Female Heads of State or Government 1950s 1970s 1990s

Some analysts believe that gender influences policy attitudes. One limit on the ability to be certain about this issue is the fact that relatively few women have led their countries. Still, that number is growing. This map demonstrates across time the increase in number of women leaders as heads of state and heads of government (such as presidents, prime ministers and queens). During the 1950s, only 4 women led their countries; during the 1970s, the number increased to 11; during the 1990s, that number more than tripled to 35. Though the 1960s and 1980s are not included, each of those decades also advanced over the preceding decade. Women have come a long way politically toward numerical parity with men; they have even further to go.