The World's Billionaires

The richest people in the world have gotten poorer, just like the rest of us. This year the world's billionaires have an average net worth of $3 billion, down 23% in 12 months. The world now has 793 billionaires, down from 1,125 a year ago.

After slipping in recent years, the U.S. is regaining its dominance as a repository of wealth. Americans account for 44% of the money and 45% of the list's slots, up seven and three percentage points from last year, respectively. Bill Gates lost $18 billion but regained his title as the world's richest man. Warren Buffett, last year's No. 1, saw his fortune decline $25 billion as shares of Berkshire Hathaway fell nearly 50% in 12 months. Mexican telecom titan Carlos Slim Helú maintains his spot in the top three but lost $25 billion.

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Billionaire Bust
Last year the world had 1,125 billionaires. Today there are 793. How $1.4 trillion vanished.

In Pictures: The World's Billionaires

New Billionaires		Who Made Billions More
Notable Drop-offs		Biggest Losers
Homes Of The Billionaires		Celebrity Billionaires
Women We Admire		Top Billionaire Cities
The Cost Of Living Large		Billionaire Toys For Sale
Eligible Billionaires		Richest Europeans
Russian Drop-offs		Chinese Drop-offs
Japanese Drop-offs		Indian Drop-offs
Obituaries

Rank	Name	Citizenship
Age	Net Worth	Residence

I Just Can't Wait to Be King Royal obsession: Alwaleed minds his portfolio, even at his desert retreat.

Last Man Standing Two years after being all but written off, metals mogul Mikhail D. Prokhorov is back--as the richest man in Russia.

Une Affaire de Famille The unhappy fallout between Europe's richest woman and her daughter--and the man in the middle.

Billionaire Acrobatics How Cirque du Soleil's fire-breathing billionaire Guy Laliberte actually got richer in 2008.

Cocaine King Mexico's most wanted man, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, is one of 38 new billionaires.

Where The (Still) Rich And Single Mingle From Monaco in May to Dubai in December, this is where the party keeps rocking.

The Gulf's Newest Billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahayan of Abu Dhabi is spreading his wealth in the U.K., gaining fans--and a few foes.

Battle Of The Billionaires The next race for the America's Cup could be decided a long way from the water.

Campus Politics If the protests die down and the bureaucracy speeds up, India might just get a giant new university. Mining magnate Anil Agarwal is putting $1 billion into this dream.