Kenyan deputy Environment Minister Ms Wangari Mathai has won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
Ms Mathai, who was named as the winner at a ceremony in Oslo this morning, leads a "Green Belt Movement" that has planted 30 million trees in Africa to help protect the environment.
The Norwegian Nobel committee picked the winner from a record field of 194 candidates last month but the winner was not revealed until this morning's ceremony.
Among those also tipped to win the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize today was the UN nuclear watchdog and its leader Mohamed ElBaradei, a Kenyan environmentalist and a Russian anti-nuclear activist.
Many had tipped the Egyptian-born Mr ElBaradei and the UN International Atomic Energy Agency to win the 10 million Swedish crown (€1.1 million) award for their struggle to keep nuclear weapons away from terrorists or rogue states.
Other contenders included former Czech president Mr Vaclav Havel, South African anti-AIDS campaigner Mr Zackie Achmat and his Treatment Action Campaign, the European Union and Pope John Paul, after a year with few big breakthroughs towards peace.