of first major anatomy text | 1564 |
|
7
|
Jacques Brel | singer, actor, director | 1978 |
|
8
|
Gerardus Mercator | geographer, inventor of the modern world map | 1594 |
|
9
|
Peter Paul Rubens | Renaissance-era painter | 1640 |
|
10
|
Hendrik Conscience | author, activist for preserving the Flemish language | 1883 |
AFRICA
"Greatest
Africans of All Time" Official Website
This was another
magazine poll, but I thought it was worth including.
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Nelson Mandela | South
Africa's first black President, anti-apartheid activist |
|
| 2 | Kwame Nkrumah | first President of independent Ghana, Africa's first de-colonized country | 1972 |
| 3 | Robert Mugabe | radical Marxist, anti-white current President of Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | Julius Nyerere | first President of independent Tanzania | 1999 |
| 5 | Marcus Garvey | Jamaican founder of "back to Africa" nationalist movement | 1940 |
|
6
|
Patrice Lumumba | Marxist Prime Minister of Zaire | 1961 X |
| 7 | Martin Luther King Jr. | anti-segregation
activist in the United States |
1968 X |
| 8 | Thabo Mbeki | current President of South Africa | |
| 9 | Malcolm X | radical black-rights/Muslim activist in the United States | 1965 X |
| 10 | Kofi Annan | (then)
current United Nations Secretary-General, originally from Ghana |
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
|
1
|
Dr. Ernest Rutherford | founder
of nuclear physics |
1937 |
| 2 | Kate Sheppard | female suffrage activist (NZ was the first country to grant female suffrage) | 1934 |
| 3 | Sir Edmund Hillary | explorer, first man to climb Mt. Everest | |
| 4 | Charles Upham | heroic World War II soldier | 1994 |
| 5 | Billy T. James | comedian | 1991 |
|
6
|
David Lange | liberal Prime Minister during 1980's | 2005 |
| 7 | Apirana Ngata | Maori rights activist, cabinet minister, member of parliament | 1950 |
| 8 | Dr. Colin Murdoch | inventor of the disposable syringe | |
| 9 | Roger Douglas | conservative finance minister during 1980's | |
| 10 | Rua Kenana Hepetipa | founder of Te Wairua Tapu Maori religion, claimed to be brother of Jesus | 1937 |
ROMANIA
"Greatest
Romanians " Official Website
| rank | Name | Profession / reputation | Died |
| 1 | Prince Stephen III | ruler of Moldavia who fought against Ottoman invaders | 1504 |
| 2 | King Carol I | first king of fully united, independent Romania | 1914 |
| 3 | Mihai Eminescu | poet, conservative political writer | 1889 |
| 4 | Prince Michael the Brave | first monarch to achieve local sovereignty and united rule over the three provinces of Romania | 1601 |
| 5 | Richard Wurmbrand | Lutheran minister, leader of underground Christian movement during Communist era | 2001 |
|
6
|
Ion Antonescu | fascist dictator of Romania during World War II | 1946 |
|
7
|
Mircea Eliade | nationalist historian of Romanian history and religion | 1986 |
| 8 | Prince Alexander I. Cuza | liberal, reformist ruler of Romania during 19th Century | 1873 |
| 9 | Constantin Brancusi | abstract artist, sculptor | 1957 |
| 10 | Nadia Comaneci | five-time gold medal-winning gymnast |
HUNGARY
"Greatest
Hungarians" Official Website
Note: The "Greatest
Hungarians" contest is still ongoing. There is not yet a top 10. The final
results will not be known until 2007 sometime.