Forbes World’s Billionaires List: Just 369 women among 2,781 billionaires – Know who is the richest woman in the world

Forbes has unveiled its 2024 Billionaires List, showcasing a record number of 2,781 individuals who collectively hold $14.2 trillion of the world’s wealth. The rise in wealth across various markets has resulted in 265 individuals becoming billionaires over the past year, a significant increase from the 150 newcomers in 2023, Forbes revealed.

Who is the richest person in the world?

As per Forbes’ list, luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault is the richest person in the world for the second consecutive year, adding $22 billion more to his wealth than what he had in 2023.

He has $38 billion more in his account than his closest challenge, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who retained his second place this year.

This year is Arnault’s 28th consecutive inclusion on Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list. He initially debuted on the list in 1997 with an estimated fortune of $3.1 billion.

Who is the richest woman in the world?

Men continue to dominate the billionaires list. As per Forbes, women are “still woefully underrepresented”, making up just 369 of the total 2,781 billionaires, or about 13%, the same as 2023. Once again, the wealthiest woman is 70-year-old Françoise Bettencourt Meyers,  the Fresh heiress to the L’Oréal fortune. Her estimated worth stands at $99.5 billion. As for the richest self-made woman, that title remains with Swiss shipping magnate Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, whose fortune totals $33.1 billion.

The second richest woman in the world is  Alice Walton, Walmart founder Sam Walton’s daughter, who is worth $72.3 billion.

Which country has the most number of billionaires?

The United States continues to lead with the highest count of billionaires, reaching a record 813 individuals, followed by mainland China with 406, India with 200, and Germany with 132.