Wealthiest in the World

I am not the first, nor the last, to say that the "rich are getting richer", and the "middle-class and the poor are getting poorer". However, I now have the absolute proof of this statement. The following chart very clearly proves that this well-known statement is indeed true.

 

490 of the Richest
Individuals & Families
in the World



Forbes magazine in their July 18, 1994, pages 152-219, and July 15, 1996, pages 142-243 issues listed an index of the Billionaires around the world. These articles implied that they are all-inclusive lists. However, it becomes clear that they are not complete lists when they excludes such prominent wealthy persons such as: Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth - Queen of England, Her Royal Majesty Beatrix - Queen of the Netherlands (known as the wealthiest woman in the world), Her Royal Majesty Margaret the II - Queen of Denmark, Her Royal Majesty Sofia - Queen of Spain, Sir Muda Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzadin Waddaulah - The Sultan of Brunei, Darussalam, King Fahd - Monarch of Saudi Arabia, Emir Shaikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir as-Sabah - King of Kuwait, Sultan Qabus bin Said - King of Oman, Emir & Prime Minister Khalifah ibn Hamad ath-Thani - King of Qatar, President Zaid ibn Sultan an-Nahayan - Ruler of the United Arab Emirates, Haydar Abu Bakr-al Attas - Prime Minister of Yemen, Amir isa bin Sulman al-Khalifa - King of Bahrain, the House of Rothschild, the Wallenberg interests, the Warburg interests, the Schiff interests, or many others. The ultra-rich are very likely members of the Inner Circle of the Elite and do not want their massive wealth to be known by the public, therefore, they are not likely to be listed by Forbes magazine or any other news media.

World's Wealthiest Individuals or Families
by Country
Sorted by Number and Total Wealth

Country
1994
No.
1996
No.
% Change
 
1994
Billions
1996
Billions
% Change
United States
 41
 172
 420%
 
 $248.5
 $372.1
 150%
Hong Kong
 8
 20
 250
 
 41.9
 68.7
 164
France
 4
 16
 400
 
 21.1
 38.2
 181
Switzerland
 3
 12
 400
 
 19.7
 37.9
 192
Indonesia
 3
 10
 333
 
 10
 29.8
 298
Taiwan
 4
 8
 200
 
 15.9
 26.7
 168
Mexico
 7
 27
 386
 
 44.1
 26.6
 60
Malaysia
 3
 11
 367
 
 7.5
 26
 347
Philippines
 --
 9
  *
 
 6.2
 23.8
 384
Korea
 3
 7
 233
 
 10.3
 23.5
 228
Thailand
 3
 11
 367
 
 14.1
 21.1
 150
Brazil
 2
 12
 600
 
 11
 18.4
 167
Saudi Arabia
 2
 8
 400
 
 10.1
 18
 178
Scandinavia
 2
 5
 250
 
 12.5
 16.9
 135
Italy
 2
 6
 300
 
 10
 16.2
 162
Canada
 3
 6
 200
 
 13.5
 15.8
 117
United Kingdom
 2
 6
 300
 
 10.5
 14
 133
Greece
 2
 5
 250
 
 10
 13.3
 133
Singapore
 1
 4
 400
 
 4.9
 12
 245
The Netherlands
 1
 4
 400
 
 9
 11.4
 127
Argentina
 1
 4
 400
 
 6.7
 6.7
 100
Turkey
 1
 3
 300
 
 3.9
 8.9
 228
Chile
 --
 4
 *
 
 4.7
 7.5
 160
China
 --
 1
 *
 
 --
 5.5
 *
India
 1
 3
 300
 
 3.2
 4.7
 147
Lebanon
 1
 2
 200
 
 3.8
 4.3
 113
Colombia
 --
 3
 *
 
 3.5
 4.2
 120
Spain
 --
 3
 *
 
 4.1
 4.1
 100
Israel
 --
 3
 *
 
 2.9
 4
 138
South Africa
 --
 2
 *
 
 1.5
 4.1
 273
Venezuela
 --
 2
 *
 
 2.5
 2.4
 96
Kuwait
 --
 1
 *
 
 1.5
 3
 200
Australia
 1
 1
 100
 
 2.3
 2.3
 100
Liechtenstein
 --
 1
 *
 
 --
 1.5
 *
Bahrain
 --
 1
 *
 
 --
 1
 *
Ecuador
 --
 1
 *
 
 --
 1.2
 *
Totals
 147
 490
 333%
 
 $763
 $1,120
 147%


Note: The above chart reflects the wealthy people with $1 billion or more. The 1993 edition of Forbes did not list all those who had $1 to $2 bil.. It would be very revealing if we had the ability to compare '93, '94 and '96 for those with $1 billion or more. It is very clear from the above that the rich are getting richer and the middle-class and poor must be getting poorer.


* There is no mathematical percentage value when going from 0 to a positive or negative value. Any number divided by zero is undefined, and this is illogical. Sometimes it is useful to define it as "infinity" but even this produces inconsistencies and paradoxes.