German Chancellor Angela Merkel has overtaken U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as the world's most powerful woman,
says Forbes magazine. Power changed hands after a two-year reign by Ms Rice, who came second in this year's top 100 list.UK Foreign
Secretary Margaret Beckett put Britain at 29 but the UK PM's wife, Cherie Blair, slid out of the list altogether from 62nd place.The index is based on visibility in the media as well as economic impact.Mrs Merkel did not have any ranking in the Forbes top 100 index in 2005.Likewise, her Chilean, Liberian and South Korean counterparts all appeared this year for the first time.Chilean
President Michelle Bachelet entered at number 17 while Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf took 51st position and South Korean Prime Minister Han Myung-sook made it onto the list at 68.Other leading ladies include the Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi, known in China as the "iron lady", who dropped one place to number three.The rest of the top 10 feature women from the world of business. At number four is PepsiCo's chief executive-designate, Indian-born Indra Nooyi.The UK's Queen Elizabeth II gained in stature, rising to 46th position, up 29 places from last year's 75th ranking. ----------------------------------------------TOP 10 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN-------------------- Angela Merkel, German chancellor Condoleezza Rice, U.S. secretary of state Wu Yi, Chinese vice-premier Indra Nooyi, chief executive-designate, PepsiCo Anne Mulcahy, chairman and chief executive, Xerox Sallie Krawcheck, chief financial officer, Citigroup Patricia Woertz, chief executive, Archer Daniels Midland Anne Lauvergeon, chairman Areva Brenda Barnes, chairman and chief executive, Sara Lee Zoe Cruz, co-president, Morgan Stanley