1. Angela Merkel

Forbes: Top 10 Power Women of 2011

Forbes Profile: Angela Merkel

Age: 57

Title: Chancellor

Residence: Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel smiled during the signing of economic contracts between Russia and Germany at a meeting of the German and Russian governments in Hannover, northern Germany, on Tuesday, July 19, 2011.

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

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The Top 10 Power... Europe is in a debt crisis, the Middle East is shaking and there’s market panic at home. It is against this backdrop that Forbes presents the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

The women on this list were chosen not just for being on top but for being smack in the middle of Richter-registering events--and more. Their power derives from money and might, yes, but also (thanks to old, new and social media) reach and influence.

There’s nothing static about the list. Nearly half the women are first-timers or are back after dropping off. Some changed jobs since last year. Most were promoted but some changed tracks altogether or are newly elected to office--all evidence that women are moving up the pipeline.

Read on to see to who the most powerful women are, and why.

Note: Members come from politics, business, technology, media, entertainment and nonprofit and were ranked by three factors: money, audience or constituency and power bases--or spheres of influence. For a description of our methodology, full biographies, slideshows, videos and more, visit www.forbes.com/power-women.

(AP Photo/Andy Duback/AP Photo/Evan Agostini/AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

More From Forbes:
20 Youngest Power Women 2011
Power Women Drop-Offs
World’s Most Powerful Couples

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10. Irene Rosenf... Forbes Profile: Irene Rosenfeld

Age: 58

Title: CEO

Organization: Kraft

Residence: U.S.

Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods looks on during the fifth annual Clinton Global Initiative in New York, New York, USA, on September, 25 2009. The annual meetings, which run from September 22 through 25, is led by Bill Clinton to address poverty, health, climate change, and other worldwide issues drawing activists and political leaders from around the world.

(RAMIN TALAIE/EPA/Newscom)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
9. Christine Lag... Forbes Profile: Christine Lagarde

Age: 55

Title: Managing Director

Organization: International Monetary Fund

Residence: U.S.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde posed before giving a television interview, Tuesday June 28, 2011 in Paris, after she was chosen to lead the International Monetary Fund. She is the first female managing director of the global lending organization.

(AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

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8. Michelle Obam... Forbes Profile: Michelle Obama

Age: 47

Title: First Lady

Residence: U.S.

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about healthy food during an event in the East Room at the White House on July 20, 2011 in Washington, DC. As part of the first lady's campaign to combat childhood obesity, she participated in the announcement from major food retailers to open stores that will sell healthy, affordable food in more areas across the U.S.

(Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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7. Sonia Gandhi Forbes Profile: Sonia Gandhi

Age: 64

Title: President

Organization: Indian National Congress Party

Residence: India

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was seen prior to a meeting in New Delhi on December 16, 2010. China and India's premiers agreed December 16 to double bilateral trade to 100 billion dollars by 2015, during talks that otherwise showed no apparent progress on a series of nagging disputes.

(PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images)

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6. Melinda Gates Forbes Profile: Melinda Gates

Age: 47

Title: Co-Founder and Co-Chair

Organization: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Residence: U.S.

Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, sat during a news conference in New Delhi, India, on Thursday, March 24, 2011.

(Prashanth Vishwanthan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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5. Sheryl Sandbe... Forbes Profile: Sheryl Sandberg

Age: 42

Title: COO

Organization: Facebook

Residence: U.S.

After arriving from rival Google in 2008, Facebook's second-in-command has helped grow its 70 million user base into over 750 million active "friends" today, representing about 11 percent of the world's population.

(Courtesy of Facebook)

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4. Indra Nooyi Forbes Profile: Indra Nooyi

Age: 55

Title: CEO

Organization: PepsiCo

Residence: U.S.

Indra Nooyi, chairman and chief executive officer of PepsiCo Inc., laughed during a session on the second day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2011 in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. The World Economic Forum in Davos was to be attended by a record number of chief executive officers, with a total of 2,500 delegates attending the five-day meeting.

(Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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3. Dilma Roussef... Forbes Profile: Dilma Rousseff

Age: 63

Title: President

Residence: Brazil

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff spoke during a joint press conference with U.S. President Barack Obama at Planalto Palace in Brasilia, on March 19, 2011. Obama was on a two-day visit to Brazil as part of a tour that includes Chile and El Salvador.

(PEDRO SANTANA/AFP/Getty Images)

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2. Hillary Rodha... Forbes Profile: Hillary Clinton

Age: 63

Title: Secretary of State

Residence: U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posed for the photographers at Zarzuela Palace on July 2, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. Clinton was on an official two-day trip to Madrid.

(Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

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1. Angela Merkel Forbes Profile: Angela Merkel

Age: 57

Title: Chancellor

Residence: Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel smiled during the signing of economic contracts between Russia and Germany at a meeting of the German and Russian governments in Hannover, northern Germany, on Tuesday, July 19, 2011.

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
More From Forbes To see the full list of the world's 100 most powerful women, click here.