Johnson-Sirleaf, Ellen (1938– )

Liberian politician, president from 2006. Known as the ‘Iron lady’, she became the world's first elected black president, defeating the former footballer, George Weah, in November 2005 elections. Her government faced instability generated by supporters of former president Charles Taylor.

She studied accounting, economics, and public administration at universities in Liberia and the USA, and later worked in and wrote about international banking. In the late 1970s, she became assistant finance minister under President William Tolbert, but went into exile in Kenya when the military overthrew him in 1980. After returning home in 1985, she was briefly imprisoned for criticizing Samuel Doe's military regime. She was exiled to the USA until 1997, when she contested unsuccessfully for the presidency.