Nelson Mandela
AGE: 88
OCCUPATION: Legendary anti-Apartheid leader
NUMBER OF TIME COVERS: 1
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 3
PRO: Former President of South Africa who led his nation out of Apartheid. For his character and decency, Mandela remains one of the most compelling moral and political leaders of our time. After leaving office, he dedicated himself to international conflict resolution and battling the spread of HIV/AIDS.
CON: Mandela, like the South African leadership in general, has come up short in addressing the political and humanitarian crises unfolding next door in Zimbabwe. He has generally lowered his public profile since officially retiring from public life in 2004.