Bill Gates reclaims title as world’s richest person

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has regained his title of richest man in the world with a net worth of $76 billion. 

Gates returned to the top of Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires after a four-year hiatus. He edged out Mexico’s telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu whose net worth is estimated at $72 billion. 

Gates has topped the list in 15 of the last 20 years. 

The number of billionaires making Forbes list increased by more than 200 this year to 1,645, with their total net worth coming in at $6.4 trillion. It was attributed to the rising stock markets.

The United States was the country with the most billionaires at 492. That was followed by China with 152 and Russia with 111. 

Just over 10 percent of those on the list were women — a record number. Wal-Mart heiress Christy Walton was the highest ranking female, coming in at ninth place with an estimated $36.7 billion. 

Rounding out the top five after Gates and Helu were Spanish clothing magnate Amancio Ortega, U.S. investor Warren Buffett, and Oracle chief Larry Ellison. 

Internet moguls featured high on the list. The top 25 included Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. 

Zuckerberg was the largest net worth gainer on the list, more than doubling his fortune to $28.5 billion.

Source: THE TIMES OF EARTH, VOA and agencies