Who are the most powerful people in the world? It's hard to say, because most of us have no idea how power really works in our world. But that's exactly what we're going to change today by taking an in-depth look at the world's most powerful people – and how they got there.

Sergey Brin, co-founder Google

Having a deep technical knowledge of your industry is important for entrepreneurs. For example, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has a background in computer science. According to Forbes magazine, Brin earns an annual salary of $150 million, making him number 24 on its list of highest-paid CEOs and number 15 on Forbes' list of America's richest entrepreneurs under 40 with a net worth of $14 billion. He ranks higher on Forbes' international rich list at number 10 with a fortune estimated at $24 billion.

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

Merkel has been referred to as the de facto leader of Europe by some sources, although she herself rejects that description. Germany is a country of over 80 million people, with a strong economy and an educated population. Merkel is said to be one of only three women in history who have wielded significant political power as leader of a major country; Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990, while Indira Gandhi was prime minister of India from 1966 until her assassination in 1984.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese football player

The Portuguese professional footballer is ranked number one on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes. He is also noted for his five Ballon d’Or awards, four in a row from 2011 to 2014.

Pope Francis

The 81-year-old leader of over 1 billion Catholics worldwide, who has remained humble despite his position as one of history’s most influential figures. In 2013, Pope Francis published an apostolic exhortation called Evangelii Gaudium (or the Joy of The Gospel), which was seen as a break from tradition. It is unclear whether he will be able to succeed in achieving his goals due to internal challenges, including limited power over other bishops.

Bill Gates, Microsoft founder

[1] Bill Gates, who launched Microsoft in 1975, is among The World’s Most Powerful People. He stepped down as chief executive of Microsoft in 2000 to focus on his philanthropic work but remains a member of its board. In 2013 he was listed by Forbes magazine as one of those whose fortune is equal to that of Ferdinand Marcos and Silvio Berlusconi combined.

Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea

Kim Jong Un may just be one of history’s most (in)famous dictators, if for no other reason than that he happened to be born into power. The son of Kim Jong Il, who inherited his role as Supreme Leader after his father’s death in 1994, Kim Jong Un was almost expected to follow suit.

Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon

Amazon has overtaken tech juggernauts like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and IBM in recent years. Much of that success can be attributed to founder Jeff Bezos. Bezos announced his Day 1 mentality in 1997 with a public letter to shareholders saying Amazon would stay focused on long-term growth rather than short-term profits.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

Putin became acting president in 1999, when Boris Yeltsin resigned. He was elected president in 2000 and re-elected to a second term in 2004. Although he stepped down as president in 2008, he continued to serve as Russia’s prime minister until 2012, when Dmitry Medvedev was elected president. Putin remained leader of United Russia, his political party, until 2012, when he stepped down. In 2012, Putin returned to office as Russian president following presidential elections.

Xi Jinping, Chinese president

Before becoming president, Xi served as head of China’s Communist Party from 2012 until 2017. He is widely seen as one of China’s most powerful leaders in decades. His presidency will span for 10 years, which allows him to put his mark on Chinese politics for a generation after he steps down. How exactly that will happen remains unknown since Xi has never revealed any details about his long-term plans or his political ideology.

Donald Trump, US president

My whole life is about winning. I don’t lose often. I almost never lose. You know, I win at golf. I’ve won many club championships. And, by the way, if you ever saw me play golf, you’d say this guy is good. But many people have said that if you win a club championship or a pro-am, it doesn't mean anything in terms of what we're talking about.