Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf handed out Noble prizes in chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and economics during a ceremony in Stockholm on Thursday.

U.S. President Barack Obama had earlier received the Nobel Peace Prize in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.

The 2009 Nobel prize winners were awarded 10 million kronor ($1.4 million).The ceremony took place in a concert hall in the Swedish capital.

The prize for literature was accepted by Romanian-born author Herta Mueller, whose work depicts life in communist Romania. Elinor Ostrom, 76, became the first woman to receive the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. She shared the award with fellow American Oliver Williamson.

The awards date to the 1895 will of Alfred Nobel, which states that the prizes should be given to those who "have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The prizes were first handed out in 1901.

By tradition, the prizes are awarded every Dec 10, the date of Nobel's death. The prizes also include a diploma and a gold medal.

STOCKHOLM, December 10 (RIA Novosti)