The World's Billionaires
The World's Billionaires is an annual ranking of the world's wealthiest people, compiled and published by the American business magazine Forbes in March. The total net worth of each individual on the list is estimated, in United States dollars, based on their assets and accounting for debt. Royalty and dictators whose wealth comes from their positions are excluded from these lists.[1]
The list has been published each year in March since 1987.[2] Microsoft founder Bill Gates has topped the list 16 of the past 21 years, including the 2015 list. In 2015, there was a record of 1,826 people on the list that included a record 290 newcomers with 71 from China, 57 from the US, 28 from India and Germany with 23. People under 40 had 46 join the list. A record of 197 women were on the list.[3] The average net worth of list came in at $3.86 billion, down $60 million from 2014. Added together, the total net worth for 2015's billionaires was $7.05 trillion, up from $6.4 trillion in 2014.[4]
Methodology
Each year, Forbes employs a team of more than fifty reporters from a variety of countries to track the activity of the world's wealthiest individuals.[5] Preliminary surveys are sent to those who may qualify for make the list. According to Forbes, they received three types of responses – some people try to inflate their wealth, others cooperate but leave out details, and some refuse to answer any questions.[6] Business deals are then scrutinized and estimates of valuable assets – land, homes, vehicles, artwork, etc. – are made. Interviews are conducted to vet the figures and get a better idea of an individual's holdings. Finally, positions in publicly traded stock are priced to market on a date roughly a month before publication. Privately held companies are priced by the prevailing price-to-revenues or price-to-earnings ratios. Known debt is subtracted from assets to get a final estimate of an individual's estimated worth in United States dollars. Since stock prices fluctuate rapidly, an individual's true wealth and ranking at the time of publication may vary from their situation when the list was compiled.[5]
Family fortunes dispersed over a large number of individuals are included only if those individuals' holdings are worth more than a billion dollars. However, when a living individual has dispersed his or her wealth to immediate family members, it is included under a single listing provided that individual is still living.[5] Royalty and dictators are always excluded from the lists.
2015
Bill Gates has, once again, been named the richest man in the world by Forbes Magazine's Annual list of the world's Billionaires. This is the 16th time that the founder of Microsoft has claimed the top spot. Carlos Slim, a Mexican Businessman, came in second for the second consecutive time. Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway was placed third while the founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega of Spain, slipped down a position from last year to number four. Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle rounded off the top five. Christy Walton was the highest ranking female at number eight. America's Evan Spiegel, co-founder of photo messaging app Snapchat became the youngest billionaire this year at the age of 24. At age 99, David Rockefeller maintained his position as the oldest billionaire to make the list.[7]
In the 29th annual List of global billionaires, a record 1,826 billionaires were named with an aggregated net worth of $7.05 trillion compared to $6.4 trillion last year. 46 of the billionaires on the list are under the age of 40. A record number of 290 people joined the list for the first time, of whom 25% hail from China, which produced a world-leading 71 newcomers. The United States came in second, with 57, followed by India, with 28, and Germany, with 23.[8] Mark Zuckerburg, the social media magnate and founder of Facebook, was placed at number 16 with $33.4 billion. Self-made billionaires made up the largest number of people on the list with 1,191 positions (over 65%) while just 230 (under 13%) have wealth through inheritance. The number of billionaires who inherited a portion but are still working to increase their fortunes is 405.[9]
The United States has the largest number of billionaires with 526. Russia was the biggest loser in this year's list being down to 88 from 111 in 2014. Russia is now placed behind China, Germany and India by the number dollar billionaires. Iceland has a billionaire Thor Bjorgolfsson in the list after a gap of five years. Guatemala has a billionaire, Mario Lopez Estrada, for the first time in its history.
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1  | Gates, BillBill Gates | $79.2 billion  | 59 |  United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim | $77.1 billion | 75 |  Mexico | Telmex, Grupo Carso |
| 3 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $72.7 billion | 84 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
4  | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $64.5 billion | 78 |  Spain | Inditex Group |
| 5 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $54.3 billion | 70 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 6 | Koch, CharlesCharles Koch | $42.9 billion | 79 | United States | Koch Industries |
| 6 | Koch, DavidDavid Koch | $42.9 billion | 74 | United States | Koch Industries |
| 8 | Walton, ChristyChristy Walton | $41.7 billion | 60 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 9 | Walton, JimJim Walton | $40.6 billion | 66 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Bettencourt, LilianeLiliane Bettencourt | $40.1 billion | 92 |  France | L'Oreal |
2014
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, added $9 billion to his fortune since 2013 and topped the 2014 billionaire list. He has topped the list 15 of the previous 20 years, but was last number one in 2009.[10] Mexican telecommunication mogul Carlos Slim came in second place after being number one the previous four years. Zara founder Amancio Ortega placed third for the second consecutive year. American investor Warren Buffett was in the top five for the 20th consecutive year, placing fourth.[11] America's Christy Walton was the highest ranking female, placing ninth overall.[2] Aliko Dangote of Nigeria became the first African ever to enter the top 25, with an estimated net worth of $25 billion.[1]
A total of 1,645 people made the 2014 billionaire list, representing combined wealth of $6.4 trillion.[11] Of those, a record 268 were newcomers, surpassing 2008's 226 newcomers.[2] One hundred people listed in 2013 failed to make the list.[11] The number of women on the list rose to a record 172 in 2014.[2] Approximately 66% of the list was self-made, 13% achieved their wealth through inheritance alone, and 21% through a mixture of the two.[1]
The United States had 492 billionaires on the list, the most of any country.[11] The country also had the most newcomers with 50, and women with 54.[2] China had the second most billionaires with 152, while Russia was third with 111.[11] Algeria, Lithuania, Tanzania, and Uganda were all represented on the list for the first time. Turkey saw the most people drop off the list, 19, due to high inflation in the country.[1]
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $76.0 billion | 58 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family | $72.0 billion | 74 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 3 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $64.0 billion | 77 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 4 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $58.2 billion | 83 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 5 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $48.0 billion | 70 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 6 | Koch, CharlesCharles Koch | $40.0 billion | 78 | United States | Koch Industries |
| 6 | Koch, DavidDavid Koch | $40.0 billion | 73 | United States | Koch Industries |
| 8 | Adelson, SheldonSheldon Adelson | $38.0 billion | 80 | United States | Las Vegas Sands |
| 9 | Walton, ChristyChristy Walton & family | $36.7 billion | 58-59 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, JimJim Walton | $34.7 billion | 65 | United States | Wal-Mart |
2013
Carlos Slim topped the 2013 billionaire list, marking his fourth consecutive year at the top. Bill Gates remained in second, while Amancio Ortega moved up to third. Oretega's gain of $19.5 billion was the largest of anyone on the list.[12] Warren Buffett failed to make the top three for the first time since 2000, placing fourth. Diesel founder Renzo Rosso was among the top newcomers, debuting with an estimate net worth of $3 billion.[13]
A global rise in asset prices, led Forbes editor Randall Lane to declare "It [was] a very good year to be a billionaire". However, it was not a good year to be Eike Batista who fell from seventh to 100th, suffering the largest net loss of anyone on the list.[12] Overall, net gainers outnumbered net losers by 4:1.[13]
A record total of 1,426 people made the 2013 list, representing $5.4 trillion of assets.[14] Of those, 442 billionaires hailed from the United States.[12] The Asian-Pacific region had 386 billionaires and Europe 366. The list also featured a record number of newcomers, 210, representing 42 different countries. Sixty people from the 2012 list fell below a billion dollar of assets in 2013 and eight others from the 2012 list died. The Asia-Pacific region had the most drop offs, with 29, followed by the United States with 16. The 2013 list featured 138 women, of which 50 came from the United States. A majority of the list (961 individuals, 67%) was entirely self-made; 184 (13%) inherited their wealth, and 281 (20%) achieved their fortune through a combination of inheritance and business acumen.[14]
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family | $73.0 billion | 73 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 2 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $67.0 billion | 57 | United States | Microsoft |
| 3 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $57.0 billion | 76 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 4 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $53.5 billion | 82 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 5 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $43.0 billion | 68 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 6 | Koch, CharlesCharles Koch | $34.0 billion | 77 | United States | Koch Industries |
| 6 | Koch, DavidDavid Koch | $34.0 billion | 72 | United States | Koch Industries |
| 8 | Ka-shing, LiLi Ka-shing | $31.0 billion | 84 |  Hong Kong Canada | Cheung Kong Holdings |
| 9 | Bettencourt, LilianeLiliane Bettencourt & family | $30.0 billion | 90 | France | L'Oréal |
| 10 | Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault | $29.0 billion | 63 | France | LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton |
2012
Carlos Slim topped the 2012 list, marking this third consecutive year at the top. Bill Gates placed second, but narrowed the gap from 2011 as Slim's fortune fell $5 billion while Gates' rose $5 billion. Warren Buffett remained in third place. Bernard Arnault of France was the top-ranking European on the list, placing fourth.[15] Ricardo Salinas Pliego was the greatest gainer in terms of dollars, adding $9.2 billion to his fortune and moving up to number 37 overall.[15] Making her debut on the list at age 27, Spanx founder Sara Blakely became the youngest self-made female billionaire ever.[16] Colombia's Alejandro Santo Domingo was the highest ranked newcomer, inheriting a $9.5 billion stake in Santo Domingo Group from his father.[15] India's Lakshmi Mittal was the largest loser as his fortune dropped from $31.1 billion to $20.7 billion as the price of steel maker ArcelorMittal fell sharply.[15] As a result, he failed to make the top 10 for the first time since 2004 and lost his title of richest Asian to Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing.[17]
A record total of 1,226 people made the 2012 list, representing 58 different countries. Of those, 126 were newcomers to the list and 104 were women. The United States had the greatest number of billionaires with 425. Russia had 96 people on the list, while China had 95.[15] Georgia, Morocco, and Peru were newly represented on the list. Falling stock prices in Asia contributed to 117 former billionaires falling from the list world-wide. Twelve others listed in 2011 died. Overall, net gainers (460) barely outnumbered net losers (441).[17]
To coincide with the release of the 2012 list, Forbes announced a new "Billionaire Real-Time Ticker" updating the wealth of the world's top fifty billionaires in real time.[15]
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family | $69.0 billion | 72 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 2 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $61.0 billion | 56 | United States | Microsoft |
| 3 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $44.0 billion | 81 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 4 | Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault | $41.0 billion | 63 | France | LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton |
| 5 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $37.5 billion | 75 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 6 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $36.0 billion | 67 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 7 | Batista, EikeEike Batista | $30.0 billion | 55 |  Brazil | EBX Group |
| 8 | Stefan Persson | $26.0 billion | 64 |  Sweden | H&M |
| 9 | Ka-shing, LiLi Ka-shing | $25.5 billion | 83 | Hong Kong Canada | Cheung Kong Holdings |
| 10 | Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht | $25.4 billion | 92 |  Germany | Aldi |
2011
Carlos Slim added $20.5 billion to his fortune, the most of anyone, and retained his number one ranking with a total fortune of $74 billion. Bill Gates remained in second place with $56 billion, while Warren Buffett was third with $50 billion. The top 10 had a combined wealth of $406 billion, up from $342 billion in 2010.[18] According to Forbes editor Kerry Dolan, "media and technology billionaires definitely benefited from a stronger stock market and a growing enthusiasm for all things social" since the 2010 list.[19] However, Nigerian commodity mogul Aliko Dangote was the greatest gainer on a percentage basis as his fortune increased 557% to $13.5 billion. Mark Zuckerberg was one of seven Facebook-related billionaires on the list, as he $9.5 billion to his fortune to move up to 52nd. Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz was the youngest person on the list. Aged 26, eight days younger than Zuckerburg, he debuted at number 420 with an estimated fortune of $2.7 billion. Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad was the largest loser as he saw his fortune plummet from $23 billion to $6 billion, dropping him from 11th to 162nd overall.[18]
A record 1,210 billionaires made the 2011 list, representing a combined wealth of $4.5 trillion, up from $3.6 trillion the previous year.[20] One third of the world's billionaires, 413, came from the United States. China had the second most billionaires with 115, while Russia was third with 101. Asia moved up to 332 billionaires, passing Europe as a region for the first time since the 1990s.[18] The 2011 list included 214 newcomers and the average net worth of those on it increased to $3.7 billion.[19]
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family | $74.0 billion | 71 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 2 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $56.0 billion | 55 | United States | Microsoft |
| 3 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $50.0 billion | 80 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 4 | Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault | $41.0 billion | 62 | France | LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton |
| 5 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $39.5 billion | 66 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 6 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $31.1 billion | 60 |  India | Arcelor Mittal |
| 7 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $31.0 billion | 74 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 8 | Batista, EikeEike Batista | $30.0 billion | 53 | Brazil | EBX Group |
| 9 | Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani | $27.0 billion | 57 | India | Reliance Industries |
| 10 | Walton, ChristyChristy Walton & family | $26.5 billion | 55 | United States | Walmart |
2010
Carlos Slim narrowly eclipsed Bill Gates to top the billionaire list for the first time. Slim saw his estimated worth surge $18.5 billion to $53.5 billion as shares of America Movil rose 35%. Gates' estimated wealth rose $13 billion to $53 billion, placing him second. Warren Buffett was third with $47 billion.[21] Christy Walton was the highest ranking women, placing 12th overall, with an inherited fortune of $22.5 billion.[22] At age 25, Mark Zuckerberg was the world's youngest billionaire.[6] American Isaac Perlmutter was among the top newcomers with an estimated fortunate $4 billion acquired in his sale of Marvel Entertainment to Disney.[21]
A total of 1,011 people made the 2010. The United States accounted for 403 billionaires, followed by China with 89 and Russia with 62.[22] It was the first time China, which includes Hong Kong, placed second.[21] A total of 55 countries were represented on the 2010 list, including Finland and Pakistan which claimed their first billionaires.[22] Eighty-nine women made the list, but only 14 of them were self-made.[22] The combined net worth of the list was $3.6 trillion, up 50% from 2009's $2.4 trillion, while the average net worth was $3.5 billion.[6]
The 2010 list featured 164 re-entries and 97 true newcomers.[6] Asia accounted for more than 100 of the new entrants. Overall, just 12% of the list lost wealth since 2009, and 30 people fell off the list. Thirteen others died.[21] Of the 89 women, 12 were newcomers in 2010. Steve Forbes said the growing number of billionaires was clear sign that the world's economy was recovering from 2009's global financial crisis.[6]
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family | $53.5 billion | 70 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 2 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $53.0 billion | 54 | United States | Microsoft |
| 3 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $47.0 billion | 79 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 4 | Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani | $29.0 billion | 53 | India | Reliance Industries |
| 5 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $28.7 billion | 60 | India | Arcelor Mittal |
| 6 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $28.0 billion | 66 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 7 | Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault | $27.5 billion | 61 | France | LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton |
| 8 | Batista, EikeEike Batista | $27.0 billion | 53 | Brazil | EBX Group |
| 9 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $25.0 billion | 74 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 10 | Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht | $23.5 billion | 90 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
2009
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $40.0 billion | 53 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $37.0 billion | 78 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim | $35.0 billion | 69 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil |
| 4 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $22.5 billion | 64 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 5 | Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad | $22.0 billion | 83 | Sweden | IKEA |
| 6 | Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht | $21.5 billion | 89 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
| 7 | Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani | $19.5 billion | 57 | India | Reliance Industries |
| 8 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $19.3 billion | 58 | India | Arcelor Mittal |
| 9 | Albrecht, TheoTheo Albrecht | $18.8 billion | 87 | Germany | Aldi Nord, Trader Joe's |
| 10 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $18.3 billion | 73 | Spain | Inditex Group |
2008
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $62.0 billion | 77 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 2 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim | $60.0 billion | 68 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil |
| 3 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $58.0 billion | 52 | United States | Microsoft |
| 4 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $45.0 billion | 57 | India | Arcelor Mittal |
| 5 | Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani | $43.0 billion | 50 | India | Reliance Industries |
| 6 | Ambani, AnilAnil Ambani | $42.0 billion | 48 | India | Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group |
| 7 | Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad | $31.0 billion | 81 | Sweden | IKEA |
| 8 | Pal Singh, KushalKushal Pal Singh | $30.0 billion | 76 | India | DLF Group |
| 9 | Deripaska, OlegOleg Deripaska | $28.0 billion | 40 |  Russia | Rusal |
| 10 | Albrecht, Karl Karl Albrecht | $18.3 billion | 88 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
2007
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $56.0 billion | 51 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $52.0 billion | 76 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim | $49.0 billion | 67 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 4 | Ingvar Kamprad | $33.0 billion | 80 | Sweden | IKEA |
| 5 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $32.0 billion | 56 | India | Arcelor Mittal |
| 6 | Adelson, SheldonSheldon Adelson | $26.5 billion | 73 | United States | Las Vegas Sands |
| 7 | Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault | $26.0 billion | 58 | France | LVMH |
| 8 | Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega | $24.0 billion | 71 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 9 | Ka-shing, LiLi Ka-shing | $23.0 billion | 78 | Hong Kong Canada | Cheung Kong Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa |
| 10 | David Thomson | $22.0 billion | 49 | Canada | Thomson Corporation |
2006
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $52.0 billion | 50 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $42.0 billion | 75 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim | $30.0 billion | 66 | Mexico | Telmex |
| 4 | Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad | $28.0 billion | 79 | Sweden | IKEA |
| 5 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $23.5 billion | 55 | India | Mittal Steel Company |
| 6 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $22.0 billion | 53 | United States | Microsoft |
| 7 | Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault | $21.5 billion | 57 | France | LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton |
| 8 | Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed | $20.0 billion | 49 |  Saudi Arabia | Kingdom Holding Company |
| 9 | Thomson, KennethKenneth Thomson | $19.6 billion | 82 | Canada | The Thomson Corporation |
| 10 | Shing, Li KaLi Ka Shing | $18.8 billion | 77 | Hong Kong Canada | Cheung Kong Group, Hutchison Whampoa |
2005
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $46.5 billion | 49 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $44.0 billion | 74 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal | $25.0 billion | 54 | India | Mittal Steel Company |
| 4 | Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim | $23.8 billion | 65 | Mexico | Telmex |
| 5 | Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed | $23.7 billion | 49 | Saudi Arabia | Kingdom Holding Company |
| 6 | Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad | $23.0 billion | 79 | Sweden | IKEA |
| 7 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $21.0 billion | 52 | United States | Microsoft |
| 8 | Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht | $18.5 billion | 85 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
| 9 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $18.4 billion | 60 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 10 | Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton | $18.3 billion | 61 | United States | Walmart |
2004
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $46.6 billion | 48 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $42.9 billion | 73 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht | $23.0 billion | 84 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
| 4 | Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed | $21.5 billion | 47 | Saudi Arabia | Kingdom Holding Company |
| 5 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $21.0 billion | 51 | United States | Microsoft |
| 6 | Walton, AliceAlice Walton* | $20.0 billion | 55 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 7 | Walton, HelenHelen Walton* | $20.0 billion | 84 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 8 | Walton, JimJim Walton* | $20.0 billion | 56 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 9 | Walton, JohnJohn Walton* | $20.0 billion | 58 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton* | $20.0 billion | 60 | United States | Wal-Mart |
- Each hold an essentially equal share in Wal-Mart. Had he been alive in 2004, Sam Walton would have been the world's wealthiest person.
2003
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $40.7 billion | 47 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $30.5 billion | 72 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Karl and Theo Albrecht | $25.6 billion | 83 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
| 4 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $20.1 billion | 50 | United States | Microsoft |
| 5 | Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed | $17.7 billion | 46 | Saudi Arabia | Kingdom Holding Company |
| 6 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $16.6 billion | 58 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 7 | Walton, AliceAlice Walton* | $16.5 billion | 54 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 8 | Walton, HelenHelen Walton* | $16.5 billion | 83 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 9 | Walton, JimJim Walton* | $16.5 billion | 55 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, JohnJohn Walton* | $16.5 billion | 57 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton* | $16.5 billion | 59 | United States | Wal-Mart |
- Each hold an essentially equal share in Wal-Mart. Had he been alive in 2004, Sam Walton would have been the world's wealthiest person.
2002
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $52.8 billion | 46 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $35.0 billion | 71 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Karl and Theo Albrecht | $26.8 billion | 82 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
| 4 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $25.2 billion | 49 | United States | Microsoft |
| 5 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $23.5 billion | 57 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 6 | Walton, JimJim Walton* | $20.8 billion | 54 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 7 | Walton, JohnJohn Walton* | $20.7 billion | 56 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 8 | Walton, AliceAlice Walton* | $20.5 billion | 53 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 9 | Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton* | $20.5 billion | 58 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, HelenHelen Walton* | $20.4 billion | 82 | United States | Wal-Mart |
- Each hold an essentially equal share in Wal-Mart. Had he been alive in 2004, Sam Walton would have been the world's wealthiest person.
2001
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $58.7 billion | 45 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $32.3 billion | 70 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $30.4 billion | 48 | United States | Microsoft |
| 4 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $26.0 billion | 56 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 5 | Karl and Theo Albrecht | $25.0 billion | 81 | Germany | Aldi |
| 6 | Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed | $20.0 billion | 44 | Saudi Arabia | Kingdom Holding Company |
| 7 | Walton, JimJim Walton* | $18.8 billion | 53 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 8 | Walton, JohnJohn Walton* | $18.7 billion | 55 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 9 | Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton* | $18.6 billion | 57 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, AliceAlice Walton* | $18.5 billion | 52 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, HelenHelen Walton* | $18.5 billion | 81 | United States | Wal-Mart |
- Each hold an essentially equal share in Wal-Mart. Had he been alive in 2004, Sam Walton would have been the world's wealthiest person.
2000
| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates, BillBill Gates | $60.0 billion | 44 | United States | Microsoft |
| 2 | Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison | $47.0 billion | 55 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 3 | Allen, PaulPaul Allen | $28.0 billion | 47 | United States | Microsoft |
| 4 | Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett | $25.6 billion | 69 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 5 | Karl and Theo Albrecht | $20.0 billion | 80 | Germany | Aldi Süd |
| 6 | Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed | $20.0 billion | 43 | Saudi Arabia | Kingdom Holding Company |
| 7 | Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton | $20.0 billion | 57 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 8 | Son, MasayoshiMasayoshi Son | $19.4 billion | 43 |  Japan | Softbank Capital, SoftBank Mobile |
| 9 | Dell, MichaelMichael Dell | $19.1 billion | 46 | United States | Dell |
| 10 | Thomson, KennethKenneth Thomson | $16.1 billion | 77 | Canada | The Thomson Corporation |
Legend
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
|
Has not changed from the previous ranking. |
|
Has increased from the previous ranking. |
|
Has decreased from the previous ranking. |
Statistics
The Internet bubble created the most paper wealth for some billionaires. However, once the dotcom bubble burst the new rich saw their fortunes disappear.[23] Billionaires' fortunes were hit even harder by the global financial crisis; 2009 was the first time in five years that the world had a net loss in the number of billionaires.[24] The strong performance of the financial markets and global economic recovery have erased financial assets losses. Most of the richest people on the planet have seen their fortunes soar in the past few years.[25][26]
| Year | Number of billionaires | Group's combined net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,645 | $6.4 trillion |
| 2013 | 1,426 | $5.4 trillion |
| 2012 | 1,226 | $4.6 trillion |
| 2011 | 1,210 | $4.5 trillion |
| 2010 | 1,011 | $3.6 trillion |
| 2009 | 793 | $2.4 trillion |
| 2008 | 1,125 | $4.4 trillion |
| 2007 | 946 | $3.5 trillion |
| 2006 | 793 | $2.6 trillion |
| 2005 | 691 | $2.2 trillion |
| 2004 | 587 | $1.9 trillion |
| 2003 | 476 | $1.4 trillion |
| 2002 | 497 | $1.5 trillion |
| 2001 | 538 | $1.8 trillion |
| 2000 | 470 | $0.9 trillion$898 billion |
See also
- List of wealthiest historical figures
- Billionaire
- List of cities by the number of billionaires
- List of countries by the number of US dollar billionaires
References
- General
- 2000-2010 top 10s: Rogers, Simon (March 11, 2010). "Forbes rich list: ten years of top tens". The Guardian.
- 2011 top 10: "The World's Billionaires 2011". Forbes.
- 2012 top 10:"Forbes rich list 2012: top 50". The Telegraph. March 8, 2012.
- 2013 top 10: Durgy, Edwin (March 4, 2013). "The World's Richest Billionaires: Full List Of The Top 500". Forbes.
- 2014 top 10: "Forbes Releases 28th Annual World's Billionaires Issue". Forbes. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- 2015 top 10: "Forbes' 29th Annual World's Billionaires Issue". Forbes. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- Specific
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Leada Gore (March 4, 2014). "Youngest, oldest and one who can body slam you: More on Forbes list of the ultra-rich". AL.com. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Barbara Kollmeyer (March 4, 2014). "Bill Gates back on top, WhatsApp founders and more women in Forbes’ billionaire rankings". Market Watch (The Wall Street Journal). Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ↑ The World's Billionaires List - Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- ↑ Inside The 2015 Forbes Billionaires List: Facts And Figures. March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Dolan, Kerry A. (March 7, 2012). "Methodology: How We Crunch The Numbers". Forbes. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Nikola Krastev (March 11, 2010). "Forbes' Rich List: Number Of New Billionaires Reflects Global Recovery". Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ↑ "The World's Billionaires". Forbes.com. March 3, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ↑ Alexander, Dan (2 March 2015). "Record 290 Newcomers Join Forbes Billionaires List, Including Michael Jordan". Forbes.com.
- ↑ Kerry A. Dolan (March 2, 2015). "The World's Billionaires". Forbes.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ↑ Kerry A. Dolan; Luisa Kroll (March 3, 2014). "Inside The 2014 Forbes Billionaires List: Facts And Figures". Forbes. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Elizabeth Barber (March 4, 2014). "Forbes' richest people: number of billionaires up significantly". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Martin Hickman (March 4, 2013). "2013 Forbes Billionaires list: Record number of new entries appear on rich list, but Carlos Slim and Bill Gates still top the charts". The Independent. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Barbara Kollmeyer (March 4, 2013). "Forbes billionaire list 2013: Mr. Slim wins it again". Market Watch (Wall Street Journal). Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Patricia Reaney (March 4, 2013). "Factbox: Record number of billionaires make Forbes 2013 list". Reuters. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 "Forbes rich list 2012: Carlos Slim tops rich list for third year". The Telegraph. March 8, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- ↑ "Spanx creator Sara Blakely becomes youngest woman on Forbes Billionaires List". Fox News. March 8, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Luisa Kroll (March 7, 2014). "Forbes World's Billionaires 2012". Forbes. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Daniel Bates (March 11, 2011). "Facebook's fortunes skyrocket on Forbes billionaires list... but no one can beat Carlos Slim". Daily Mail. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Georg Szalai (March 9, 2011). "Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey Drop in Forbes Billionaire Ranking". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
- ↑ Geoff Herbert (March 10, 2011). "Forbes' 2011 list of 'World's Billionaires' is biggest ever". Syracuse Post-Standard. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Matthew Miller; Luisa Kroll (March 10, 2010). "Bill Gates No Longer World's Richest Man". Forbes. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 "China ranks No 2 on Forbes billionaires list". China Daily. March 11, 2010. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- ↑ Special Report on The New Rich, The Economist, 14 June 2001.
- ↑ Special Report on The Rich, The Economist, 4 April 2009.
- ↑ Global Wealth Report 2011, The Boston Consulting Group, 31 May 2011.
- ↑ World Wealth Report 2011, Capgemini and Merrill Lynch, 22 June 2011.
- ↑ "Billionaires 25th Anniversary Timeline - Forbes". Forbes.
- ↑ Kroll, Luisa (March 4, 2013). "Inside The 2013 Billionaires List: Facts and Figures". Forbes.
External links
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