Rulers & Emperors · Head-to-head
Vigdis Finnbogadottir vs Paul Biya
No — based on their recorded years, Vigdis Finnbogadottir (1930–) lived before Paul Biya (1933–), and their lifetimes did not overlap.
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Vigdis Finnbogadottir
The first woman in the world to be democratically elected as a country's head of state, serving as President of Iceland for 16 years.
Key achievements
- Was elected President of Iceland in 1980, becoming the world's first democratically elected female head of state
- Served as President of Iceland for 16 years, from 1980 to 1996
- Became the longest-serving elected female head of state in history
- Later served as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Fast fact
Vigdis Finnbogadottir's 1980 election made her the first woman in world history to be democratically elected head of state of a country, and she went on to become the longest-serving elected female head of state ever.
Full profile of Vigdis Finnbogadottir →Paul Biya
The president of Cameroon since 1982, one of the world's longest-serving heads of state, whose long rule has drawn persistent criticism over elections and civil liberties.
Key achievements
- Served as prime minister of Cameroon under President Ahmadou Ahidjo from 1975 to 1982
- Became president of Cameroon in 1982 and has held the office for over four decades
- Is among the longest-serving current heads of state anywhere in the world
- Has faced sustained international criticism over disputed elections, press restrictions, and the handling of the Anglophone Crisis
Fast fact
Biya's decades in power have been marked by allegations of electoral fraud in successive elections and a prolonged, violent crackdown during the Anglophone Crisis that began in 2016.
Full profile of Paul Biya →Who lived first, Vigdis Finnbogadottir or Paul Biya?
Vigdis Finnbogadottir (1930–) lived first, before Paul Biya (1933–), based on their recorded years.
Were Vigdis Finnbogadottir and Paul Biya contemporaries?
No — based on their recorded years, Vigdis Finnbogadottir (1930–) lived before Paul Biya (1933–), and their lifetimes did not overlap.
What do Vigdis Finnbogadottir and Paul Biya have in common?
Both Vigdis Finnbogadottir and Paul Biya are grouped among our Rulers & Emperors figures and lived during the Modern Era.