The net worth of the richest people in the world is the worth of the total assets that each person owns. The net worth includes the assets minus the liabilities. In general, it is the worth of all the person’s assets, whether or not they are liquid. The 50 richest people in the world are:

William Gates III (Bill Gates), United States, net worth $40 billion from software. One of the founders of Microsoft, Bill Gates has been the richest person in the world for most of the years from 1995 to 2009.
Warren Buffett, United States, net worth $37 billion from investments. Investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO, Warren Buffet has pledged much of his wealth to philanthropic pursuits.
Carlos Slim Helu & Family, Mexico, net worth $35 billion from telecommunications. Helu is one of the major influences over Mexican telecommunications. In 2007, he was briefly considered the richest person in the world.
Lawrence Ellison – United States – Net worth $22.5B from software. Oracle CEO Ellison began in very humble circumstances and built up Oracle form a small business in 1977 to an enormous computer corporation.
Ingvar Kamprad & Family – Sweden – Net worth $22B from furniture retail. The founder of IKEA, Kamprad started selling matches as a child and built up his retail business into the multinational corporation that IKEA is today.
Karl Albrecht, Germany, net worth $21.5B from supermarket retail
Mukesh Ambani, India, net worth $19.5B from petrochemicals
Lakshmi Mittal, India, net worth $19.3B from steel
Theo Albrecht, Germany, net worth $18.8B from supermarket retail
Amancio Ortega , Spain, net worth $9.0B from apparel retail
Jim Walton, United States, net worth $17.8 billion from discount retail
Alice Walton, United States, net worth $17.6 billion from discount retail
Christy Walton and family, Untied States, net worth $17.6 billion from discount retail
S. Robson Walton, United States, net worth $17.6 billion from discount retail
Bernard Arnault, France, net worth $16.5 billion from luxury goods
Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong, net worth $16.2 billion from diversified sources
Michael Bloomberg, United States, net worth $16 billion from media ownership
Stefan Persson, Sweden, net worth $14.5 billion from fashion retail
David Koch, United States, net worth $14 billion from energy and manufacturing
Charles Koch, United States, net worth $14 billion from energy and manufacturing
Liliane Beterncourt, Germany, net worth $13.4 billion from consumer products
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, Saudi Arabia, net worth $13.3 billion from investments
Michael Otto and family, Germany, net worth $13.2 billion from retail
David Thomson and family, Canada, net worth $13 billion from media ownership
Michael Dell, United States, net worth $12.3 billion from electronics
Donald Bren net worth $12 billion from real estate
Larry Page, United States, net worth $12 billion from real estate
Sergey Brin, United States, net worth $12 billion from internet
George Soros, United States, net worth $11 billion from hedge funds
Stephen Ballmer, United States, net worth $11 billion from software
Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor and Family, net worth United Kingdom, $11 billion from real estate
Paul Allen, United States, net worth $10.5 billion from software
Kwok Family, Hong Kong, net worth $10.5 billion from real estate
Anil Ambani, India, net worth $10.1 billion from diversified sources
Ronald Perelman, net worth United States, $10 billion from investments
Susanne Klatten, net worth United States, $10 billion from pharmaceuticals
Hans Rausing, Sweden, net worth $10 billion from manufacturing
Abigail Johnson, net worth United States, $10 billion from finance
Birgit Rausing and family, net worth Sweden, $9.9 billion from manufacturing
Jack Taylor and family, net worth United States, $9.5 billion from automotive
Mikhail Prokhorov, net worth Russia, $9.5 billion from investments
Michele Ferrero and family, net worth Italy, f$9.5 billion from chocolate
Jacqueline Mars, United States, net worth $9 billion from candy and pet food
Mohammed Al Amoudi, net worth Saudi Arabia, $9 billion from oil
Forest Mars Jr., United States, net worth $9 billion from candy and pet food
John Mars, United States, net worth $9 billion from candy and pet food
Anne Cox Chambers, United States, net worth $9 billion from media ownership
Carl Icahn, United States, net worth $9 billion from investments
Lee Shau Kee, Hong Kong, net worth $9 billion from real estate
George Kaiser, United States, net worth $9 billion from oil and gas.


Visual Economics: 50 Wealthiest People in The World, Richest People in The World