According to the Forbes the world's richest women (two women tied at 20th place) have a combined total net worth of $248.6 billion, or an average of $11.84 billion each. That's a slight jump up from last year's 20 richest, whose average net worth was $11.6 billion.

The majority of this exclusive set, members of Forbes' 2012 list of The World's Billionaires, gained their wealth through inheritance and marriage.

But one woman – Chinese journalist-turned-real-estate-developer Wu Yajun -- can say her fortune is entirely self-made. Read on to find out who are the other women on the list:

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Christy Walton

Net worth: $25.3 billion

Organisation: Wal-Mart

The widow of John Walton, Christy Walton is the richest woman in America. Christy Walton is also a philanthropist and supports museums, education and organic gardening.

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Liliane Bettencourt

Net worth: $24 billion

Organisation: L'Oreal

Liliane Bettencourt is a French heiress, socialite, businesswoman a and philanthropist. She is one of the principal shareholders of L'Oreal.

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Alice Walton

Net worth: $23.3 billion

Organisation: Wal-Mart

Alice Walton, 62, is the youngest of the four children of Sam Walton and Helen Walton and one of the three surviving heirs to the world's biggest retail chain and business, Wal-Mart.

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Georgina Rinehart

Net worth $18 billion

Organisation: Hancock Prospecting

Georgina Hope Rinehart is an Australian mining tycoon. She is the heiress of Hancock Prospecting and the daughter of the late Lang Hancock and Hope Margaret Nicholas. Her fortunes doubled to $18 billion after completion of the deal, which will see South Korean steel giant Posco take a 15 per cent stake in her yet-to-be-developed Roy Hill iron ore mine.

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Iris Fontbona

Net worth: $17.8 billion

Organisation: Luksic Group

Iris Fontbona is the widow of Andronico Luksic, who was a Chilean businessman of Croatian origin and founder of the Luksic Group.

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Birgit Rausing

Net worth: $14 billion

Organisation: Tetra Laval

Birgit Rausing is a Swedish art historian and philanthropist, and the widow of Gad Rausing. In 1944 her father-in-law Ruben Rausing founded Tetra Pak, which revolutionised the packaging of liquids such as juices and milk.

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Jacqueline Mars

Net worth: $13.8 billion

Organisation: Mars Inc

Jacqueline Mars is one of three siblings of the late Forrest Mars. She and her two brothers, John and Forrest Jr., own $31.6 billion (sales) Mars, the world's largest candy company.

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Susanne Klatten

Net worth: $13 billion

Organisation: BMW

Susanne Klatten inherited a stake in automaker BMW from late father Herbert Quandt, making her the richest woman in Germany. She also inherited a 50 per cent stake in chemical manufacturer Altana.

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Anne Cox Chambers

Net worth: $12.5 billion

Organisation: Cox Enterprises

Anne Beau Cox Chambers, 92, is a media proprietor, who is primary owner of Cox Enterprises, a privately held media empire that includes newspapers, television, radio, cable television, and other businesses.

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Savitri Jindal

Net worth: $10.9 billion

Organisation: Jindal group

Savitri Jindal is an Indian steel baroness and the wealthiest woman in India. She is the non-executive chairperson of O.P. Jindal Group, and member of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

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Abigail Johnson

Net worth: $10.3 billion

Organisation: Fidelity Investments

Abigail Pierrepont Johnson is an American businesswoman. Johnson is President of Fidelity Investments Personal and Workplace Investing. Fidelity is led by her father, Edward C. (Ned) Johnson III.

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Johanna Quandt

Net worth: $10 billion

Organisation: BMW

Johanna Quandt is the German widow of industrialist Herbert Quandt. Johanna Bruhn became a secretary in Herbert's office in the 1950s and eventually became his personal assistant. She married Herbert in 1960.

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Laurene Powell Jobs

Net worth: $9 billion

Laurene Powell Jobs is an American business executive, co-founder and President of the Board of College Track, and widow of Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc.

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Charlene de Carvalho

Net worth: $7.7 billion

Organisation: Heineken

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is the owner of a controlling interest in the world's third-largest brewer, Heineken International. She is the daughter of Freddy Heineken, the Dutch industrialist, and Lucille Cummins, an American from a Kentucky family of bourbon whiskey distillers.

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Miuccia Prada

Net worth: $6.8 billion

Organisation: Prada

Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur. She also has a Ph.D. in political science. Prada is the youngest granddaughter of Mario Prada, founder of the company.

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Antonia Johnson

Net worth: $6.5 billion

Organisation: The Axel Johnson Group

Antonia Johnson is the fourth generation of the family company The Axel Johnson Group, founded by her great grandfather in 1873. In 1982 she succeeded her father as chairman of the board for Axel Johnson AB , Sweden, and Axel Johnson, Stamford.

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Blair Parry-Okeden

Net worth: $6.3 billion

Organisation: Cox Enterprise

Blair Parry-Okeden is the granddaughter of Cox Enterprises founder James M. Cox. She inherited a 25 per cent stake after her mother, Barbara Cox Anthony, passed away in 2007.

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Wu Yajun

Net worth: $5.7 billion

Organisation: Longfor Properties

Wu Yajun chairs Beijing-based property developer Longfor Properties. She is former a journalist, with a degree in engineering.

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Yang Huiyan

Net worth: $4.7 billion

Organisation: Country Garden Holdings

Yang Huiyan is the majority shareholder of Country Garden Holdings and one of the wealthiest people in Mainland China. She is the daughter of Yang Guoqiang, who started his company Biguiyuan in 1997.

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Rosalia Mera

Net worth: $4.5 billion

Organisation: Inditex

Rosalia Mera is one of the richest people in the world. She began designing gowns and lingerie in her home with her then-husband, Amancio Ortega Gaona. The couple parlayed their work into a multi-billion-dollar corporation, Inditex, and the Zara line of clothing stores. Despite her divorce from Ortega, Mera retains a 7 per cent stake in the company.