01 Janauary 2008...

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to the first appointed/elected female head of state in the world!

Khertek Anchimaa-Toka was born 1 January 1912 to a poor family in what is now Bay-Tayginsky Kozhuun of Tuva. Anchimaa-Toka became Chairperson of the Presidium of the Parliament of the Republic of Tunna Tuva in 1940, making her the first woman in the world to be appointed or elected as head of state. She held the position until 1944. After that, she remained politically active as a vice-chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, and then a vice-chairman of Tuvan Council of Ministers. She retired in 1972.

The New Year 2008, sixty plus years after Anchimaa-Toka's term, rang in with only 12 countries having female prime ministers and/or presidents.

Eight countries have female Presidents:
Argentina, Chile, Finland, India, Ireland, Liberia, The Philippines, and Switzerland.

Four countries have woman Prime Ministers:
Germany, New Zealand, Mozambique, and Ukraine

Also three counties have reigning queens: Denmark, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom (the Queen of the UK is represented by female Governor Generals in Antigua and Barbuda, Canada and Saint Lucia, who function as their countries' de-facto Heads of State and The Netherlands Antilles has a female prime minister).

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_or_appointed_female_heads_of_state
http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/