Shakira is expecting a boy.

The Columbian singer - who recently confirmed speculation she and her soccer star boyfriend Gerard Pique are having their first child together - has announced the gender of her unborn baby.

When being interviewed about her pregnancy on German TV station RTL, she said: ''Yes, it's going to be a boy!''

The 'Hips Don't Lie' hitmaker is currently supporting the construction of a new school in Cartagena, Colombia, and she hopes her son will follow in her charitable footsteps to try and ''change the world''.

She said: ''When the baby is born I want him to know he's helping to change the world. He can really change the world!''

Shakira has been dating Barcelona player Gerard for around two years and says he is the ''best thing'' to ever happen to her, until she got pregnant.

She said: ''This man is the best thing that could have happened in my life. And now the baby!''

The couple only confirmed their relationship last year by posting a picture of them both together on twitter and Facebook with a caption reading, ''I present to you my sunshine.'' in Spanish.