Forbes 2009 Top 20 World's Richest Men

Forbes released their World's Billionaires list yesterday March 11th...
Check it out...

It's been a tough year for the richest people in the world. Last year there were 1,125 billionaires. This year there are just 793 people rich enough to make the list.
The world has become a wealth wasteland.

Like the rest of us, the richest people in the world have endured a financial disaster over the past year. Today there are 793 people on our list of the World's Billionaires, a 30% decline from a year ago.
Of the 1,125 billionaires who made last year's ranking, 373 fell off the list--355 from declining fortunes and 18 who died. There are 38 newcomers, plus three moguls who returned to the list after regaining their 10-figure fortunes. It is the first time since 2003 that the world has had a net loss in the number of billionaires.

The world's richest are also a lot poorer. Their collective net worth is $2.4 trillion, down $2 trillion from a year ago. Their average net worth fell 23% to $3 billion. The last time the average was that low was in 2003.
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, but he still managed to slip just one spot to No. 2. Mexican telecom titan Carlos Slim Helú also lost $25 billion and dropped one spot to No. 3.

Top 20

1. William Gates III
Net Worth: $40 billion
Source: Microsoft/U.S.
Age: 53
Marital Status: Married, three children

2. Warren Buffett
Net Worth: $37 billion
Source: Investments/U.S.
Age: 78
Marital Status: Widowed, remarried; three children

3. Carlos Slim Helú
Net Worth: $35 billion
Source: Telecom/Mexico
Age: 69
Marital Status: Widowed, six children

4. Lawrence Ellison
Net Worth: $22.5 billion
Source: Oracle/U.S.
Age: 64
Marital Status: Thrice divorced, remarried; two children

5. Ingvar Kamprad
Net Worth: $22 billion
Source: Ikea/Sweden
Age: 83
Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; four children

6. Karl Albrecht
Net Worth: $21.5 billion
Source: Supermarkets/Germany
Age: 89
Marital Status: Married, two children

7. Mukesh Ambani
Net Worth: $19.5 billion
Source: Petrochemicals/India
Age: 51
Marital Status: Married, three children

8. Lakshmi Mittal
Net Worth: $19.3 billion
Source: Steel/India
Age: 58
Marital Status: Married, two children

9. Theo Albrecht
Net Worth: $18.8 billion
Source: Supermarkets/Germany
Age: 87
Marital Status: Married, two children

10. Amancio Ortega
Net Worth: $18.3 billion
Source: Fashion/Spain
Age: 73

Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; three children

11. Jim C. Walton
Net Worth: $17.8 billion
Source: Wal-Mart/U.S.
Age: 61
Marital Status: Married, four children

12. S. Robson Walton
Net Worth: $17.6 billion
Source: Wal-Mart/U.S.
Age: 65
Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; three children

12. Alice Walton
Net Worth: $17.6 billion
Source: Wal-Mart/U.S.
Age: 59
Marital Status: Twice divorced

12. Christy Walton & family
Net Worth: $17.6 billion
Source: Wal-Mart/U.S.
Age: 54
Marital Status: Widowed, one child

15. Bernard Arnault
Net Worth: $16.5 billion
Source: Luxury goods/France
Age: 60
Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; five children

16. Li Ka-shing
Net Worth: $16.2 billion
Source: Ports, retail, energy/Hong Kong
Age: 80
Marital Status: Widowed, two children

17. Michael Bloomberg
Net Worth: $16 billion
Source: Bloomberg LP/U.S.
Age: 67
Marital Status: Divorced, two children

18. Stefan Persson
Net Worth: $14.5 billion
Source: Hennes & Mauritz/Sweden
Age: 61
Marital Status: Married, three children

19. Charles Koch
Net Worth: $14 billion
Source: Koch Industries/U.S.
Age: 73
Marital Status: Married, two children

19. David Koch
Net Worth: $14 billion
Source: Koch Industries/U.S.
Age: 68
Marital Status: Married, three children

Nigerians on the list

261. Aliko Dangote

"Net Worth: $2.5 billion

Source: Industries/Nigeria

Age:51

Marital Status:NA

601. Femi Otedola

Net Worth: $1.2 bil

Source: Energy/Nigeria

Age: 42

Marital Status: Married, four children

Info thanks to http://www.forbes.com/

You can go there to check the full list of the World's Billionaires

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