1 9 7 4 ): ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁prime ▁minister ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁Isabel ▁Per ón , ▁Argentina ▁( 1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 6 ): ▁The ▁first ▁( app oint ed ) ▁female ▁president , ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁and ▁head ▁of ▁government . ▁Elisabeth ▁Dom it ien , ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic ▁( 1 9 7 5 – 1 9 7 6 ): ▁The ▁first ▁( app oint ed ) ▁female ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁an ▁African ▁country . ▁Margaret ▁Th atch er , ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁( 1 9 7 9 – 1 9 9 0 ): ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁a ▁G 7 / P 5 ▁country ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁a ▁so ver eign ▁European ▁country . ▁Eugen ia ▁Charles , ▁Domin ican ▁Republic ▁( 1 9 8 0 – 1 9 9 5 ): ▁The ▁longest ▁continu ously ▁serving ▁female ▁prime ▁minister . ▁V ig d ís ▁Finn b og adó tt ir , ▁I cel and ▁( 1 9 8 0 – 1 9 9 6 ): ▁The ▁first ▁dem ocrat ically ▁directly ▁elected ▁female ▁president . ▁With ▁a ▁presiden cy ▁of ▁exactly ▁six teen ▁years , ▁she ▁also ▁remains ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁elected ▁female ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁of ▁any ▁country ▁to ▁date . ▁Jean ne ▁Sau vé , ▁Canada ▁( 1 9 8 4 – 1 9 9 0 ): ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁Ben az ir ▁Bh utto , ▁Pakistan