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Page count: 50

This paper examines nearly all women prime ministers and presidents coming to power from 1960 through 2009. Of particular importance is assessing their backgrounds prior to their ascensions, including age, educational attainment and prior political experience. Similar information on male leaders whom women succeed is also presented to see whether women's backgrounds are similar or distinct from their male counterparts. Women are slightly younger than men upon entering power. Few differences surface in education, though women generally attain higher degrees than men. The vast majority of executives are highly politically experienced with most having served in parliament, the cabinet, or routinely both. However, a larger proportion of women lack formal national political experience. Women rely less on traditional forms of political participation, often as part of democratic movements particularly in Asia and Latin America. These are also the regions where disparities disadvantaging women in educational attainment and political experience surface and where women are disproportionately promoted through familial ties. However, while kinship is still in full force, more recent female leaders are as highly credentialed as men. Overall, women do not suffer from a lack of preparedness to rule. The increased quantity of women national leaders as of late has not come at the expense of quality, even among women with familial connections to power.