The
Nobel Prize (,
Swedish definite form, singular:
Nobelpriset;
Norwegian:
Nobelprisen) is a set of annual international awards bestowed in a number of categories by Swedish and Norwegian committees in recognition of academic, cultural and/or scientific advances. The will of the
Swedish inventor
Alfred Nobel established the prizes in 1895. The prizes in
Chemistry,
Literature,
Peace,
Physics, and
Physiology or Medicine were first awarded in 1901. The related
Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences was established by Sweden's central bank in 1968. Medals made before 1980 were struck in 23 carat gold. and later from 18 carat
green gold plated with a 24 carat gold coating. Between 1901 and 2015, the Nobel Prizes and the Prize in Economic Sciences were awarded 573 times to 900 people and organizations. With some receiving the Nobel Prize more than once, this makes a total of 870 individuals (821 men and 49 women) and 23 organizations.