Who are Forbes' 10 most powerful women?

Every year, Forbes releases a list of the world’s most powerful woman, influential in everything from politics to technology to culture.

2. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State

Luis M. Alvarez/AP
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes a statement about Syria, on Aug. 18, at the State Department in Washington.

Mrs. Clinton’s global stature has steadily climbed the last couple years. This year alone, she moved from the No. 5 spot on Forbes’ list to No. 2, and she is No. 20 on the list that includes both genders.

Clinton’s year has been a busy one, between WikiLeaks, the Arab world’s uprisings, and the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound and subsequent tensions with Pakistan. Her handling of the situations, while sometimes criticized, have received mostly praise. Her next step is unclear – she has said publicly she will not run for president again, nor seek a second term as secretary of state – but she’ll certainly move on to her next step as a very powerful woman on the world stage.

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