British Prime Minister Theresa May took office after David Cameron resigned in July 2016. Cameron announced his resignation after UK voters chose to leave the European Union.
Tsai Ing-wen was elected Taiwan's first female President in January 2016. The former law professor and leader of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party also gained control of Taiwan's legislature for the first time.
The opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi won a historic majority in Myanmar's parliament in 2015, marking the nation's rejection of decades of military rule. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, could not become president under the military-drafted constitution. But the post of State Counselor was created especially for her and was widely expected to allow her to rule by proxy.
Angela Merkel has been the Chancellor of Germany since 2005 and is the European Union's longest-serving head of government.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the President of Liberia. She is the first elected female head of state in Africa.
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is the President of Mauritius. The biodiversity scientist is the first woman to be elected as the country's leader.
Bidhya Devi Bhandari is the first female President of Nepal. Nepal's parliament elected Bhandari in October 2015.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is the Croatian President. She is the first woman to hold the office.
Michelle Bachelet is the President of Chile, having served her current term since March 11, 2014. She previously was President from 2006 to 2010, becoming the first woman in Chile to hold the position.
Sheikh Hasina Wazed became Bangladesh's prime minister for a second time in 2009. She first held the office from 1996-2001.
Erna Solberg became Norway's prime minister in 2013.