Women in Politics Around the World
1916-2016
1916-2016
Note: Map does not show former countries.
Total number of countries that have had woman Heads of State and/or Government
0
Jeanette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1916
1917
1918
1919
The US ratifies the 19th Ammendment, giving women the right to vote.
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
Women ages 21 to 29 in Britain are able to vote for the first time, as women's suffrage is reduced from age 30 to 21.
1928
1929
Alexandra Kollontai is appointed Ambassador from the Soviet Union to Sweden, becoming the first woman ambassador in modern history.
1930
1931
1932
Frances Perkins, the first U.S. female Cabinet member, is appointed Secretary of Labor, making her the first woman to enter the line of succession to the U.S. presidency at number 11.
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
Khertek Anchimaa-Toka becomes the Chairperson of the Little Khural of Tannu Tuva, making her the modern world's first female head of state.
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
Women vote and stand for election to the House of Representatives for the first time in Japan. Of the 79 women running for office, 39 are elected.
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
Sükhbaataryn Yanjmaa becomes Acting Chairperson of the Presidium of the State Great Khural of Mongolia.
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
Siramavo Bandaranaike becomes Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), making her the modern world's first female head of government.
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
Indira Gandhi becomes the first Prime Minister of India.
1966
1967
Soong Ching-ling named Co-Chairwoman of the People's Republic of China, becoming the first non-royal woman to lead the state of China.
1968
Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel.
1969
Siramavo Bandaranaike becomes Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
1970
1971
1972
1973
Maria Estela (Isabela) Martinez de Peron succeeds her husband and becomes the first woman President of Argentina and the first female head of state in the Americas.
1974
Elisabeth Domitien becomes the first woman Prime Minister of the Central Afican Republic.
1975
1976
Patricia Harris is chosen by President Lyndon B. Johnson to become the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, becoming the first African American woman to be named to the Cabinet and enter the Presidential line of succession.
1977
1978
Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Portugal.
Margaret Thatcher becomes the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Lidia Geiler becomes the first woman elected President of Bolivia.
Simone Weil of France becomes the first woman elected President of the European Parliament.
Margaret Thatcher becomes the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Lidia Geiler becomes the first woman elected President of Bolivia.
Simone Weil of France becomes the first woman elected President of the European Parliament.
1979
Eugenia Charles becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Dominica and the first in the Caribbean.
Vigdis Finnbogadottir is the first woman elected President of Iceland.
Jeanne Sauve becomes the first woman appointed Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.
Vigdis Finnbogadottir is the first woman elected President of Iceland.
Jeanne Sauve becomes the first woman appointed Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.
1980
Gro Harlem Brundtland is the first woman to become Prime Minister of Norway.
Gloriana Ranocchini becomes the first female a Captain Regent of San Marino.
Gloriana Ranocchini becomes the first female a Captain Regent of San Marino.
1981
Agatha Barbara is elected President of Malta.
Milka Planinc becomes the first woman to become Prime Minister of Yugoslavia.
Rosario Ibarra de Piedra becomes the first woman to run for President of Mexico.
Milka Planinc becomes the first woman to become Prime Minister of Yugoslavia.
Rosario Ibarra de Piedra becomes the first woman to run for President of Mexico.
1982
1983
Geraldine Ferraro (D) becomes the first woman nominated for Vice-President by either major political party in the United States.
Carmen Pereira becomes the acting and first woman President of Guinea-Bissau.
Elisabeth Kopp becomes the first woman Member of the Swiss Federal Council in Switzerland.
Elisabeth Kopp becomes the first woman Member of the Swiss Federal Council in Switzerland.
1984
Maria Liberia-Peters becomes the first woman to become Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles.
1985
Corazon Aquino becomes the first woman elected president of the Philippines.
1986
1987
Benazir Bhutto is the first woman elected Prime Minister of Pakistan and becomes the first woman elected to head a Muslim country.
1988
1989
Mary Robinson becomes the first woman elected President of Ireland.
Carmen Lawrence becomes Australia's first female Premier.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro is elected President of Nicagagua.
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot becomes the acting and first woman President of Haiti.
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl becomes the President of the People's Chamer of East Germany.
Kazimira Prunskienė becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Lithuania.
Carmen Lawrence becomes Australia's first female Premier.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro is elected President of Nicagagua.
Ertha Pascal-Trouillot becomes the acting and first woman President of Haiti.
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl becomes the President of the People's Chamer of East Germany.
Kazimira Prunskienė becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Lithuania.
1990
Edith Cresson becomes the first woman elected Prime Minister of France.
Khaleda Zia Rahman becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Khaleda Zia Rahman becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
1991
California elects two women, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, to the U.S. Senate.
Betty Boothroyd becomes the first woman chosen to be Speaker of the House of Commons in Great Britain.
Hanna Suchocka becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Poland.
Hanna Suchocka becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Poland.
1992
Toujan Faisal becomes the first woman elected to the parliament of Jordan.
Tansu Ciller becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Turkey.
Agathe Uwilingiyimana is the first woman to become Prime Minister of Rwanda.
Anson Chan is the first woman, also the first Chinese person, to be appointed Chief Secretary, the number two position in Hong Kong.
Sylvie Kinigi is the first woman to become Prime Minister of Burundi.
Kim Campbell is the first Prime Minister of Canada.
Tansu Ciller becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Turkey.
Agathe Uwilingiyimana is the first woman to become Prime Minister of Rwanda.
Anson Chan is the first woman, also the first Chinese person, to be appointed Chief Secretary, the number two position in Hong Kong.
Sylvie Kinigi is the first woman to become Prime Minister of Burundi.
Kim Campbell is the first Prime Minister of Canada.
1993
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga elected President of Sri Lanka.
Reneta Indzhova becomes acting and first woman Prime Minister of Bulgaria.
Reneta Indzhova becomes acting and first woman Prime Minister of Bulgaria.
1994
Two women run for president and 8 for vice president of Peru, the first time women have been candidates for these offices.
1995
Ruth Perry becomes the first Chairperson of the Council of State of Liberia. She is known for being the first female head of state in modern Africa.
1996
Jenny Shipley becomes the first woman Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Janet Jagan becomes the first woman President of Guyana.
Rosalía Arteaga Serrano becomes the acting and first woman President of Ecuador.
Mary McAleese is elected President of Ireland.
Janet Jagan becomes the first woman President of Guyana.
Rosalía Arteaga Serrano becomes the acting and first woman President of Ecuador.
Mary McAleese is elected President of Ireland.
1997
1998
Vaira Vike-Freiberga elected to President of Latvia. She is the first woman to president of a country in Eastern Europe of the former Soviet Union.
Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias becomes first woman President of Panama.
Helen Clark elected Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias becomes first woman President of Panama.
Helen Clark elected Prime Minister of New Zealand.
1999
Tarja Kaarina Halonen elected to be Finland's first female President.
2000
Maria Gloria Macapagal Arroyo elected President of the Phillippines.
Megawati Sukarnoputri becomes the first woman President of the Republic of Indonesia.
Mame Madior Boye becomes the first woman Prime Miniter of Senegal.
Megawati Sukarnoputri becomes the first woman President of the Republic of Indonesia.
Mame Madior Boye becomes the first woman Prime Miniter of Senegal.
2001
Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as the House Democratic Whip - the highest-ranking leadership position ever held by a women in the United States Congress at that time.
Chang Sang becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of South Korea.
Maria das Neves becomes the first woman Primer Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Maria das Neves becomes the first woman Primer Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.
2002
Beatriz Merino becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Peru.
Nino Burjanadze becomes the acting and first woman President of Georgia.
Nino Burjanadze becomes the acting and first woman President of Georgia.
2003
Luisa Diogo is elected Prime Minister of Mozambique.
Barbara Prammer becomes the acting and first woman President of Austria.
Radmila šekerinska becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of Macedonia.
Barbara Prammer becomes the acting and first woman President of Austria.
Radmila šekerinska becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of Macedonia.
2004
Angela Merkel elected Chancellor of Germany.
Yulia Tymoshenko helps lead the Ukrainian Orange Revolution and is named Prime Minister by her "Orange Partner" President Viktor Yushenko.
Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson is elected President of Liberia.
Yulia Tymoshenko helps lead the Ukrainian Orange Revolution and is named Prime Minister by her "Orange Partner" President Viktor Yushenko.
Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson is elected President of Liberia.
2005
Democrats take control of the United States Congress and Nancy Pelosi is elevated to the position of Speaker of the House, the third highest ranking official in the United States government and the highest ranking female in US political history.
Michelle Bachelet is elected President of Chile.
Portia Simpson Miller becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Portia Simpson Miller becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Jamaica.
2006
Senator Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman to ever be considered as a top candidate for the presidency.
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner elected President of Argentina.
Pratibha Patil is elected President of India.
Pratibha Patil is elected President of India.
2007
Sarah Palin becomes the Republican VP nominee.
Zinaida Greceanîi becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Moldova.
Michèle Pierre-Louis is elected Prime Minister of Haiti.
Michèle Pierre-Louis is elected Prime Minister of Haiti.
2008
Jadranka Kosor becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Croatia.
Cécile Manorohanta becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of Madagascar.
Rose Francine Rogombé becomes the acting and first woman President of Gabon.
Dalia Grybauskaitė is elected the President of Lithuania.
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is elected the Prime Minister of Iceland.
Sheikh Hasina is elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Cécile Manorohanta becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of Madagascar.
Rose Francine Rogombé becomes the acting and first woman President of Gabon.
Dalia Grybauskaitė is elected the President of Lithuania.
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is elected the Prime Minister of Iceland.
Sheikh Hasina is elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
2009
Roza Otunbayeva becomes the first woman President of Kyrgyzstan.
Laura Chinchilla becomes the first woman President of Costa Rica.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
Mari Kiviniemi is elected Prime Minister of Finland.
Julia Gillard is elected Prime Minister of Australia.
Iveta Radičová is elected Prime Minister of Slovakia.
Simonetta Sommaruga is elected a Member of the Swiss Federal Council of Switzerland.
Laura Chinchilla becomes the first woman President of Costa Rica.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
Mari Kiviniemi is elected Prime Minister of Finland.
Julia Gillard is elected Prime Minister of Australia.
Iveta Radičová is elected Prime Minister of Slovakia.
Simonetta Sommaruga is elected a Member of the Swiss Federal Council of Switzerland.
2010
Dilma Rousseff becomes the first woman President of Brazil.
Atifete Jahjaga becomes the first woman President of Kosovo.
Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Mali.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Denmark.
Yingluck Shinawatra becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Thailand.
Rosario Fernández is elected Prime Minister of Peru.
Maria Luisa Berti is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Atifete Jahjaga becomes the first woman President of Kosovo.
Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Mali.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Denmark.
Yingluck Shinawatra becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Thailand.
Rosario Fernández is elected Prime Minister of Peru.
Maria Luisa Berti is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
2011
Monique Ohsan Bellepeau becomes the acting and first woman President of Mauritius.
Slavica Đukić Dejanović becomes the acting and first woman President of Serbia.
Joyce Banda becomes the first woman President of Malawi.
Denise Bronzetti is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Portia Simpson-Miller is elected Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Adiato Djaló Nandigna becomes acting Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau.
Slavica Đukić Dejanović becomes the acting and first woman President of Serbia.
Joyce Banda becomes the first woman President of Malawi.
Denise Bronzetti is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Portia Simpson-Miller is elected Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Adiato Djaló Nandigna becomes acting Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau.
2012
Alenka Bratušek becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Slovenia.
Sibel Siber becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus.
Tatiana Turanskaya becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Aminata Touré becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Senegal.
Erna Solberg is elected Prime Minister of Norway.
Park Geun-hye is elected President of South Korea.
Antonella Mularoni is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Anna Maria Muccioli is elected the a Captain Regent of San Marino.
Sibel Siber becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus.
Tatiana Turanskaya becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Aminata Touré becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Senegal.
Erna Solberg is elected Prime Minister of Norway.
Park Geun-hye is elected President of South Korea.
Antonella Mularoni is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Anna Maria Muccioli is elected the a Captain Regent of San Marino.
2013
Laimdota Straujuma becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Latvia.
Ana Jara is elected the Prime Minister of Peru.
Ewa Kopacz is elected Prime Minister of Poland.
Florence Duperval Guillaume is elected acting Prime Minister Haiti.
Catherine Samba-Panza becomes acting President of the Central African Republic.
Michelle Bachelet is elected President of Chile.
Valeria Ciavatta is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Marie Louise Coleiro Preca is elected President of Malta.
Ana Jara is elected the Prime Minister of Peru.
Ewa Kopacz is elected Prime Minister of Poland.
Florence Duperval Guillaume is elected acting Prime Minister Haiti.
Catherine Samba-Panza becomes acting President of the Central African Republic.
Michelle Bachelet is elected President of Chile.
Valeria Ciavatta is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Marie Louise Coleiro Preca is elected President of Malta.
2014
Saara Kuugongelwa becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Namibia.
Vassiliki Thanou becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of Greece.
Bidhya Devi Bhandari becomes the first woman President of Nepal.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is elected President of Croatia.
Monique Ohsan Bellepeau becomes the acting President of Mauritius.
Ameenah Gurib is elected President of Mauritius.
Lorella Stefanelli is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Natalia Gherman becomes acting Prime Minister of Moldova.
Maija Parnas becomes acting Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Beata Szydło is elected Prime Minister of Poland.
Tatiana Turanskaya is elected Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Maija Parnas becomes acting Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Vassiliki Thanou becomes the acting and first woman Prime Minister of Greece.
Bidhya Devi Bhandari becomes the first woman President of Nepal.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is elected President of Croatia.
Monique Ohsan Bellepeau becomes the acting President of Mauritius.
Ameenah Gurib is elected President of Mauritius.
Lorella Stefanelli is elected Captain Regent of San Marino.
Natalia Gherman becomes acting Prime Minister of Moldova.
Maija Parnas becomes acting Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Beata Szydło is elected Prime Minister of Poland.
Tatiana Turanskaya is elected Prime Minister of Transnistria.
Maija Parnas becomes acting Prime Minister of Transnistria.
2015
Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee, making her the first woman to be the nominee of a major party.
Hilda Heine becomes the first woman President of the Marshall Islands.
Nguyễn Thị Doan becomes acting President of Vietnam.
Aung San Suu Kyi becomes State Counselor and first woman head of government of Myanmar.
Tsai Ing-wen becoms the first woman President of Taiwan.
Theresa May becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Theresa May becomes Co-Acting President of Austria.
Nguyễn Thị Doan becomes acting President of Vietnam.
Aung San Suu Kyi becomes State Counselor and first woman head of government of Myanmar.
Tsai Ing-wen becoms the first woman President of Taiwan.
Theresa May becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Theresa May becomes Co-Acting President of Austria.
2016