Actress-director Angelina Jolie has been named the most admired woman in the world, leaving behind Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Hillary Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II and even India's Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

According to a new poll of 25,000 people, the mother-of-six and United Nations special envoy was most worthy of respect internationally, reports dailymail.co.uk.

However, the internet-based market research firm YouGov study found that Britons still voted Queen Elizabeth II into the top spot nationally, pushing actress Judi Dench into second place.

Jolie, 39, last directed the critically acclaimed film “Unbroken”, which was about the Second World War, and has been travelling around the world visiting war zones since 2001.

In second place was 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who survived being shot by the Talban and won this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Clinton, the former US Secretary of State, rounded out the top three.

The poll was conducted across 23 countries, with each nation producing different results.

The Queen was widely admired along with First Lady Michelle Obama, who came in fifth and surprisingly singer Celine Dion who took the sixth spot, ahead of Oprah Winfrey at seven and Julia Roberts who was eighth most admired woman.

Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi came in at nine, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel was tenth most admired globally.

Close behind Merkel are singers Taylor Swift and Beyonce Knowles at 11th and 12th place.

Sonia Gandhi is on the 13th spot, just ahead of actress Jennifer Lawrence.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton comes in 15th in the worldwide results.