Nicola Sturgeon has described her appointment as the first female First Minister of Scotland as "an honour and a privilege".

Ms Sturgeon, who was voted in by the Scottish Parliament today to succeed Alex Salmond, vowed to lead a "bold, imaginative and adventurous" Government which will build a "social democratic and socially just" nation.

She also paid tribute to her predecessor Mr Salmond, who resigned from the role yesterday, telling MSPs that she owed him "a personal debt of gratitude".

Ms Sturgeon, 44, said: "My pledge today to every citizen of our country is simple but it is heartfelt.

"I will be First Minister for all of Scotland. Regardless of your politics or your point of view, my job is to serve you. And I promise that I will do so to the best of my ability."

Watched from the chamber gallery at Holyrood by her family, staff and SNP supporters, she said: "Alex Salmond's place in history as one of Scotland's greatest leaders is secure and rightly so.

"However, I have no doubt that he has a big contribution yet to make to politics in Scotland. I know that I will continue to seek his wise counsel."

She went on: "To become First Minister is special and a big responsibility. To make history as the first woman First Minister is even more so.

"I hope that my election as First Minister does indeed help to open the gate to greater opportunity for all women. There should be no limit to your ambition or what you can achieve.

"If you are good enough and if you work hard enough, the sky is the limit - and no glass ceiling should ever stop you from achieving your dreams."

She went on: "My role as First Minister will be to help build a Scotland that all those who live and work here can be proud of.

"A nation both social democratic and socially just. A Scotland confident in itself, proud of its successes and honest about its weaknesses. A Scotland of good government and civic empowerment. A Scotland vigorous and determined in its resolution to address poverty, support business, promote growth and tackle inequality.

"It will surprise no-one to hear that I will always argue the case for more powers - indeed the full powers of independence - for this Parliament.

"I believe that the more we are able to do as a parliament and government, the better we can serve the people who elect us.

"But I will also - and always - do my utmost to govern well with the powers we have now.

"These are the points against which my government will set its compass."

Ms Sturgeon won the vote for nomination as First Minister with 66 votes from 120.

A further 15 votes were cast for Conservative leader Ruth Davidson who also put herself forward or nomination, while there were 39 abstentions.

Ms Sturgeon will now be officially sworn in at the Court of Session in Edinburgh tomorrow.

Labour's Jackie Baillie congratulated Ms Sturgeon, saying: "Nicola Sturgeon's place in Scottish political history is of course assured, being the first woman to hold her post.

"While there is no doubting that this is a symbolic moment, what she does really matters far more.

"I sincerely hope she will use her position to promote the role of women in public life by making positive steps towards gender balance."

Ms Baillie said that she welcomed Ms Sturgeon's pledges to tackle poverty, but she criticised the SNP, stating it could have brought forward policies in this area earlier.

She added: "I am always willing to work with her in the cause of social justice."

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: "With a 10 year apprenticeship as deputy, seven as deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon is eminently qualified.

"And, if I may offer a personal opinion, in many ways a more skilful politician than her immediate predecessor. She has been deployed more than once as the velvet glove to his clunking fist."

She went on to call for a new politics following the "divisive" independence referendum.

"I hope that the election of a new First Minister of Scotland will act as a break to that dismal political dead end," she said.

"I hope that the politics of division will pass and that the politics of debate and discourse, of pragmatism and respect will win out."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie described Ms Sturgeon's appointment as "an outstanding personal achievement".

He warned against the new First Minister using her position to return to campaigning for another independence referendum.

"I am not expecting her to change her views on Scotland's constitutional future...but her government has had over three and a half years to make the case for independence, so would it not be respectful to invest all her power and her energy in the remaining 18 months to running the country."

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie said Ms Sturgeon is a "highly capable, professional and very impressive figure on the political landscape of Scotland".

Following the completion of the nomination process, the new First Minister was congratulated by MSPs including Mr Salmond, as key SNP figures including Kay Ullrich - the former MSP Ms Sturgeon first campaigned alongside as a teenager - and Euromillions winners and party donors Colin and Chris Weir watched from the public gallery.