List of colonial governors in 1979

This is a list of the governors of colonies, protectorates, or other dependencies in 1979. Where applicable, native rulers are also listed.

Australia

• Christmas Island
  • Administrator – Francis Charles Boyle, Administrator of Christmas Island (1977–1980)
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  • Administrator – Charles Ivens Buffett, Administrator of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (1977–1981)
  • Council Chairman – Parson bin Yapat, Chairman of the Cocos Islands Council (1979–1981)
• Norfolk Island
  • Administrator –
    1. Desmond Vincent O'Leary, Administrator of Norfolk Island (1976–1979)
    2. Peter Coleman, Administrator of Norfolk Island (1979–1981)
  • Chief Minister – David Buffett, Chief Minister of Norfolk Island (1979–1986)

Denmark

• Faroe Islands
  • High Commissioner – Leif Groth, High Commissioner in the Faroe Islands (1972–1981)
  • Prime Minister – Atli Dam, Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (1970–1981)
• Greenland
  • Governor – Hans Lassen, Governor of Greenland (1973–1979)
  • High Commissioner – Torben Hede Pedersen, High Commissioner in Greenland (1979–1992)
  • Prime Minister – Jonathan Motzfeldt, Prime Minister of Greenland (1979–1991)

France

• French Polynesia
  • High Commissioner – Paul Cousseran, High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia (1977–1981)
• Mayotte
  • Prefect – Jean Rigotard, Prefect of Mayotte (1978–1980)
  • President of the General Council – Younoussa Bamana, President of the General Council of Mayotte (1976–1991)
• New Caledonia
  • High Commissioner – Claude Charbonniaud, Governor of New Caledonia (1978–1981)
• New Hebrides – condominium together with the United Kingdom
  • British Resident Commissioner – Andrew Stuart (1978–1980)
  • French Resident Commissioner – Jean-Jacques Robert (1978–1980)
  • Chief Minister –
    1. Gérard Leymang, Chief Minister of New Hebrides (1978–1979)
    2. Walter Lini, Chief Minister of New Hebrides (1979–1991)
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Prefect –
    1. Pierre Eydoux, Prefect of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1977–1979)
    2. Clément Bouhin, Prefect of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1979–1981)
  • President of the General Council – Albert Pen, President of the General Council of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1968–1984)
• Wallis and Futuna
  • Administrator-Superior –
    1. Henri Beaux, Administrator Superior of Wallis and Futuna (1976–1979)
    2. Pierre Isaac, Administrator Superior of Wallis and Futuna (1979–1980)
  • President of the Territorial Assembly – Manuele Lisiahi, President of the Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna (1978–1984)

New Zealand

• Cook Islands
  • Queen's Representative – Sir Gaven Donne, Queen's Representative of the Cook Islands (1975–1984)
  • Prime Minister – Tom Davis, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands (1978–1983)
• Niue
  • Premier – Robert Rex, Premier of Niue (1974–1992)
• Tokelau
  • Administrator – Frank Corner, Administrator of Tokelau (1975–1984)

Portugal

• Macau
  • Governor –
    1. José Garcia Leandro, Governor of Macau (1974–1979)
    2. Melo Egídio, Governor of Macau (1979–1981)

South Africa

• South West Africa
  • Administrator-General –
    1. Marthinus T. Steyn, Administrator-General of South West Africa (1977–1979)
    2. Gerrit Viljoen, Administrator-General of South West Africa (1979–1980)

United Kingdom

• Antigua
  • Governor – Sir Wilfred Jacobs, Governor of Antigua (1967–1993)
  • Premier – Vere Bird, Premier of Antigua (1976–1994)
• Belize
  • Governor – Peter Donovan McEntee, Governor of Belize (1976–1980)
  • Premier – George Cadle Price, Premier of Belize (1961–1984)
• Bermuda
  • Governor – Sir Peter Ramsbotham, Governor of Bermuda (1977–1980)
  • Premier – David Gibbons, Premier of Bermuda (1977–1982)
• British Virgin Islands
  • Governor – James Alfred Davidson, Governor of the British Virgin Islands (1978–1982)
  • Chief Minister –
    1. Willard Wheatley, Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands (1971–1979)
    2. Lavity Stoutt, Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands (1979–1983)
• Brunei
  • High Commissioner – Arthur Christopher Watson, British High Commissioner in Brunei (1978–1984)
  • Sultan – Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei (1967–present)
  • Chief Minister – Pengiran Dipa Negara Laila Diraja Pengiran Abdul Mumin, Chief Minister of Brunei (1972–1981)
• Cayman Islands
  • Governor – Thomas Russell, Governor of the Cayman Islands (1974–1982)
• Falkland Islands
  • Governor – Sir James Roland Walter Parker, Governor of the Falkland Islands (1977–1980)
• Gibraltar
  • Governor – Sir William Jackson, Governor of Gibraltar (1978–1982)
  • Chief Minister – Sir Joshua Hassan, Chief Minister of Gibraltar (1972–1987)
• Gilbert Islands
  • gained independence as Kiribati on 12 July 1979
  • Governor – Reginald James Wallace, Governor of Gilbert Islands (1978–1979)
  • Chief Minister – Ieremia Tabai, Chief Minister of Gilbert Islands (1978–1979)
• Guernsey
  • Lieutenant-Governor – Sir John Edward Ludgate Martin, Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey (1974–1980)
  • Bailiff – Sir John Loveridge, Bailiff of Guernsey (1973–1982)
• Hong Kong
  • Governor – Sir Murray MacLehose, Governor of Hong Kong (1971–1982)
• Isle of Man
  • Lieutenant-Governor – Sir John Warburton Paul, Lieutenant-Governor of Man (1974–1980)
  • Head of Government – Clifford Irving, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Isle of Man (1977–1981)
• Jersey
  • Lieutenant-Governor –
    1. Sir Desmond Fitzpatrick, Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey (1974–1979)
    2. Sir Peter Whiteley, Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey (1979–1985)
  • Bailiff – Sir Frank Ereaut, Bailiff of Jersey (1975–1985)
• Montserrat
  • Governor – Gwilyum Wyn Jones, Governor of Montserrat (1977–1980)
  • Chief Minister – John Osborne, Chief Minister of Montserrat (1978–1991)
• New Hebrides – condominium together with France
  • British Resident Commissioner – Andrew Stuart (1978–1980)
  • French Resident Commissioner – Jean-Jacques Robert (1978–1980)
  • Chief Minister –
    1. Gérard Leymang, Chief Minister of New Hebrides (1978–1979)
    2. Walter Lini, Chief Minister of New Hebrides (1979–1991)
• Pitcairn Islands
  • Governor – Sir Harold Smedley, Governor of the Pitcairn Islands (1976–1980)
  • Magistrate – Ivan Christian, Magistrate of the Pitcairn Islands (1975–1984)
• Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
  • Governor – Sir Probyn Ellsworth-Innis, Governor of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (1975–1981)
  • Premier –
    1. Paul Southwell, Premier of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (1978–1979)
    2. Lee Moore, Premier of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (1979–1980)
• Saint Helena and Dependencies
  • Governor – Geoffrey Colin Guy, Governor of Saint Helena (1976–1981)
• Saint Lucia
  • gained independence on 22 February 1979
  • Governor – Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis, Governor of Saint Lucia (1974–1979)
  • Premier – John Compton, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia (1964–1979)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • gained independence on 27 October 1979
  • Governor – Sir Sydney Gun-Munro, Governor of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1976–1979)
  • Premier – Milton Cato, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1974–1984)
• Southern Rhodesia
  • Rhodesia returned to colonial status on December 12, 1979
  • Governor – Christopher Soames, Baron Soames, Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1979–1980)
• Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Governor – John Clifford Strong, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands (1978–1982)
  • Chief Minister – James Alexander George Smith McCartney, Chief Minister of Turks and Caicos Islands (1976–1980)

United States of America

• American Samoa
  • Governor – Peter Tali Coleman, Governor of American Samoa (1978–1985)
• Guam
  • Governor –
    1. Ricardo Bordallo, Governor of Guam (1975–1979)
    2. Paul McDonald Calvo, Governor of Guam (1979–1983)
• Puerto Rico
  • Governor – Carlos Romero Barceló, Governor of Puerto Rico (1977–1985)
• Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
  • High Commissioner – Adrian P. Winkel, High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (1977–1981)
  • Northern Mariana Islands (autonomous territory)
    • Governor – Carlos S. Camacho, Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands (1978–1982)
  • Marshall Islands (autonomous territory)
    • President – Amata Kabua, President of the Marshall Islands (1979–1996)
  • Federated States of Micronesia (autonomous territory)
    • President – Tosiwo Nakayama, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (1979–1987)
• United States Virgin Islands
  • Governor – Juan Francisco Luis, Governor of US Virgin Islands (1978–1987)