Ranker NewsList RulesVote up the women leaders who most changed their nations and the world.
Throughout history, there have been many female world leaders who have made a profound impact on the world. From presidents to heads of state to outspoken activists, the women below made a huge impact on history, culture, and the world at large. While all these women have inarguably been influential, who is the most important female world leader of all time? Help decide below!
Around the world, historic female leaders often took positions of power when it was unconventional and even controversial to do so and altered history as a result. These pioneers paved the way for current powerful female leaders. Without the efforts of groundbreaking women like Eleanor Roosevelt and Madeleine Albright, leaders like Theresa May and Angela Merkel may never have had the opportunities they have today. Vote up the most important female leaders below and feel free to add any influential women you see missing!
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6220Catherine II of Russia
Dec. at 67 (1729-1796)Birthplace: Szczecin, Poland
Catherine II (Russian: Екатери́на Алексе́евна, romanized: Yekaterina Alekseyevna; 2 May [O.S.... more on Wikipedia2
5417Cleopatra
Dec. at 39 (68 BC-29 BC)Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
Cleopatra VII Philopator (Koinē Greek: Κλεοπᾰ́τρᾱ Φιλοπάτωρ, romanized: Kleopátrā Philopátōr;... more on Wikipedia3
4311Joan of Arc
Dec. at 19 (1412-1431)Birthplace: Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France
Joan of Arc (in French Jeanne d'Arc pronounced [ʒan daʁk]; c. 1412 – 30 May 1431), nicknamed... more on Wikipedia4
4917Park Geun-hye
Age: 68Birthplace: Jung District, Daegu
Park Geun-hye (Korean: 박근혜; Hanja: 朴槿惠; RR: Bak Geun(-)hye; IPA: [pak‿k͈ɯn.hje]; born 2... more on Wikipedia5
4514Maria Theresa
Dec. at 63 (1717-1780)Birthplace: Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (German: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November... more on Wikipedia6
6033Diana, Princess of Wales
Dec. at 36 (1961-1997)Birthplace: Sandringham, England
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a... more on Wikipedia7
Hatshepsut (; also Hatchepsut; Egyptian: ḥꜣt-šps.wt "Foremost of Noble Ladies"; 1507–1458 BC)... more on Wikipedia3711Hatshepsut
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3814Queen Victoria
Dec. at 82 (1819-1901)Birthplace: Kensington Palace, London, United Kingdom
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom... more on Wikipedia9
3815Eleanor Roosevelt
Dec. at 78 (1884-1962)Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (; October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962) was an American political... more on Wikipedia10
3716Eva Perón
Age: Died at 33 (1919-1952)Birthplace: Los Toldos, Argentina
María Eva Duarte de Perón (UK: , US: , Spanish: [maˈɾi.a ˈeβa ˈðwaɾte ðe peˈɾon]; 7 May 1919 –... more on Wikipedia11
4221Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Age: 90Birthplace: Reykjavik, Iceland
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (US: FIN-boh-gə-doh-tər, Icelandic: [ˈvɪxtis ˈfɪnpɔɣaˌtouːʰtɪr]... more on Wikipedia12
2914Annie Besant
Dec. at 86 (1847-1933)Birthplace: Clapham, London, United Kingdom
Annie Besant (née Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist,... more on Wikipedia13
2914Eleanor of Aquitaine
Dec. at 82 (1122-1204)Birthplace: Bordeaux, France
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122 or 1124 – 1 April 1204) was queen consort of France (1137–1152) and... more on Wikipedia14
4027Margaret Thatcher
Dec. at 88 (1925-2013)Birthplace: Grantham, United Kingdom
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, (née Roberts; 13 October 1925 – 8 April 2013) was... more on Wikipedia15
3016Indira Gandhi
Dec. at 67 (1917-1984)Birthplace: Allahabad, India
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Hindi: [ˈɪndɪraː ˈɡaːndʱiː] (listen); née Nehru; 19 November 1917... more on Wikipedia16
2112Rani Lakshmibai
Dec. at 30 (1828-1858)Birthplace: Varanasi, India
Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi (pronunciation ; 19 November 1828 – 18 June 1858), was the... more on Wikipedia17
Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, c. March 1822 – March 10, 1913) was an American... more on Wikipedia312518
2012Wangari Maathai
Dec. at 71 (1940-2011)Birthplace: Tetu, Kenya
Wangarĩ Muta Maathai (wàŋɡàˈɹɛ |m|ɑː|ˈ|t|aɪ; 1 April 1940 – 25 September 2011) was a renowned... more on Wikipedia19
2619Mary Robinson
Age: 65Birthplace: Ballina, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson (Irish: Máire Bean Mhic Róibín; née Bourke; born 21 May 1944)... more on Wikipedia20
3028Mother Teresa
Dec. at 87 (1910-1997)Birthplace: Skopje, Yugoslavia
Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, Albanian: [aˈɲɛzə ˈɡɔndʒɛ bɔjaˈdʒiu]; 26... more on Wikipedia21
3536Elizabeth II
Age: 94Birthplace: Mayfair, London, London, England
Elizabeth II (born 21 April 1926) is Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth... more on Wikipedia22
2016Dalia Grybauskaitė
Age: 64Birthplace: Vilnius, Lithuania
Dalia Grybauskaitė (Lithuanian pronunciation: [dɐˈlʲɛ ɡʲrʲiːbɐʊsˈkɐ̂ˑɪtʲeː]; born 1 March... more on Wikipedia23
1815Isabel Martínez de Perón
Age: 89Birthplace: La Rioja, Argentina
María Estela Martínez Cartas de Perón (born February 4, 1931), better known as Isabel Martínez... more on Wikipedia24
1815Tarja Halonen
Age: 76Birthplace: Kallio, Finland
Tarja Kaarina Halonen ([tɑrjɑ kɑːrinɑ hɑlonen] (listen); born 24 December 1943) is a Finnish... more on Wikipedia25
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