The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Tunisia's National Dialogue Quartet for its contribution to building democracy after the Jasmine Revolution in 2011.
The award, worth eight million Swedish crowns (£630,000), will be presented in Oslo on December 10.
There had been speculation the prize would highlight Europe's migration crisis, peace talks in Colombia or the US-Iran nuclear deal.
Pope Francis was among the nominees, though the committee has been reluctant in the past to consider popes – none has been honoured since the first Nobel Prizes in 1901.
A favorite among those placing bets had been German Chancellor Angela Merkel for pledging to keep her country's borders open to hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing from Syria and other countries.
Others mentioned in the buzz included the Reverend Mussi Zerai, an Eritrean priest who helps co-ordinate rescue missions for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, and Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif were also mooted as candidates for their July deal on Iran's nuclear program, as was Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leader Rodrigo Londono.
By Simon Tomlinson
