World's first ever elected female president still a popular role model today

Current Iceland prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, who grew up with Vigdis Finnbogadottir as president, says that 'Finnbogadottir paved the way for the rest'. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

When Vigdis Finnbogadottir assumed Iceland's presidency on August 1 1980, she made history as the first elected female head of state in the world, and four decades later the 90-year-old remains a role-model to Icelanders.

With 16 consecutive years in office, thanks to three re-elections, the former teacher and theatre director holds the record for elected female heads of state and government, though Germany's Angela Merkel could match her next year.