A U.S. newspaper magazine has ranked North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as the third worst leader in the world.

Parade unveiled the ranking in its list of "The World's 10 Worst Dictatorships" published in its Sunday edition.

The report said "Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke and has been absent from important public events, but his regime continues to be one of the world's most repressive.”

The magazine placed Chinese President Hu Jintao in sixth place, saying the Chinese leader has repressed the freedom of media and religion and is repressing minority races, including Tibetans.

Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe topped the list this year followed by Sudan's Omar al-Bashir.