Women winners of the Nobel Literature Prize

(AFP PHOTO / SCANPIX SWEDEN)

(AFP)

Romanian-born German writer Herta Mueller, who on Thursday won the Nobel Literature Prize, is the 12th woman to win the prestigious award.

Here follows a list of the women literature laureates:

2009 - Herta Mueller (Germany)

2007 - Doris Lessing (Britain)

2004 - Elfriede Jelinek (Austria)

1996 - Wislawa Szymborska (Poland)

1993 - Toni Morrison (United States)

1991 - Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)

1966 - Nelly Sachs (Sweden), with Shmuel Agnon of Israel

1945 - Gabriela Mistral (Chile)

1938 - Pearl Buck (US)

1928 - Sigrid Undset (Norway)

1926 - Grazia Deledda (Italy)

1909 - Selma Lagerloef (Sweden)