Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani took over after his father, Sheikh Hamad, abdicated in his favor.

Tamim received his education in the United Kingdom. He, like his father, graduated from the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 1998. He subsequently returned to Qatar and was commissioned as an officer in the Qatari military. Tamim was chosen in 2003 to succeed his elder brother Jassim, who had resigned as crown prince. Tamim was groomed to run the country during the following decade, holding a series of progressively critical economic, diplomatic, and national security responsibilities. He was named deputy commander in chief of the armed forces in 2009.

The Sheikh of Qatar's fortune stems from his creation and management of the Qatar Investment Authority, which oversees the country's surplus oil and gas reserves. He also notably donated $137 million to Al Jazeera, the Arab world's first worldwide news network. The (now) 39-year-old monarch was the world's youngest sovereign in 2018.

Country: Qatar
Estimated net worth: $2.1 billion