KEY POINTS:
Today Helen Clark celebrates her 58th birthday.
She is the second female Prime Minister of New Zealand and was ranked 38th most powerful woman in the world last year by Forbes magazine.
Clark studied politics at university and was politically active in her teens, protesting against the Vietnam War and foreign military bases.
She has been active within the Labour Party for most of her life, serving within different capacities. This is her third successive term in office.
Click on the link to view photos of her throughout the years.
