Bill Gates stands atop Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s richest people, as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg joined the top 20 and basketball star Michael Jordan plowed new air by making the list for the first time.
Gates’ net worth rose to $US79.2 billion from $US76 billion a year earlier, putting the Microsoft Corp co-founder at the top for the 16th year in the past 21, Forbes said on Monday in the United States. Mexico telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu ranked second, worth $US77.1 billion, while Berkshire Hathaway chief Warren Buffett was third, at $US72.7 billion. Amancio Ortega, the Spanish founder of Inditex, which includes clothing retailer Zara, was fourth at $US64.5 billion, while Oracle chairman Larry Ellison was fifth at $US54.3 billion.
Buffett’s fortune grew $US14.5 billion from a year earlier, more than anyone’s else, despite his having donated $US2.8 billion to several charities last July. Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian who became Africa’s richest man through cement manufacturing and commodities such as flour and sugar, was the biggest loser, falling $US10.3 billion to $US14.7 billion.
Forbes identified a record 1826 billionaires, up from 1645 last year, worth a combined $US7.05 trillion. Of the record 197 women, the highest-ranked was Wal-Mart Stores heiress Christy Walton, who was eighth at $US41.7 billion. France’s Liliane Bettencourt, who got much of her wealth from cosmetics company L’Oreal, was 10th at $US40.1 billion.
Zuckerberg, 30, rose to 16th place from 21st last year, as his net worth grew to $US33.4 billion. The youngest billionaires were Evan Spiegel, 24, and Bobby Murphy, 25, who co-founded mobile messaging app Snapchat and are each worth $US1.5 billion.
Meanwhile, Jordan ranked 1741st with a $US1 billion net worth. The 52-year-old is majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets basketball team, but is better known for his Hall of Fame playing days with the Chicago Bulls and endorsement contract with Nike, which makes Air Jordan shoes.
The United States had the most billionaires, with 536, followed by China at 213, Germany at 103 and India at 90. Russia, which has struggled with currency and oil market turmoil, had its collection of billionaires fall to 88 from 111, Forbes said.
