| men's national records 1500m as at 31.12.1970 | |||||||
| United States of America | Jim Ryun | 3:33,1h (1.) | Los Angeles | 08.07.67 | USA v. Commonwealth | 1 | America |
| France | Jean Wadoux | 3:34,0h (1.) | Paris, Colombes | 23.07.70 | National | 2 | Europe |
| Kenya | Kipchoge Keino | 3:34,91 (1.) | Mexico | 20.10.68 | Olympic Games | 2 | Africa |
| Australia | Herb Elliott | 3:35,6h (1.) | Roma | 06.09.60 | Olympic Games | 1 | Ozeania |
| German DR | Jürgen May | 3:36,4h (1.) | Erfurt | 04.07.65 | Europe | ||
| FR Germany | Bodo Tümmler | 3:36,5h (1.) | Köln | 10.07.68 | Europe | ||
| Belgium | Andre De Hertoghe | 3:37,1h (2.) | Köln | 10.07.68 | Europe | ||
| New Zealand | Peter Snell | 3:37,6h (1.) | Auckland | 17.11.64 | Ozeania | ||
| Czechoslovakia | Josef Odlozil | 3:37,6h (1.) | Praha | 13.08.66 | Europe | ||
| Poland | Henryk Szordykowski | 3:38,2h (1.) | Warszawa | 29.08.69 | Europe | ||
| Norway | Arne Kvalheim | 3:38,5h (1.) | Oslo | 28.08.68 | Europe | ||
| Sweden | Dan Waern | 3:38,6h (2.) | Göteborg | 18.09.60 | Europe | ||
| Soviet Union | Oleg Raiko | 3:38,72 (1.) | London | 17.06.66 | Asia | ||
| Hungary | István Rózsavölgyi | 3:38,8h (1.) | Budapest | 30.07.60 | National Championships | Europe | |
| Great Britain | Alan Simpson | 3:39,10 (1.) | London | 15.08.64 | Europe | ||
| Italy | Gianni Del Buono | 3:39,3h (2.) | Milano | 01.07.70 | Europe | ||
| Ireland | Frank Murphy | 3:39,51 (2.) | Athiná | 20.09.69 | European Championships | Europe | |
| Finland | Olavi Salsola | 3:40,2h (1.) | Turku (FIN) | 11.07.57 | WR | Europe | |
| Olavi Salonen | 3:40,2h (2.) | Turku (FIN) | 11.07.57 | ||||
| Romania | Zoltán Vamos | 3:40,5h (1.) | Praha | 18.06.60 | Europe | ||
| Denmark | Gunnar Nielsen | 3:40,8h (2.) | Oslo | 06.09.55 | Europe | ||
| Switzerland | Hansruedi Knill | 3:40,8h (2.) | Zürich | 29.08.68 | Europe | ||
| Austria | Rudolf Klaban | 3:41,4h (10.) | Köln | 10.07.68 | Europe | ||
| Pakistan | Mohamed Younis | 3:41,4h (4.) | Köln | 11.08.70 | Asia | ||
| Austria | Rudolf Klaban | 3:41,4h (10.) | Köln | 10.07.68 | Europe | ||
| Mexico | José Socorro Neiri | 3:41,6h (4.) | Paris | 04.07.68 | America | ||
| Spain | Tomas Bárris | 3:41,7h (?.) | Turku (FIN) | 29.08.58 | Europe | ||
| Tunisia | Mohamed Gammoudi | 3:41,9h (4.) | Stockholm | 17.07.68 | Africa | ||
| Rhodesia | Terence "Terry" Sullivan | 3:42,96 (n.) | Roma | 03.09.60 | Olympic Games/h1 | (4.) | Africa |
| Israel | Yuval Wishnitzer | 3:43,3h (?.) | Milano | 02.07.69 | Asia | ||
| India | Edward Sequeira | 3:43,7h (?.) | New Delhi | 27.11.66 | Asia | ||
| Luxemburg | René Kilburg | 3:43,9h (?.) | La Coruna | 03.07.66 | Europe | ||
| Guatemala | Gonzalo Javier | 3:47,7h (?.) | Houston | 10.06.60 | America | ||
| Argentina | Domingo Amaizon | 3:47,8h (?.) | Madrid | 08.06.68 | |||
| Chad | Ahmed Issa | 3:47,8h (?.) | Brazzaville | 22.07.65 | Africa | ||
| Malaysia | Ramasamy Subramaniam | 3:48,0h (?.) | Bangkok | 15.12.66 | Asia | ||
| Iran | Ahmad Mir-Hosseini | 3:49,7h (?.) | Bangkok | 15.12.66 | Asia | ||
| Zaire | Jean Bwana | 3:53,4h (?.) | Liège | 15.08.58 | Africa | ||
| Ivory Coast | Adjima Demos Beche | 3:53,5h (?.) | Tokyo | 17.10.64 | Olympic Games/h1 | (7.) | Africa |
| Sri Lanka | A. Sher Mohammad Khan | 3:54,0h (n.) | Djakarta | 28.08.62 | Asia | ||
| Indonesia | Charanjit Singh | 3:55,1h (?.) | Djakarta | 28.08.62 | Asia | ||
| Thailand | Thira Klai-Angtong | 3:56,4h (?.) | Bangkok | 14.12.66 | Asia | ||
| Monaco | Emile Battaglia | 3:57,8h (?.) | Marseille | 14.06.48 | Europe | ||
| Ecuador | Clelio Jacome | 3:57,9h (?.) | Buenos Aires | 08.11.69 | America | ||
| Cambodia | Nhea Khay | 4:01,8h (?.) | Kuala Lumpur | 16.12.65 | Asia | ||
| Afghanistan | Ghafoori Abdul Ghafar | 4:02,2h (?.) | ???? | ??.??.60 | Asia | ||
| Nicaragua | Esteban Valle | 4:02,5h (?.) | San Juan | 21.06.66 | America | ||
| Comoro Islands | Boinali Houlam | 4:04,0h (?.) | Mutsumadu (COM) | ??.06.66 | Africa | ||
| Yugoslavia | |||||||