1885 state leaders - Events of 1886 - 1887 state leaders - State leaders by year

Africa

• Ashanti Confederacy - Akyampon Panyin , Chair of the Kwasafomanhyiamu (1884-1887)
• Burundi - Mwezi IV Gisabo, King of Burundi (1852-1908)
• Ethiopia - Yohannes IV, Emperor of Ethiopia (1871-1889)
• Sokoto Caliphate
  • Caliph - Umar bin Ali , Sokoto Caliph (1881-1891)
  • Grand Vizier -
    1. Abdullah bin Muhammad Fodiye , Sokoto Grand Vizier (c.1874-1886)
    2. Muhammad Bukhari , Sokoto Grand Vizier (1886-1910)
• Zanzibar - Barghash ibn Sa'id, Sultan of Zanzibar (1870-1888)

Asia

• Afghanistan - Abdur Rahman Khan, King of Afghanistan (1880-1901)
• China (Qing Dynasty) - Guangxu, Emperor of China (1875-1908)
• Japan
  • Monarch - Meiji Emperor, Emperor of Japan (1867-1912)
  • Prime Minister - Ito Hirobumi, Prime Minister of Japan (1885-1888)
• Korea (Joseon Dynasty) - Gojong, King of Joseon (1864-1907, Emperor after 1897)
• Oman - Turki bin Said, Sultan of Oman (1871-1888)

Australia and Oceania

Europe

• Belgium - Leopold II, King of the Belgians (1865-1909)
• Bulgaria
  • Monarch -

1. Alexander I Joseph, King of Bulgaria (1879-1886)
2. Ferdinand of Bulgaria, King of Bulgaria (1886-1918)

• Denmark
  • Monarch - Christian IX, King of Denmark (1863-1906)
  • Prime Minister - Jakob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup, Prime Minister of Denmark (1875-1894)
• France -
  • President - Jules Grévy, President of France (1879-1887)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Henri Brisson, President of the Council (1885-1886)
    2. Charles de Freycinet, President of the Council (1886)
    3. René Goblet, President of the Council (1886-1887)
• Germany -
  • Monarch - Wilhelm I, German Emperor (1871-1888)
  • Chancellor - Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Germany (1871-1890)
• Italy
  • Monarch - Umberto I, King of Italy (1878-1900)
  • Prime Minister - Agostino Depretis, Prime Minister of Italy (1881-1887)
• Netherlands - William III, King of the Netherlands (1849-1890)
• Portugal - Luis, King of Portugal (1861-1889)
• Russia - Alexander III, Tsar of Russia (1881-1894)
• Spain -
  • Monarch - Alfonso XIII, King of Spain (1886-1931)
  • Prime Minister - Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, Prime Minister of Spain (1871-1872, 1874, 1881-1883, 1885-1890, 1892-1895, 1897-1899)
• Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden-Norway
  • Monarch - Oscar II, King of Sweden (1872-1907)
  • Prime Minister - Robert Themptander, Prime Minister of Sweden (1884-1888)
• United Kingdom -
  • Monarch - Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837-1901)
  • Prime Minister -
    1. Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1885-1886, 1886-1892, 1895-1902)
    2. William Ewart Gladstone, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886, 1892-1894)
    3. Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1885-1886, 1886-1892, 1895-1902)

North America and the Caribbean

• Canada -
  • Prime Minister - Sir John A. Macdonald, Prime Minister of Canada (1878-1891)
• United States - Grover Cleveland, President of the United States (1885-1889)

South America

• Brazil - Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil (1831-1889)