Nicola Sturgeon has been listed as one of the world's most powerful women by a US magazine.

Business magazine Forbes has placed Nicola Sturgeon on the list amongst names such as Hilary Clinton, the Queen and Oprah Winfrey.

Sturgeon came 56th amongst the 100 strong list of global influencers, 10 places behind the Queen.

For the sixth year running German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been judged to be the most powerful woman on the planet. It is the 11th time in total Merkel has topped the list.

Only four other women from the UK made it onto the list with the Queen and the First Minister.

The Scottish Government said Sturgeon's inclusion shows the "importance" of her office and the "heightened international profile" which Scotland enjoys currently.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Forbes most powerful women list recognises the importance of the office of the First Minister and the heightened international profile of Scotland as a nation, as well as the influence of the First Minister in debates about both domestic policy and international issues such as human rights, climate change and the EU referendum."