18 Women Who Have Already Ruled Nations

Clockwise (L–R): Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Ameenah Gurib, Atifete Jahjaga, Julia Gillard, Tarja Halonen, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are some of the women leaders throughout the world. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images; KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images; Sean Gallup/Getty Images; John Moore/Getty Images; FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images; John Moore/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton became part of American history as the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party on July 26.

While her nomination is an historic feat in the United States, women have held the highest national offices for centuries. 

See below for a host of other women who were elected to the top government position. 

Indira Gandhi served as India’s only female Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until she was assassinated in 1984.  

A photo dated Jan. 24, 1976, of Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, in 1974. STF/AFP/Getty Images