2019.01.03; Thursday January 3rd, 2019: World billionaires 2017: How many billionaires live in each country - Business Insider

There are over 1,500 billionaires worldwide — here are the 14 countries where the world's richest people live


The three richest people in the world are American.Ben Curtis/AP Images


  • There are 1,542 billionaires in the world, according to a new report by UBS.
  • More than 560 billionaires live in the US — the most of any country — and they control the most wealth.
  • If current trends continue, the total wealth of Asia's billionaires could overtake US billionaires in four years.

 
The number of commas in your net worth is a status symbol, and Americans have serious bragging rights. According to a new report from Switzerland-based bank UBS, the US is home to the most billionaires — and billionaire wealth — of any country in the world. But China and India are catching up quickly.
Three-fourths of the world's newly minted billionaires from 2016 are from China and India, according to UBS. The countries added 67 and 16, respectively, to their total billionaire count.
If these trends continue, it will take only four years for the total wealth of Asia's billionaires to overtake US billionaires, according to UBS. But for now, the US maintains the world's largest concentration of billionaire wealth. A total of 563 American billionaires control $2.8 trillion, up from $2.4 trillion last year.
Keep reading to see the top 14 countries with the most billionaires and how many live there.
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14. Singapore: 21 billionaires


Wee Cho Yaw is the largest shareholder and chairman emeritus of United Overseas Bank and has a net worth of $8 billion.Reuters

13. Spain: 25 billionaires


Amancio Ortega is the founder and former chairman of Inditex fashion group and has a net worth of $77.8 billion.Getty Images / Xurxo Lobato

12. Turkey: 29 billionaires


Ferit F. Sahenk is the chairman of Doğuş Holding and has a net worth of $2.2 billion.Monika Flueckiger/World Economic Forum/Wikimedia Commons

11. Japan: 33 billionaires


Tadashi Yanai is the chairman and biggest shareholder of Fast Retailing, the largest clothing retailer in Asia, and has a net worth of $17 billion.Vincent Yu/AP Images

10. Switzerland: 35 billionaires


Ernesto Bertarelli inherited drug manufacturer Serono and has a net worth of $15.7 billion.Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

9. France: 39 billionaires


Bernard Arnault is the chairman of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest maker of luxury goods, and has a net worth of $56.2 billion.AP Photo/Michel Euler, Pool

8. Italy: 42 billionaires


Giovanni Ferrero controls candy company Ferrero Group and has a net worth $23.3 billion.REUTERS/Giorgio Perottino

7. United Kingdom: 55 billionaires


Jim Ratcliffe is the founder and majority owner of chemicals manufacturer Ineos and has a net worth of $9.8 billion.AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

6. Hong Kong: 69 billionaires


Li Ka-Shing controls infrastructure conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings and real estate development company Cheung Kong Property Holdings and has a net worth of $34 billion.Kin Cheung/AP

5. Russia: 96 billionaires


Alexey Mordashov is the main shareholder and chairman of steelmaker Severstal and has a net worth of $19.1 billion.Maxim Shevetov/Reuters

4. India: 100 billionaires


Mukesh Ambani is chairman, managing director, and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries Limited and has a net worth of $40 billion.Reuters/Amit Dave

3. Germany: 117 billionaires


Susanne Klatten inherited her parents' stake in luxury automaker BMW and is worth $22.7 billion.AP Photo/Michael Probst

2. China: 318 billionaires


Wang Jianlin is the chairman and founder of Dalian Wanda Group and has a net worth of $28.2 billion.Reuters/Tyrone Siu

1. United States: 563 billionaires


Warren Buffett is a legendary investor and the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and is worth $81.6 billion.Paul Morigi / Stringer / Getty Images