These are officially the 15 most admired women in the world

Whether it's Joan of Arc, Beyoncé or Kim Possible – we've all got our own heroes. And to see if there are any trends regarding those who can be considered "most admired" over time, an annual survey is conducted across the world by YouGov.

Every year since 2015, the polling company has asked nations across the globe to vote for people they admire most. The results for 2018 are out, and with 35 countries taking part, it's the highest participation rate ever with more than 37,000 people having been interviewed.

Surprisingly, Beyoncé didn't make the cut, but the rest of the 15 spots for the best female role models out there are made up of some familiar faces. Many of them are from the entertainment industry, and there are a few politicians in the mix too. Who took top place? Read on to find out.

1. Angelina Jolie

The actor and humanitarian has claimed the top spot of most admired woman in the world for the third year in a row, highlighting that she is consistently seen as a good role model.

2. Michelle Obama

The former first lady jumped up three spots since last year, indicating that people are really missing her in the White House.

3. Oprah Winfrey

The influential television host and philanthropist is a hero for many people, so much so that they tried to get #OprahForPresident2020 going. She ruled it out, but there's still hope...

4. Queen Elizabeth II

The 91-year-old is the longest reigning British monarch, and she's still doing a pretty fine job, according to the poll results.

5. Hillary Clinton

Clinton dropped down two spots from last year, but she still made it into the top five.

6. Emma Watson

In recent years, the Harry Potter actress has focused her efforts on being a prominent activist for gender equality.

7. Malala Yousafzai

The 20-year-old Pakistani became famous for voicing her story and campaigning for access to education for women around the world. She is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

8. Angela Merkel

The German Chancellor has been in power since 2005.

9. Taylor Swift

The pop singer shot up five spots this year, and it's perhaps because she won a very public lawsuit against David Mueller which earned her a spot on the cover of Time magazine alongside other "silence breakers" against sexual harassment.

10. Madonna

The singer continues to win hearts, even 34 years after the release of Like A Virgin (it's been that long?!).

11. Aishwarya Rai

The 44-year-old Indian actress won the 1994 Miss World pageant and is known as one of the most influential celebrities in India.

12. Priyanka Chopra

Chopra also won Miss World in 2000, and the Indian actress and activist starred in the recent Baywatch remake.

13. Deepika Padukone

Another big-time Indian celebrity, Padukone is one of the highest paid actresses in India with several awards to her name.

14. Gal Gadot

The Wonder Woman star was a new entrant into the top 15, and it's probably thanks to her portrayal of the DC Comics superhero that made her so admirable.

15. Theresa May

The British PM has been in office since 2016 and is foreseeing the upcoming changes for Brexit.

Bill Gates topped the men's list for the third time in a row (like Jolie), with Barack Obama coming in second – just like his wife on the women's list. Jackie Chan came in third, the Dalai Lama seventh, Christiano Ronaldo tenth, Elon Musk 14th and President Donald Trump down at number 17. Check out the full list here:

Credit: YouGov

While Michelle Obama and Oprah are predictable favourites on the list, there were a couple of surprise entrants on there this year too. What do you think? Did the person you most admire make the cut?