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The richest people in 30 countries

Last updated on: November 24, 2011 13:25 IST

Image: Carlos Slim Helu.
Photographs: Reuters.

The world has 1,210 billionaires with a combined wealth of $4.5 trillion, according to The Forbes magazine.

There are more billionaires from BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations than from Europe. Brazil, Russia, India and China are home to 108 of the 214 new billionaires.

Meet the richest people in 30 countries...

1. Carlos Slim Helu (Mexico)

World rank: 1
Net worth: $63.3 bn

Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu beat Americans Bill Gates and Warren Buffett as the wealthiest person on earth. He is also the richest Mexican.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Mukesh Ambani.
Photographs: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters.

Mukesh Ambani (India)

World rank: 9
Net worth: $22.6 billion

Mukesh Ambani is the richest Indian. Chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani retained the title of India's richest man, with a net worth of $22.6 billion this year, despite seeing a drop of $4.4 billion.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Bill Gates.
Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters.

Bill Gates (United States)

World rank: 2
Net worth: $59 billion

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft is the richest Amercian.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault.
Photographs: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters.

Bernard Arnault (France)

World rank: 4
Net worth: $41 billion

Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of the French conglomerate LVMH is the richest man in France.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Spain's Princess Letizia and Crown Prince Felipe (R) stand next to chairman of Spanish global fashion group Inditex, Amancio Ortega (L).
Photographs: Miguel Vidal/Reuters.

Amancio Ortega (Spain)

World rank: 7
Net worth: $31 billion

Amancio Ortega, a fashion entrepreneur is the richest man in Spain.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Eike Batista.
Photographs: Paulo Whitaker/Reuters.

Eike Batista (Brazil)

World rank: 8
Net Worth: $30 billion

Entrepreneur and president of the EBX Group, Batista is the wealtiest in Brazil.

(Net worth as of Mar 2011)

...

Image: Li Ka-Shing.
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters.

Li Ka-Shing (Hong Kong)

World rank: 11
Net Worth: $22 billion

Chairman, Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, Li Ka-Shing is the richest man in Hong Kong.

(Net worth as of November 2011)

...

Image: Karl Albrecht (Inset).

Karl Albrecht (Germany)

World rank: 12
New Worth: $25.5 bn

Karl Albrecht is a German entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Stefan Persson.

Stefan Persson (Sweden)

World rank: 13
Net worth: $24.5 billion

Stefan Persson is the chairman and main shareholder in fashion company Hennes & Mauritz (H&M).

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Vladimir Lisin.

Vladimir Lisin (Russia)

World rank:14
Net worth: $24 billion

Steel tycoon Vladimir Lisin is the richest man in Russia. He is the chairman of Novolipetsk Steel.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: David Thomson.
Photographs: Fred Greenslade/Reuters.

David Thomson & family (Canada)

World rank: 17
Net worth: $23 billion

David Thomson was the chairman of Thomson Corporation since 2002 and after the acquisition of Reuters, he is now the chairman of the merged entity, Thomson Reuters.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Alsaud (C) walks with his wife Princess Amira (L).
Photographs: Paul Hackett/Reuters.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud (Saudi Arabia)

World rank: 26
Net worth: $19.6 billion

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud is a member of the Saudi royal family. He is the nephew of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

An entrepreneur and international investor, he made a fortune with investments in real estate and the stock market.

(Net worth as of Mar 2011)
...

Image: Michele Ferrero.

Michele Ferrero & family (Italy)

World rank: 32
Net worth: $18 billion

Michele Ferrero owns one of Europe's largest chocolate companies, Ferrero SpA.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Aliko Dangote.

Aliko Dangote (Nigeria)

World rank: 51
Net worth: $13.8 billion

Aliko Dangote is the owner of the Dangote Group, which has operations in several countries.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Britain's Duke of Westminster Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor.
Photographs: Toby Melville/Reuters.

Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor & family (United Kingdom)

World rank: 57
Net worth: $13 billion

Gerald Cavendish, the Duke of Westminster is the owner of property company Grosvenor Group.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Robert Kuok.

Robert Kuok (Malaysia)

World rank: 61
Net worth: $12.5 billion

Most of his businesses are privately held by him or his family. Apart from a range of businesses in Malaysia, his companies have investments in many Asian countries.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: John Fredriksen.
Photographs: Reuters.

John Fredriksen (Cyprus)

World rank: 71
Net worth: $10.7 billion

John Fredriksen is a shipping tycoon who owns world's largest oil tanker fleet.

...

Image: Stefan Quandt.
Photographs: Reuters.

Stefan Quandt (Germany)

World rank: 72
Net worth: $10.7 billion

A German engineer and industrialist, Stefan Quandt owns 17.4 per cent stake in auto maker BMW.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Colombian businessman Luis Carlos Sarmiento (L) shakes hands with Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus.
Photographs: Fredy Builes/Reuters.

Luis Carlos Sarmiento (Columbia)

World rank: 75
Net worth: $10.5 billion

Luis Carlos Sarmiento is the president of banking conglomerate Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores, SA, of which he is the majority shareholder.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: German Horst Paulmann (L), CEO of Chile's retail holding Cencosud, speaks next to Argentine Economy Minister Felisa Miceli.

Horst Paulmann & family (Chile)

World rank: 76
Net worth: $10.5 billion

Horst Paulmann is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Cencosud.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Nasser Al-Kharafi.
Photographs: Stephanie McGehee/Reuters.

Nasser Al-Kharafi & family (Kuwait)

World rank: 77
Net worth: $10.4 billion

Chairman of M.A. Kharafi & Sons, Nasser Al-Kharafi is the richest man in Kuwait. His business spans across engineering, construction, maintenance to other services related to oil, water resources and management, chemicals, power and energy and food.

(Net worth as of March 2011)

...

Image: Sammy Ofer.

Sammy Ofer & family (Israel)

World rank: 79
Net worth: $10.3 billion

Sammy Ofer is a shipping tycoon in Israel.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Ernesto Bertarelli.
Photographs: Denis Balibouse/Reuters.

Ernesto Bertarelli & family (Switzerland)

World rank: 81
Net worth: $10 bn

In 1996, Bertarelli became the CEO and deputy chairman of Serono, a pharmaceutical company founded by his father.

Later, the company was sold to Merck KGaA in January 2007 for $13.3 billion, forming the new company Merck-Serono. Bertarelli and his sister split a combined $9 billion stake.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Robin Li.
Photographs: Denis Balibouse/Reuters.

Robin Li (China)

World rank:95
Net worth: $9.4 bn

A Chinese entrepreneur, he is the co-founder of China's most popular search engine Baidu.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Petr Kellner.

Petr Kellner (Czech Republic)

World rank: 97
Net worth: $9.2 bn

The wealthiest man in the Czech Republic, Kellner owns 94.36 per cent of PPF group.
(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Rina Ginehart.

Rina Ginehart (Australia)

World rank: 100
Net worth: $9 bn

A mining entrepreneur, Rina Ginehart is the heiress of Hancock Prospecting.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Pallonji Mistry.

Pallonji Mistry (Ireland)

World rank: 103
Net worth: $8.8 bn

It may come as a big surprise to most readers, but Mistry, construction tycoon is indeed the richest man in Ireland.

He is the chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which has 18.5 per cent stake in Tata Sons.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Lee Kun-Hee.
Photographs: Lee Jae-Won/Reuters.

Lee Kun-Hee (South Korea)

World rank: 105
Net worth: $8.6 bn

Chairman of Samsung Electronics, Lee Kun-Hee is the richest person in South Korea.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Masayoshi Son.

Masayoshi Son (Japan)

World rank: 113
Net worth: $8.1 billion

Masayoshi Son is the founder and chief executive officer of SoftBank Capital, and the chief executive officer of SoftBank Mobile.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)

...

Image: Charlene de Carvalho.

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken (The Netherlands)

World rank: 124
Net worth: $7.5 billion

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is the owner of a controlling interest in the world's third-largest brewer, Heineken International.

(Net worth as of Nov 2011)