List of elected and appointed female heads of state

This is a list of women who have been elected or appointed head of state of their respective countries since the mid-20th century. The list does not include female monarchs, nor does it include female heads of government who are not concurrently head of state, such as prime ministers.

Above the main list are separately listed female governors-general and French representatives of Andorra. As governors-general are appointed representatives of the monarch of the Commonwealth realms (currently Elizabeth II) and the French Representatives of Andorra are appointed representatives of the French Co-Prince of Andorra (currently François Hollande), they act as heads of state and carry out on a regular basis the functions and duties associated with such a role in the Commonwealth realms (excluding the United Kingdom, which has no governor-general, as the monarch of the Commonwealth realms primarily resides there) and Andorra, respectively.

To date, the country with most female Heads of State is San Marino (19, three of which served two non-consecutive terms).

Note: Before making an addition to this list, please make sure that your addition should be placed in this list, and not in the List of elected or appointed female heads of government. Golda Meir, for example, was Prime minister of Israel and thereby Head of Government, but as Israel also has a President who is head of state, she was not Head of State, and is therefore placed in the List of elected or appointed female heads of government and not in this list.

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