Top 10 world figures on social media
- Published
Social media penetrated the heart of the world's most secretive regime this weekend, with news that Kim Han-sol - grandson of elusive North Korean leader Kim Jong-il - had joined Facebook. Despite the notorious secrecy and poor human rights record of his family's regime, he apparently said he was in favour of democracy on his profile and listed his favourite film as Love Actually.
This was certainly a surprising development in Facebook terms - but compared to other world leaders and their cohorts, Kim Jong-il's grandson is relatively late to the game. Discover more about the prolific world leaders to embrace Facebook and Twitter below (and chuckle as you imagine them furiously typing a tweet on their iPhone)...
Queen Elizabeth II
Her Majesty caused something of a Facebook frenzy on joining the site in November 2010, with 40,000 fans rushing to "like" the new page in the first hour of its launch.
Facebook page: The British Monarcy
Number of likes: 505, 290
Typical post: "Next year, The Queen will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Thousands of official and unofficial events are expected to take place to mark Her Majesty's 60 year reign."
Barack Obama
President Obama's personal account is currently the fourth biggest in the world, behind Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry.
Twitter account: @BarackObama
Number of followers: 10,371,530
Typical tweet: "Photos of the day: The First Lady shows off her tennis skills at the US Open http://t.co/Y74kvrf"
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez joined Twitter in 2010, with many commentators wondering whether the famously eloquent Venezuelan president would be able to condense his messages into 140 characters. However, he has apparently risen to the challenge - and tweeting under the handle "candanga," meaning daring or rebellious - has drawn in more than two million followers to date.
Twitter account: @chavezcandanga
Number of followers: 2,136,171
Typical tweet: "Hey how's it going? I appeared like I said I would: at midnight. I'm off to Brazil. And very happy to work for Venezuela. We will be victorious!!" (translated from Spanish)
Nelson Mandela
In April this year, the Nelson Mandela Foundation convinced a British man to hand over his @NelsonMandela account handle, prompting a flurry of activity on Twitter. Tweets generally focus on key events and quotes from the South African leader's history.
Twitter account: @NelsonMandela
Number of followers: 46, 751
Typical tweet: "The human soul & human body have an infinite capacity of adaptation & it is amazing just how hardened one can come to be #NelsonMandela"
Queen Rania of Jordan
Queen Rania of Jordan jumped on the virtual bandwagon quicker than most royals and is well-known for accessibility on Twitter and Facebook - where she chats about her children, her charitable work and interacts with her subjects. "People say I am very unconventional for being so present online but the world is changing. I think the theme of our community is openness and transparency," she once said.
Twitter account: @QueenRania
Number of followers: 1,685,077
Typical tweet: "I learned something today:for inspiring teachers, schools are like home & students like family.Great lesson on World Teachers’ Day! #wtd2011"
Sebastian Piñera
The Chilean president saw a surge in followers as he tweeted his way through 2010's mining catastrophe that saw 33 miners trapped underground for 69 days.
Twitter account: @SebastianPinera
Number of followers: 589,207
Typical tweet: “What emotion! What joy! What pride of being Chilean! And what gratitude to God!” - posted after the first miner emerged from underground (translated from Spanish)
George W. Bush
The former US president faced huge opposition in office - but this barely seemed to register when he joined Facebook in June 2010, clocking up nearly 62,000 fans in just one day of launch.
Facebook page: George W. Bush
Number of likes: 1,616,373
Typical post: "A single drop of vinegar can save a life. Please join Mrs. Bush and the George W. Bush Presidential Center in giving new hope to women and their families in developing nations around the world."
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Argentina's president has a very visable presence on both Twitter and Facebook, where she posts videos of official speeches and spreads policy messages.
Facebook page: CFKArgentina
Number of likes: 260, 400
Dmitry Medvedev
The Russian authorities are not generally known for their openness, but the country's president Dmitry Medvedev - perhaps in an effort to counteract this - regularly tweets about official Kremlin news.
Twitter account: @KremlinRussia_E
Number of followers: 23,816
Typical post: "Many expect me to stand against Putin. That will not happen. It is about serving our country, not vying for power"
David Cameron
Last but not least, our own PM David Cameron had ensured he has a slice of the social media pie with profiles on both Facebook and Twitter, detailing his initiatives, policies and engagements.
Facebook page: David Cameron
Number of likes: 146,556
Typical post: "PM launches GREAT campaign to promote Britain abroad."