KA-INVESTOR
Forbes magazine has released its annual list of the world's richest people, most of who have been hit really hard by the global financial crisis. Total net worth of the 2009 list is US$.2.4 trillion - down from US$.4.4 trillion in 2008. Total world billionaires reduced to 793 from 1,125 in 2008, as more billionaires fell off the list with the crisis. The average net worth per billionaire on the list dropped 23% to US$.3 billion from 3.9 billion dollars in 2008.
According to Forbes, the top 10 richest people in the world and their net worth are as follows:
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| Name | Company | Net worth US$’billions’ | Change in Net worth compared to 2008 |
| William Gates III | Microsoft | 40 | -31% |
| Warren Buffet | Berkshire Hathaway | 37 | -40% |
| Carlos Slim | Telecom | 35 | -35% |
| Larry Ellison | Oracle | 22.5 | -10% |
| Ingvar Kamrad | Ikea | 22 | -29% |
| Karl Albrecht | Aldi | 21.5 | -20% |
| Mukesh Ambani | Petrochemicals | 19.5 | -55% |
| Lakshmi Mittal | Steel | 19.3 | -57% |
| Theo Albrecht | Aldi, Trader Joe's | 19.3 | -16% |
| Amencia Ortega | Zara | 18.3 | -9% |
Billionaires by region:
| Region | Billionaires | Net worth US$.’Billions’ |
| US | 359 | 1,100 |
| Europe | 196 | 655 |
| Asia-Pacific | 130 | 357 |
| MidEast/Africa | 58 | 156 |
| Latin America | 50 | 175 |
Changes in the world billionaires list: 44 new billionaires joined the list (including a Mexican drug lord), 656 dropped out of the list and 52 didn’t change in position.
