7 Women Leaders Who Held The Top Office

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Women have headed the governments of nearly 70 countries in modern times

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Some were elected while others were appointed. Although some leaders served for a short duration, they made important contributions to history

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Here is a look at seven
women-elected leaders who made a remarkable impact in their country's history

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Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka was the first woman to be elected head of a government in the modern world in 1960

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Indira Gandhi became the first female PM of India in 1966. She was elected to office twice and also supported East Pakistan's war for independence

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Golda Meir became Israel's fourth PM in 1969. She signed the 1948 declaration of independence for Israel, one of only two women to do so

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In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became the first female PM of the UK and the first woman to lead a major Western country. She earned the title of "Iron Lady"

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Iceland's Vigdis Finnbogadottir was the first woman globally to be democratically elected president in 1980

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In 2005, Angela Merkel became Germany's first female chancellor and the youngest at the age of 51. She raised Germany's influence and held a fractious EU together

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Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Africa's first democratically elected female head of state in 2006. She also won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 

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