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So we all know who the richest American is. Bill Gates has hung on to that title since as long as we can remember. What I present to you is a list of people who are the richest individuals in their respective countries. And boy are they rich!

Only two women in the list! That is sad. All you women of the world, wake up and smell the dough!

So here goes, lets start with USA itself.

USA

William Gates III (yes thats the real name of Bill Gates)

Age: 51
Net Worth: $59.0 billion
Source: Microsoft, Software, Self made
Marital Status: Married, 3 children
Hometown: Medina, WA, United States
Education: Harvard University, Drop Out

By the age of 17, Gates had sold his first computer program, a time tabling system for his high school, for $4,200. Bill Gates has been listed as Number 1 on “Forbes’ Richest People” list for thirteen years in a row. Boy, that must feel good.

India

Here we have a kind of a tie. Lakshmi Mittal was clearly leading, but the current market boom in India has led to Mukesh Ambani’s wealth see a huge spurt. Most believe that Mukesh has beaten Mittal but this is still to be verified. So here we cover them both.

Lakshmi Mittal

Age: 57
Networth: $51 billion
Marital Status: Married, 2 children
Hometown: London

Asia’s richest man celebrated merger between his Mittal Steel and Arcelor in September, with party for 100 bankers, advisers. Called it Mittal’s 111. ArcelorMittal, which he heads, is world’s largest steelmaker with $90 billion in sales. His family has bought up a 20 per cent stake in Queen’s Park Rangers. Sure did not know football was one of his interests.

Mukesh Ambani

Networth: $49 billion
Age: 50
Marital Status: Married, 3 children
Hometown: Mumbai

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has believed to have overtaken NRI steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal to become the richest Indian in the world, thanks to the unprecedented boom in the domestic stock market. He is building a new house in south Mumbai, Antilla, that will allegedly cost over $1 billion and be more than 500 feet tall. Here are some of the specs: 27 floors of which 6 floors are for car parking, 1 floor for car maintenance, 1 floor for entertainment center comprising a mini-theater with a seating capacity of 50 people, 3 floors of terrace gardens, 3 floors for healthclub, gym and swimming pool, 2 floors of glass fronted apartments for guests and an air space floor which will act as a control room for helicopters landing on the helipad above. Phew, hope I can get an invitation….

Mexico

Carlos Slim Helu

Age: 67
Fortune: self made
Net Worth: $49.0 bil
Hometown: Mexico City Industry: Communications
Marital Status: widowed, 6 children

He is $19 billion richer this year compared to last year thanks to a strong Mexican equities market and the performance of his wireless telephone company, America Movil. The son of a Lebanese immigrant, Slim made his first fortune in 1990 when he bought fixed line operator Teléfonos de México (Telmex) in a privatization bid. Last year he spent $3.7 billion to buy the Latin American operations of Verizon Communications. Slim is a baseball fan and art collector. In recent years he has donated close to $4 billion to education and health projects, and to the revitalization of downtown Mexico City’s historical district.

Sweden

Ingvar Kamprad & family

Age: 80
Fortune: self made
Source: Ikea
Net Worth: $33.0 bil
Hometown: Lausanne , Switzerland, Europe & Russia
Industry: Retailing
Marital Status: married, 4 children

Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947. Now his company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost conscious, is one of the most beloved retailers in the world. Ikea has stores in 34 countries. Kamprad avoids wearing suits, flies economy class and frequents cheap restaurants. His home is furnished mostly with his own Ikea products.

France

Bernard Arnault

Age: 58
Fortune: inherited and growing
Marital Status: married, 5 children
Education: Ecole Polytechnique de Paris, BA / BSc

Put up $15 million from his family’s midsize construction firm to buy Christian Dior in 1985. Since then has built the world’s largest luxury goods empire, whose brands also include Louis Vuitton, Dom Pérignon, Fendi and Tag Heuer Still heads the company, which is expanding rapidly in China, Russia and India. Son Antoine, 27, joined sister Delphine, 31, on LVMH’s board last year. Arnault also set up an investment fund with his good friend Albert Frere in 2006; pair own two wineries together. In December opened his four-star hotel Le Cheval Blanc in ski resort Courcheval, France, where he often spends New Year’s Eve. Said to be a skilled pianist.

Spain

Amancio Ortega

Age: 71
Fortune: self made
Source: Zara
Net Worth: $24.0 bil
Country Of Citizenship: Spain
Hometown: La Coruna Industry: Apparel
Marital Status: married, 3 children
Education: High School, Drop Out

Son of a railway worker. With help from then-wife Rosalía Mera, started making gowns and lingerie in his living room 44 years ago. His business became one of world’s most successful apparel manufacturers Inditex. Group also owns 3,000 Zara retail stores in 64 countries. Through his investment vehicles has invested in gas, tourism, banks and real estate; has properties in Madrid, Paris, London, Lisbon, plus luxury hotel and apartment complex in Miami. Reportedly owns a horse-jumping circuit and part of a soccer league. Hates neckties.

Hong Kong

Li Ka-shing

Age: 78
Fortune: self made
Net Worth: $23.0 bil
Residence: Hong Kong Industry: Diversified
Marital Status: widowed, 2 children
Education: High School, Drop Out

His fortune is centered on conglomerates Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa. Through them Li is the world’s largest operator of container terminals, a major supplier of electricity to Hong Kong, a cell phone provider, retailer and real estate developer. Also has a nearly $10 billion stake in Canadian oil company Husky Energy. Recently announced plans to donate one-third of wealth over time, calling it “his third son.” Eldest son, Victor, helps run massive empire; son Richard struck out on his own in early 1990s. Once a poor immigrant, Li got his start selling plastic flowers in Hong Kong in the 1950s.

Canada

David Thomson & family

Age: 49
Fortune: inherited
Net Worth: $22.0 bil
Hometown: Toronto
Industry: Media/Entertainment
Marital Status: divorced, 3 children

Took control of family fortune after his father, Kenneth Thomson, died last June. Had already succeeded his father as chairman of Thomson Corp., media conglomerate in which the family has a 70% stake, in 2002. Grandfather Roy founded the business in 1934. With his brother Peter also serves as cochair of family’s investment concern, Woodbridge. Well known art collectors, the family bought $5 million worth of native North American art at auction last year.

Saudi Arabia

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud

Age: 50
Fortune: self made
Net Worth: $20.3 bil
Hometown: Riyadh
Industry: Investments
Marital Status: married, 2 children
Education: Menlo College, BA / BSc Syracuse University, MSc

The most active and successful investor in the Middle East is a nephew of the Saudi king. His risky bet on Citigroup in the early 1990s paid off hugely and accounts for nearly half his fortune. The drop in value of Alwaleed’s Saudi holdings was offset by gains in investments such as Citigroup and News Corp. In February 2006 Alwaleed listed Kingdom Hotel Investments, which encompasses his hotel holdings in the Middle East, on the Dubai exchange. Alwaleed loves hotels. Last year he and a partner also closed a $3.9 billion deal to buy Fairmont Hotel & Resorts and more recently he announced that, with Bill Gates, he would take Four Seasons Hotels private for $3.8 billion, including debt.

Germany

Karl Albrecht

Age: 87
Fortune: self made
Source: Aldi
Net Worth: $20.0 bil
Hometown: Mülheim an der Ruhr
Industry: Retailing
Marital Status: married, 2 children

Germany’s richest man. After World War II Karl and his younger brother, Theo, developed their mother’s corner grocery store into discount supermarket giant Aldi, which now has more than 7,000 stores and $49 billion in sales. They eventually split ownership and management of the chain into North and South regions. Now retired, Karl used to manage the more profitable southern half of Aldi’s business in Germany. Fiercely private. Little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.

Russia

Roman Abramovich

Age: 40
Fortune: self made
Net Worth: $18.7 bil
Hometown: London & Russia
Industry: Oil/Gas
Marital Status: married, 5 children
Education: Drop Out

Orphaned as a child, Abramovich dropped out of college, then made a fortune in a series of controversial oil-export deals in the early 1990s. His fortune took off in 1995 when he teamed up with Boris Berezovsky to take over oil giant Sibneft at a fraction of its market value. When Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 to escape fraud charges, he sold out to Abramovich. In 2003 to 2004 sold his stake in Russian Aluminum to Oleg Deripaska. In Fall 2005 liquidated his biggest asset, selling his 72.6% stake in Sibneft to Gazprom for $13 billion. Last year got back to business in Russia, buying a stake in the country’s largest steel maker Evraz Group. Sent a letter of resignation to Vladimir Putin, asking to be relieved of the post of governor of the remote northern province of Chukotka, where he has raised living standards and earned a set of passionate supporters; Putin refused. He’s reportedly building a private hospital in Moscow .

China

Yang Huiyan

Net Worth: $16.2 billion
Age: 26
Company: Country Garden
City: Shunde

Daddy’s girl received 58% stake in real estate developer Country Garden from its main founder, her father, Yeung Kwok Keung. She’s now Asia’s richest woman and world’s youngest female billionaire, thanks to soaring value of the new public company.

Italy

Silvio Berlusconi & family

Age: 70
Fortune: self made
Net Worth: $11.8 bil
Hometown: North of Milan , Italy, Europe & Russia
Industry: Media/Entertainment
Marital Status: married, 5 children
Education: University of Milan, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Italy’s richest man lost reelection bid to Romano Prodi last year, ending his 5-year stint as the nation’s prime minister. Had a pacemaker inserted at the Cleveland Clinic in the U.S. after collapsing at an opposition rally in December. Started out singing on cruise ships. Eventually built fortune through Fininvest, which now has interests in media, life insurance, movie production and soccer team A.C. Milan.

Kuwait

Nasser Al-Kharafi & family

Age: 63
Fortune: inherited
Net Worth: $11.5 bil
Hometown: Kuwait City Industry: Engineering/Construction
Marital Status: married, 5 children
Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science

Heads up M.A. Al-Kharafi & Sons, one of the largest diversified conglomerates in the Arab world, with interests in manufacturing, construction, banking, food and real estate. Last August Nasser took out a full-page ad in the International Herald Tribune to criticize U.S. support of Israel. Older brother Jassem is speaker of Kuwait’s national assembly; sister Faiza is a chemistry professor and former president of Kuwait University.

Greece

Spiro Latsis & family

Age: 60
Fortune: inherited
Net Worth: $11.0 bil
Hometown: Geneva
Industry: Diversified
Marital Status: married, 2 children
Education: London School of Economics, Doctorate

Greece’s richest person has stakes in oil refining, real estate, financial services and high-class travel. His EFG Group is a private-banking behemoth headquartered in Zurich. His PrivatAir jet charter service has 50 planes that cater to upscale European and American travelers. In 2004 started PrivatSea, an exclusive yacht club that promises members an exceptional experience on board some of the world’s most spectacular yachts including the Alexander, at 400 feet apparently the world’s fourth-largest private yacht.

Egypt

Naguib Sawiris

Age: 52Naquib Sawiris
Fortune: inherited and growing
Net Worth: $10.0 bil
Hometown: Cairo
Industry: Communications
Marital Status: married, 4 children
Education: Swiss Federal Polytechnical Institute, BA / BSc
Swiss Federal Polytechnical Institute, MScEldest son of Orascom-empire patriarch, Onsi Sawiris, solidified his reputation this year as one of the region’s gutsiest businessmen. His new holding company, Weather Investments, owns Italian telecom company Wind and Greek telecom company TIM Hellas, as well as a controlling stake in Orascom Telecom. It is poised for a major public offering, if his highly leveraged foray into the European telecom market goes according to plan. With Emirati billionaire Majid Al Futtaim, recently launched a private equity fund focused on investments in Egypt. Loves to tango.

Malaysia

Robert Kuok

Net Worth: $7.6 billion
Age: 84
Marital Status: Married, 8 children

Onetime rice and sugar trader heads multinational Kuok Group with interests ranging from shipping to real estate to media. Merging extensive Malaysian, Indonesian palm oil interests with Singapore’s Wilmar International, run by his nephew. Also has stake in Transmile Group, air cargo outfit.

Singapore

Ng Teng Fong

Age: 79
Net Worth: $6.7 billion
Marital Status: Married, 6 children

Through Far East Organization has developed more than 700 hotels, malls, condos in Singapore. Has extensive Hong Kong portfolio. Other interests include food and drink maker Yeo Hiap Seng, partnering with U.S. foodmaker Hain Celestial Group to market organic foods in Asia. Older son Robert oversees Hong Kong interests; younger son, Philip. manages Singapore interests.

Japan

Akira Mori

Net Worth: $5.5 billion
Age: 69
Marital Status: Married, 3 children

One of Tokyo’s biggest real estate developers leads Mori Trust, which owns and operates 44 office buildings, 8 residential properties. Has stake in Royal Hotel Group, which runs Rhiga Royal. Developing investment business. He and brother Minoru inherited initial fortune from late father but had a falling-out.

Indonesia

Aburizal Bakrie & family

Age: 60
Net Worth: $5.4 billion
Marital Status: Married, 3 children

Runs family-held Bakrie group, founded by late father in 1942. Has interests in infrastructure, property, telecom. Huge stock run-up in biggest holding, coal producer Bumi Resources, lifted fortune. Co-owns Lapindo Brantas, oil-and-gas outfit whose drilling allegedly helped trigger a massive mudslide in 2006, burying villages, displacing thousands. Onetime presidential candidate, he is country’s Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare.

Israel

Shari Arison

Net Worth: $4.4 bil
Age: 49
Marital Status: Married, 4 Children.
Industry: Banking, Real estate & more

Israel’s richest lady, Arison, holds a 16% stake in Bank Hapoalim. Most of Arison’s fortune remains outside of Israel, coming from the world’s largest cruise ship operator, Carnival Corp. Carnival is managed by brother Micky Arison, who has an estimated net worth of $5 billion dollars.

Most of this information came courtesy Forbes. A little through Google Search.

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