Ladies First: Female Heads of State

See the female phenoms who run the world.

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Catherine Samba-Panza — Central African Republic - BET.com honors these women who were the first people “woman-enough” to take the helm as leader of their respective nations. — Naeesa Aziz Catherine Samba-Panza was elected as the interim president of the Central African Republic in January 2014 and tasked to calm the violent divide between Christian and Muslim militias. She previously served as the mayor of Bangui, the nation's capitol. (AFP PHOTO / Eric FEFERBERG)

Photo By Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller - Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson-Miller will be the commencement speaker at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, on May 24. (Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

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Portia Simpson-Miller — Jamaica - Portia Simpson-Miller is the seventh prime minister of Jamaica. She was installed in January 2012 and served as prime minister previously from March 2006 to Sept. 2007.(Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

President Joyce Banda - As Forbes reports, President Joyce Banda — Malawi’s first female president and the continent’s second — has helped to remove monetary suspensions from Western supporters to Malawi and revived cash injections from the IMF. However, the controversial leader has also faced a number of financial and corruption scandals during her time in office. (Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis - WPA Pool /Getty Images)

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Joyce Banda — Malawi - Joyce Banda is the first female president of Malawi. Banda assumed the office after the death of former President Bingu wa Mutharika. (Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis - WPA Pool /Getty Images)

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 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf — Liberia - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the 24th president of Liberia and the first elected female head of state in Africa. Sirleaf is currently serving her second term as president and in 2011 she was jointly awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her work in women’s rights.(Photo: Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters)

South Korea Reacts to North Korean Execution - The execution of North Korean President Kim Jung Un’s uncle Chang Song-thaek, who is accused of planning a coup, prompted South Korean President Park Geun-hye to host a meeting of security officials on Dec. 16. Geun-hye warned of “reckless provocations" by the North and called for increased border vigilance.(Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

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Park Geun-Hye — South Korea - Park Geun-Hye is South Korea's 11th president. She is the first female to hold the office. (Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

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Yingluck Shinawatra — Thailand - Yingluck Shinawatra is prime minister of Thailand. (Photo: REUTERS/Bobby Yip)

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Yingluck Shinawatra — Thailand - Yingluck Shinawatra is prime minister of Thailand. (Photo: REUTERS/Bobby Yip)

Just One Black Cabinet Member - In 2012, with 36 ministers in her coalition, only one was Black — Luiza Helena de Bairros, secretary of state for racial equality. "Racism in Brazil is well hidden, subtle and unspoken, underestimated by the media," said Joaquim Barbosa, the first Black judge to sit on the bench of the supreme court in Brazil. (Photo: Kerim Okten-Pool/Getty Images)

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Dilma Rousseff — Brazil - Dilma Rousseff is the 36th president of Brazil and the first woman in Brazil’s history to ever hold the position. Before she took the helm as president, Rousseff was also the first woman to become chief of staff.(Photo: Kerim Okten-Pool/Getty Images)

Laura Chinchilla — Costa Rica - Laura Chinchilla is Costa Rica’s first and only female president and the sixth woman to be elected president of a Latin American country. Before entering politics, Chinchilla worked as a consultant, advising non-governmental organizations in Latin America and Africa on judicial reform and public security issues.(Photo: Chip East/REUTERS)

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Laura Chinchilla — Costa Rica - Laura Chinchilla is Costa Rica’s first and only female president and the sixth woman to be elected president of a Latin American country. Before entering politics, Chinchilla worked as a consultant, advising non-governmental organizations in Latin America and Africa on judicial reform and public security issues.(Photo: Chip East/REUTERS)

U.S. Embassy in India - Later Sunday afternoon, the president and first lady attended a meet and greet at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi before touring Humayun’s Tomb.

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Pratibha Patil — India - Pratibha Patil was India’s first female president, serving from 2004 to 2007. A trained lawyer, Patil enjoyed a long career in politics before assuming office.(Photo: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo — Philippines - Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo served not only as president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, but also vice president from 1998 to 2001. Before entering politics, Arroyo worked as a professor of economics.(Photo: Pool photo(Kyodo) /Landov)

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Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo — Philippines - Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo served not only as president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, but also vice president from 1998 to 2001. Before entering politics, Arroyo worked as a professor of economics.(Photo: Pool photo(Kyodo) /Landov)

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Chandrika Kumaratunga — Sri Lanka - Chandrika Kumaratunga was Sri Lanka’s first and only female president. Her ascent into the office was in step with her family’s political legacy; both of her parents formerly served as prime minister of Sri Lanka and her mother was the country’s first female prime minister. Kumaratunga’s presidency lasted over a decade.(Photo: Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi /Landov, REUTERS)

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Chandrika Kumaratunga — Sri Lanka - Chandrika Kumaratunga was Sri Lanka’s first and only female president. Her ascent into the office was in step with her family’s political legacy; both of her parents formerly served as prime minister of Sri Lanka and her mother was the country’s first female prime minister. Kumaratunga’s presidency lasted over a decade.(Photo: Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi /Landov, REUTERS)

Corazon Aquino — Philippines - The beloved Corazon Aquino was the Philippines’ first female president, who led the “People Power Revolution” that restored democracy in the country. In 1986, Time magazine named Aquino “Woman of the Year.”(Photo: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco /Landov)

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Corazon Aquino — Philippines - The beloved Corazon Aquino was the Philippines’ first female president, who led the “People Power Revolution” that restored democracy in the country. In 1986, Time magazine named Aquino “Woman of the Year.”(Photo: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco /Landov)

Violeta Chamorro — Nicaragua - Violeta Chamorro served as president of Nicaragua from 1990 to 1996.(Photo: Oswaldo Rivas /Landov/REUTERS)

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Violeta Chamorro — Nicaragua - Violeta Chamorro served as president of Nicaragua from 1990 to 1996.(Photo: Oswaldo Rivas /Landov/REUTERS)

Janet Jagan — Guyana - Born to middle-class, Jewish parents in Chicago, Janet Jagan went on to become prime minister and then president of Guyana after moving to the country with her Guyanese husband at age 22 and entering into politics.(Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

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Janet Jagan — Guyana - Born to middle-class, Jewish parents in Chicago, Janet Jagan went on to become prime minister and then president of Guyana after moving to the country with her Guyanese husband at age 22 and entering into politics.(Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)