State leaders in 1878 - Events of 1879 - State leaders in 1880 - State leaders by year
Africa
Asia
- Afghanistan - Shir Ali Khan, Emir of Afghanistan (1868-1879)
- Burma - Thibaw Min, King of Burma (1878-1885)
- Cambodia - Norodom, King of Cambodia (1860-1904)
- Champasak - Kham Suk, King of Champasak (1863-1900)
- China (Qing Dynasty) - Guangxu, Emperor of China (1875-1908)
- India - Victoria, Empress of India (1876-1901)
- Japan - Monarch - Meiji Emperor, Emperor of Japan (1867-1912)
- Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Gojong, King of Joseon (1864-1907, Emperor after 1897)
- Luang Phrabang - Unkham, King of Luang Phrabang (1868-1895)
- Nepal - Surendra Bikram Shah Deva, King of Nepal (1847-1881)
- Oman - Turki bin Said, Sultan of Oman (1871-1888)
- Siam - Chulalongkorn (Rama V), King of Siam (1868-1910)
- Vietnam - Tu Duc, Emperor of Vietnam (1847-1883)
Australia and Oceania
Europe
- Andorra - Patrice Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta (President of France) and Josep Caixal i Estradé (Bishop of Urgel), co-Princes (1873-1879 and 1853-1879)
- Austria-Hungary - Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary (1848-1916)
- Belgium - Leopold II, King of the Belgians (1865-1909)
- Bulgaria - Alexander I Joseph, King of Bulgaria (1879-1886)
- Denmark
- France -
- Germany -
- Greece - George I, King of the Hellenes (1863-1913)
- Holy See - Pope Leo XIII, Bishop of Rome (1878-1903)
- Italy
- Liechtenstein - Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein (1858-1929)
- Luxembourg - Guillaume III, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (1849-1890)
- Monaco - Charles III, Prince of Monaco (1856-1889)
- Montenegro - Nicholas I, Prince of Montenegro (1860-1910/1918/1921)
- Netherlands -
- Norway - Oscar II, King of Norway (1872-1905)
- Portugal - Luis I, King of Portugal (1861-1889)
- Romania - Carol I, Prince of Romania (1866-1881/1914)
- Russia - Alexander II, Tsar of Russia (1855-1881)
- San Marino - Camillo Bonelli and Pietro Berti, Captains Regent (1878-1879)
- Serbia - Milan II, Prince of Serbia (1868-1882/1889)
- Spain -
- Monarch - Alfonso XII of Spain, King of Spain (1875-1885)
- Antonio Cánovas Del Castillo, Prime Minister of Spain (1874-1875, 1875-1879, 1879-1881, 1884-1885, 1890-1892, 1895-1897)
- Arsenio Martínez-Campos Antón, Prime Minister of Spain (1879)
- Antonio Cánovas Del Castillo, Prime Minister of Spain (1874-1875, 1875-1879, 1879-1881, 1884-1885, 1890-1892, 1895-1897)
- Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden-Norway
- United Kingdom -
Middle East and North Africa
North America and the Caribbean
South America
- Argentina - Nicolás Avellaneda, President of Argentina (1874-1880)
- Bolivia - Hilarión Daza, Provisional President of Bolivia (1876-1879)
- Brazil - Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil (1831-1889)
- Chile - Aníbal Pinto, President of Chile (1876-1881)
- Colombia - Julián Trujillo Largacha, President of Colombia (1878-1880)
- Ecuador - Ignacio de Veintemilla, Supreme Chief of Ecuador (1876-1878/1883)
- Paraguay - Cándido Bareiro, President of Paraguay (1878-1880)
- Peru -
- Mariano Ignacio Prado, President of Peru (1876-1879)
- ???
- Uruguay - Lorenzo Latorre, Provisional Governor of Uruguay (1876-1879)
- Venezuela - Jacinto Gutiérrez Martínez, acting President of Venezuela (1878-1879)