Her father is of Lebanese and Macedonian ancestry and her mother is of Spanish and Italian ancestry.

Ranked #9 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).

Natural haircolour is black.

Ranked #33 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists.

Favourite flowers are sunflower and daisy.

Sport - likes to play tennis and swimming.

While promoting Pies Descalzos, she returned to Barranquilla in 1997 for a huge homecoming concert, the first one since becoming a star. Tragedy struck that night when the venue failed to control the 50,000 fans rushing in to see their star. Two people ended up being trampled to death, and this deeply affected her.

Her first tape was Donna Summers' Bad girls.

Her cousin is fashion designer and Miss Colombia 2006 Valerie Dominguez Tarud

Fluent in Portuguese, Italian, and English, in addition to Spanish.

Mattel put out several Barbie dolls inspired by Shakira and her look.

Shakira is Arabic for "grateful" or "full of grace."

Steven Spielberg offered her the role of Elena Montero in The Mask of Zorro (1998) back when he was originally in talks to direct it. But, she turned the offer down because she felt that not only was she a bad actress, but her English wasn't good enough.

Named #20 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Ranked #38 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.

Has homes in the Bahamas and Miami

Has perfect pitch (the ability to recognize any note upon hearing it or sing any note without prior to hearing it)

Her manager for Latin America, Patricia Tellez, the woman who helped her go from being local artist to Grammy-winning global artist, died of a heart attack in Bogota on 17 August 2004.

Her recording of "La Tortura" was a #1 hit in many countries, most of them in Europe.

She likes chocolate.

Ranked as #76 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

She was attached to play Mimi in a television mini series based on the Broadway musical Rent, with Neil Patrick Harris as Mark Cohen, Wilson Cruz as Angel, and Rikki Lee Travolta as Roger Davis, but the rights were pulled in order for Chris Columbus to make a film adaptation using much of the original Broadway cast.

Best concert she ever saw - Depeche Mode.

When she was two years old her oldest half-brother died in an accident while he was riding a motorcycle and a drunk man hit him with his car.

Her album 'Fijacion Oral Vol.1' is #1 on the Billboard Latin Albums Chart in September 2005.

Lists John Lennon as her #1 musical influence.

Hips Don't Lie instantly soared to the top of the charts in many countries and has been at the very top for many months. It has won countless awards and is currently being performed all over the world along with Wyclef Jean.

The first English song she wrote was Objection, from the album Laundry Service.

Named her album "Laundry Service" because when she is in love she feels "clean and fresh"

She loves to eat corozos, a little Colombian fruit that is sweet-sour.

She has 8 older half siblings from her father`s previous marriage.

Lost her suitcase with all her songs from Donde Estan Los Ladrones in an airport in Bogota Colombia. This happened a couple of months before she walked into the recording studio to begin on that album.

Is the youngest of eight siblings.

Was featured as #15 in Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2002" supplement. (2002)

She learned her distinctive hip-shaking belly-dance moves from her Lebanese grandmother so she can stay true to her middle eastern roots

Hates to wear jewelry.