Who was the world's first female prime minister?

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the world’s first female prime minister.

She became prime minister of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, on 21 July 1960. Her election followed the assassination of her husband, Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, and made her the first woman to lead a government in the modern world.

Bandaranaike served three terms: from 1960 to 1965, from 1970 to 1977, and from 1994 to 2000. During her first term, Ceylon continued policies emphasizing state control and social welfare, and the country became a republic called Sri Lanka in 1972 during her second period in office.

Indira Gandhi of India, Golda Meir of Israel, and Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom were all later female heads of government. Bandaranaike’s daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga, also became president of Sri Lanka.