According to Forbes.com, only 793 are rich to clinch on the list from last year’s 1,125 billionaires. The financial situation in the US is shaking because of worldwide financial crisis nowadays. It’s a big challenge for the business owners to stay on the top or to stumble.
Here are the top 20 billionaires for 2009:
1. Bill Gates (US) – Net Worth: $40 billion; Source: Microsoft
2. Warren Buffett (US) – Net Worth: $37 billion; Source: Investment
3. Carlos Slim Helu (Mexico) – Net Worth: $35 billion; Source: telecom
4. Lawrence Ellison (US) – Net Worth: $22.5 billion; Source: Oracle
5. Ingvar Kamprad (Sweden) – Net Worth: $22 billion; Source: Ikea
6. Karl Albrecht (Germany) – Net Worth: $21.5 billion; Source: supermarkets
7. Mukesh Ambani (India) – Net Worth: $19.5 billion; Source: petrochemicals
8. Laskhmi Mittal (India) – Net Worth: $19.3 billion; Source: steel
9. Theo Albrecht (Germany) – Net Worth: $18.8 billion; Source: supermarkets
10. Amancio Ortega (Spain) – Net Worth: $18.3 billion; Source: Fashion
11. Jim C. Walton (US) – Net Worth: $17.8 billion; Source: Wal-Mart
12. – 14. S. Robson Walton / Alice Walton / Christy Walton & family (US) – Net Worth: $17.6 billion; Source: Wal-Mart
15. Bernard Arnault (France) – Net Worth: $16.5 billion; Source: luxury goods
16. Lim Ka-Shing (Hong Kong) – Net Worth: $16.2 billion; Source: ports, retail, energy
17. Michael bloomberg (US) – Net Worth: $16 billion; Source: Bloomberg LP
18. Stefan Persson (Sweden) – Net Worth: $14.5 billion; Source: Hennes & Mauritz
19.-20. Charles Koch / David koch (US) – Net Worth: $14 billion; Source: Koch Industries
