Forbes has just released its 2014 Forbes Billionaires List.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Bill Gates comes back to the top spot after a 4 year hiatus. He is numero uno with $76 billion
- For the first time, an African, Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, breaks into the top 25. Worth $25 billion, he moves up 20 spots.
- A record net worth of $31 billion was needed to make the top 20, up from $23 billion last year.
- Roughly two-thirds of the billionaires built their own fortunes, 13% inherited them and 21% have been adding on to fortunes they received.
- The year’s biggest dollar gainer was Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, whose fortune jumped $15.2 billion, to $28.5 billion, as shares of his social network soared.
- The U.S. once again leads the world with 492 billionaires, followed by China with 152 and Russia with 111.
- The ranks of the world’s billionaires have swelled to a record 1,645 including 268 newcomers.
- Out of the 1,645 billionaires, 172 are women
- A record 268 new billionaires with $509 billion in 2014
- Of the 1,645 members of the Forbes Billionaires list, 31 are under the age of 40.
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