Which of the following countries became the first in the world to legally require that men and women receive equal salary for the same work?

Introduction / Context:
Pay equality between men and women is a major global issue in labour rights and social justice. Many countries talk about closing the gender pay gap, but only a few have taken strong legal steps to enforce equal pay for equal work. This question asks you to recall which specific country is widely recognised as the first to introduce a law that requires companies to prove that they pay men and women equally for the same job roles, otherwise face penalties.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The options are Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Russia.
• The question focuses on the first country to enforce equal salary for men and women through legislation.
• We assume knowledge of important milestones in gender equality policies.
• We also assume current affairs awareness of Scandinavian social reforms.

Concept / Approach:
Iceland gained international attention when it introduced a law requiring companies and institutions with a certain number of employees to prove that they paid men and women equally for the same work. The law put the burden of proof on employers and introduced a certification system. This went beyond earlier anti discrimination laws, which often required individual employees to complain. While Denmark and Sweden are also progressive Nordic countries, this specific landmark step of mandatory equal pay certification was first associated with Iceland. Therefore, the approach is to identify which country matches this well known policy development.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the news reports and current affairs notes that highlighted a Nordic country as the first to make equal pay certification mandatory. Step 2: Remember that this country was Iceland, which often ranks highly in global gender equality indexes. Step 3: Compare Iceland with Denmark and Sweden, both of which have strong welfare systems but did not introduce this exact law first. Step 4: Note that Russia does not fall into the group of early leaders in legal enforcement of gender pay equality. Step 5: Conclude that Iceland is the correct answer because it is directly linked to the first of its kind equal salary law.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple way to verify is to think about which country often appears at the top of global rankings on gender equality, education, and labour participation. Iceland frequently appears at or near the top in reports on gender parity. When international media covered this law, they clearly emphasised that Iceland became the first country to require proof of equal pay. Current affairs books and competitive exam magazines also repeated this fact many times, so cross checking with that memory confirms Iceland as the right choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Denmark is wrong because, although it has many equal opportunity laws, it was not identified in news and exam material as the first country with this specific mandatory certification law. Sweden is also incorrect for the same reason; while it supports gender equality strongly, it does not match the exact first in the world fact in this context. Russia does not have this distinction and has different economic and social priorities, so it clearly cannot be the answer in a question framed around global gender pay equality leadership.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is to confuse Scandinavian countries because they often show similar high levels of social welfare and equality. Some learners might quickly pick Sweden or Denmark simply because these names are familiar as progressive nations. Another mistake is to assume that any European country could be the first without remembering the specific case of Iceland. To avoid such errors, always attach important first in the world facts to a clear mental image. In this case, linking Iceland with both high gender equality rankings and the equal pay certification law helps fix the information firmly in memory.

Final Answer:
The correct choice is Iceland, which became the first country in the world to legally require equal salary for men and women performing the same work.