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Women Political Leaders—Historical and Current

Updated February 12, 2019 | Factmonster Staff

The following table lists the current and historical female political leaders of the countries of the world, according to country name, woman's name, political title, and years in power, including Queen Elizabeth I, Benazir Bhutto, Margaret Thatcher, and more.

 

Queen Elizabeth I
Queen Elizabeth I
Archive Photos
Benazir Bhutto
Archive Photos
Benazir Bhutto
Margaret Thatcher
British Information Service
Margaret Thatcher
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Agencia Brasil
Julia Gillard
MystifyMe Concert
Julia Gillard

 

 

CountryNameReign
AngolaQueen Nzingha1582–1663
Antigua and BarbudaGovernor-General Dame Louise Lake-Tack2007–2014
ArgentinaPresident Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner2007–
ArgentinaPresident Isabel Perón1974–1976
Lesser ArmeniaQueen Zabel1219–1226
AustraliaGovernor-General Dr. Quentin Bryce2008–2014
AustraliaPrime Minister Julia Gillard2010–2013
BahamasGovernor-General Dame Ivy Dumont2001–2005
BahamasGovernor General Dame Marguerite Pindling2014–
BangladeshPrime Minister Khaleda Zia1991–1996, 2001–2006
BangladeshPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed1996–2001, 2008–
BarbadosGovernor-general Dame Nita Barrow1990–1995
BelizeGovernor-general Dame Minita Gordon1981–1993
BermudaPremier Pamela Gordon1997–1998
BermudaPremier Jennifer Smith1998–2003
BermudaPremier Paula A. Cox2010–2012
BoliviaPrime Minister Lidia Gueiler1979–1980
Bosnia and HerzegovinaPresident Borjana Kristo2007–2011
BrazilQueen Maria I1815–1816
BrazilEmpress Isabel (regent)1871–1872, 1876–1877, 1887–1888
BrazilPresident Dimla Vana Linhares Rousseff2011–
BurundiPrime Minister Sylvie Kinigi1993–1994
Byzantium (Roman Empire)Empress Theodora1055–1056
CambodiaQueen Ang Mey1835–1840, 1844–1845
CambodiaQueen Kossamak (joint ruler)1955–1960
CanadaGovernor-general Jeanne Sauvé1984–1990
CanadaPrime Minister Kim Campbell1993 (4 months)
CanadaGovernor-general Adrienne Clarkson1999–2005
CanadaGovernor-general Michaëlle Jean2005–2010
Cayman IslandsPremier Juliana O'Connor-Connolly2012–2013
Central African RepublicPrime Minister Elizabeth Domitien1974–1976
Central African RepublicActing Head of State Catherine Samba-Panza2014–
Cherokee NationWilma Mankiller1985–1995
ChilePresident Michelle Bachelet Jeria2006–2010; 2014–
ChinaEmpress Wu Chao655–705
ChinaDowager Empress Tsu-Hsi1861–1908
ChinaDowager Empress Longyu1911–1912
Costa RicaPresident Laura Chinchilla Miranda2010–2014
CroatiaPrime Minister Jadranka Kosor2009–2011
CroatiaPrime Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic2015–
Cyprus, NorthPrime Minister Sibel Siber2013 (3 months)
DenmarkQueen Margaret I1387–1412
DenmarkQueen Margrethe II1972–present
DenmarkPrime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt2011–
DominicaPrime Minister Mary Eugenia Charles1980–1995
Easter IslandParamount Chief Koreto Puakurunga1868–1869?
Easter IslandParamount Chief Carolina1869?–1888?
EgyptQueen Hatshepsut1501–1498 B.C.
EgyptQueen Tiye1415–1340 B.C.
EgyptQueen Nefertiti1372–1350 B.C.
EgyptQueen Nefertari1292–1225 B.C.
EgyptQueen Arsinoe II (joint ruler)279–270 B.C.
EgyptQueen Berenice81–80 B.C.
EgyptQueen Cleopatra VII51–30 B.C.
EgyptEmpress Zauditu1916–1930
EthiopiaEmpress Candace332 B.C.
EthiopiaEmpress Zaudita1916–1930
Faeroe IslandsPrime Minister Marita Petersen1993–1994
FinlandPresident Tarja Halonen2000–2012
FinlandPrime Minister Anneli Jäätteenmäki2003 (2 months)
FinlandPrime Minister Mari Kiviniemi2010–2011
Finland, Åland IslandsPremier Viveca Eriksson2007–2011
Finland, Åland IslandsPremier Camilla Gunell2011–
FrancePrime Minister Edith Cresson 1991–1992
GeorgiaQueen Tamara1184–1212
GermanyChancellor Angela Merkel2005–
GhanaQueen Mother Yaa Asantewa1863–1923
Great BritainBoadicea, Queen of the Icenic. 26–61
Great BritainQueen Jane (Lady Jane Grey)1553 (9 days)
Great BritainQueen Mary I1553–1558
Great BritainQueen Elizabeth I1558–1603
Great BritainQueen Mary II (joint ruler)1689–1702
Great BritainQueen Anne1702–1714
Great BritainQueen Victoria1837–1901
Great BritainQueen Elizabeth II1952–present
Great BritainPrime Minister Margaret Thatcher1979–1990
Great BritainPrime Minister Theresa May2016–
GrenadaGovernor Dame Hilda Louisa Bynoe1967–1972
GrenadaGovernor Dame Cecile La Grenade2013–
GuyanaPrime Minister Janet Jagan1997
GuyanaPresident Janet Jagan1997–1999
HaitiProvisional President Ertha Pascal-Trouillot1990, 1991
HaitiPrime Minister Claudette Werleigh1995–1996
HawaiiQueen Liliuokalani1891–1893
HungaryQueen Mary1382–1387
HungaryQueen Elizabeth1439–1440
HungaryQueen Maria Theresa1740–1780
IcelandPresident Vigdis Finnbogadóttir1980–1996
IcelandPrime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir2009–2013
IndiaPrime Minister Indira Gandhi1966–1977, 1980–1984
IndiaPresident Pratibha Patil2007–2012
IndonesiaPresident Megawati Sukarnoputri2001–2004
IrelandPresident Mary Robinson1990–1997
IrelandPresident Mary McAleese1997–2011
Israel and JudahQueen Athaliah842–837 B.C.
IsraelPrime Minister Golda Meir1969–1974
ItalyQueen Theodelinda590
ItalyQueen Joanna I of Naples1343–1381
ItalyQueen Maria of Sicily1377–1402
ItalyQueen Joanna II of Naples1414–1435
JamaicaPrime Minister Portia Simpson Miller2006–2007, 2012–
JapanEmpress Suiko Tenno593–628
JapanEmpress Kogyoku642–645
JapanEmpress Jito686–697
JapanEmpress Gemmyo703–724
JapanEmpress Koken (abdicated)749–758
JapanEmpress Shotuku-Koken764–770
JapanEmpress Toshi-ko1762–1771
KosovoPresident Atifete Jahjaga2011–
KrgyzstanPresident Roza Otunbayeva2010–2011
LatviaPresident Vaira Vike-Freiberga2014–
LatviaLaimdota Straujuma1999–2007
LesothoParamount Chief 'Mantsebo Amelia 'Matsaba Sempe1941–1960
LiberiaPresident Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf2006–
LithuaniaPrime Minister Kazimiera Prunskiene1990–1991
LithuaniaPresident Dalia Grybauskaité2009–
LuxembourgGrand Duchess Marie Anne de Bragance (regent)1908–1912
LuxembourgGrand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde1912–1919
LuxembourgGrand Duchess Charlotte1919–1964
MadagascarQueen Ranavalona I1828–1861
MadagascarQueen Rasoaherina1863–1868
MadagascarQueen Ranavalona II1868–1883
MadagascarQueen Ranavalona III (deposed)1883–1897
MalawiPresident Joyce Banda2012–2014
MaldivesSultan Amina Rani Kilagefanu1757–1759
MaltaPresident Agatha Barbara1982–1987
MaltaPresident Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca2014–
MicronesiaHigh Commissioner of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Janet J. McCoy1981–1986
MonacoPrincess Louise-Hippolyte1731
NetherlandsQueen Wilhelmina (abdicated)1890–1948
NetherlandsQueen Juliana1948–1980
NetherlandsQueen Beatrix1980–present
Netherlands AntillesPrime Minister Lucinda da Costa Gomez-Matheeuws1977
Netherlands AntillesPrime Minister Maria Liberia-Peters1984–1986, 1988–1993
Netherlands AntillesPrime Minister Susanne Camelia-Romer1993, 1998–1999
Netherlands AntillesPrime Minister Mirna Louisa-Godett2003–2004
New CaledoniaPresident Marie-Noëlle Thémereau2004–2009
New ZealandGovernor-general Dame Catherine Tizard1990–1996
New ZealandGovernor-general Dame Silvia Cartwright2001–2006
New ZealandPrime Minister Jenny Shipley1997–1999
New ZealandPrime Minister Helen Clark1999–2008
New Zealand (Maori community)Queen Te Ata-i Rangi-Kahu Koroki Te Rata Mahuta Tawhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero1966–2006
NicaraguaPresident Violeta Barriosde Chamorro1990–1997
NigeriaQueen Amina of Zaria1588-1589
NorwayQueen Margaret1387–1412
NorwayPrime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtlandt1981, 1986–1989, 1990–1996
NorwayPrime Minister Erna Solberg2013–
PakistanPrime Minister Benazir Bhutto1988–1990, 1993–1996
PanamaPresident Mireya Moscoso1999–2004
PeruPrime Minister Beatriz Merino2003 (6 months)
PeruAna Rosario Jara Velásquez2014–
PhilippinesPresident Maria Corazon Aquino1986–1992
PhilippinesPresident Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo2001–2010
PolandQueen Hedwige1384–1399
PolandPremier Hanna Suchocka1992–1993
PolandPrime Minister Ewa Kopacz2014–
PortugalQueen Maria I1777–1816
PortugalQueen Maria II1826–1828, 1834–1853
PortugalPrime Minister Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo 1979 (149 days)
Roman EmpireEmpress Irene797–802
RussiaEmpress Catherine I 1725–1727
RussiaEmpress Anna Ivanovna1730–1740
RussiaEmpress Elizabeth Petrovna1741–1762
RussiaEmpress Catherine II (The Great)1762–1796
RwandaPrime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana1993–1994
San MarinoCapitano Reggente Denise Bronzetti2012–2013
St. LuciaGovernor-General Dame Pearlette Louisy1997–
São Tomé and PríncipePrime Minister Maria das Neves2002–2004
São Tomé and PríncipePrime Minister Maria do Carmo Silveira2005–2008
ScotlandQueen Mary Stuart (executed)1542–1567
ScotlandFirst Minister Nicola Sturgeon2014–
Seminole NationBetty Mae Jumper1960–1969
SenegalMame Madior Boye2001–2002
SenegalAminata Touré2013–2014
ShebaQueen Makeda960 B.C.
Sint MaartenPrime Minister Sarah Wescott-Williams2010–
SlovakiaPrime Minister Iveta Radicova2010–2012
SloveniaPrime Minister Alenka Bratusek2013–2014
South AfricaChairperson of the Commission of the African Union Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma2012–
South KoreaPresident Park Geun-hye2013–
SpainQueen Dona Urraca1109–1126
SpainQueen Juana I1274–1307
SpainQueen Juana II1328–1349
SpainQueen Dona Blanca1425–1441
SpainQueen Isabella I (joint ruler)1474–1504
SpainQueen Catalina de Albret1481–1512
SpainQueen Isabella II1833–1868
Sri LankaQueen Anula47–42 B.C.
Sri LankaQueen Sivali35 B.C.
Sri LankaQueen Lilavati1197–1200, 1209–1212
Sri LankaQueen Kalyanavati1202–1208
Sri LankaPrime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike1960–1965, 1970–1977, 1994–2000
Sri LankaPresident Chandrika Kumaratunga1994–2005
SudanAmanirenas, Queen of Cushlate 1st century B.C.
SwedenQueen Christina (abdicated)1632–1654
SwedenQueen Ulrica Eleonora (abdicated)1718–1720
SwitzerlandPresident Ruth Dreifuss1999
SwitzerlandPresident Eveline Widmer-Sclumpf2012
SwitzerlandPresident Simonetta Sommaruga2015–
ThailandPrime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra2011–2014
TongaChief Tupoumahe'ofo17?–1793
TongaQueen Salote Tubou III1918–1965
Trinidad and TobagoPrime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar2010–
TurkeyPrime Minister Tansu Çiller1993–1996
UkrainePrime Minister Yulia Timoshenko2005
WallisRuler Toifale1825
WallisRuler Falakika Seilala Lavelua1858–1869
WallisRuler Amelia Tokagahahau Aliki Lavelua1869–1895
WallisRuler Aloisia Lavelua1953–1958
YugoslaviaPremier Milka Planinc1982–1986
ZululandQueen Nandi1778–1826
Political Statistics

 

 

Guide to Worldwide GoddessesWomen of InfluenceFacts About Women in the House and the Senate

 

 
 
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