13 countries that have only one billionaire

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13 countries that have only one billionaire

Thor Bjorgolfsson and Kristin Olafsdottir

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Thor Bjorgolfsson, left, is Iceland's only billionaire.

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In 2019, there are approximately 2,153 billionaires in the world, according to Forbes.

Most of these ultra-wealthy individuals are concentrated in countries like the US, China, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The US is home to the highest number of billionaires: an estimated 705. That's followed by China with an estimated 285 billionaires, and Germany with 146.

Some countries, however, are home to just one billionaire. Business Insider scoured Forbes' billionaires ranking to find which nations have just one billionaire, and then compared each billionaire's wealth to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country, based on data from the World Bank.

In Liechtenstein, for example, the country's only billionaire is worth almost half of the GDP of the whole country. And the richest man in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is actually worth about $600 million more than his country's GDP.

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Here are 13 countries that have only one billionaire.

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Algeria: Issad Rebrab

Algeria: Issad Rebrab

Net worth: $3.8 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~2.1%

Source of wealth: Food

Rebrab is the founder and CEO of Algeria's largest privately-held company, Cevital, which owns one of the world's largest sugar refineries. The company also owns an Italian steel mill, a French appliances maker, and a German water purification company.

All five of Rebrab's children work at Cevital.

Angola: Isabel dos Santos

Angola: Isabel dos Santos

Net worth: $2.2 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~2.0%

Source of wealth: Investments

Dos Santos is the oldest daughter of Angola's former president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who left office in 2017. According to Forbes, Dos Santos acquired stakes in Angolan companies like banks and a telecom firm during her father's presidency.

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Georgia: Bidzina Ivanishvili

Georgia: Bidzina Ivanishvili

Net worth: $4.9 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~30.2%

Source of wealth: Investments

Ivanishvili amassed his fortune in Russia in the metals and banking industries before moving back to Georgia in 2013. He served as Georgia's prime minister for 13 months in 2012 and 2013.

Iceland: Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson

Iceland: Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson

Net worth $2.2 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~ 8.5%

Source of wealth: Investments

Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson began to amass his fortune in the Russian beer industry, cofounding Bravo brewery and creating the Botchkarov beer brand.

He has investments in Polish and Chilean telecom companies, cryptocurrencies, and startups including Zwift, BeamUp, and Deliveroo. Björgólfsson went almost completely broke during the 2008 recession when he had to pay off more than $1 billion in debt.

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Kuwait: Kutayba Alghanim

Kuwait: Kutayba Alghanim

Net worth: $1.4 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~0.9%

Source of wealth: Diversified

Alghanim is the chairman of Alghanim Industries, a conglomerate founded by his father in the 1930s. The company sells General Motors and Ford cars in Kuwait and owns other businesses, including Wendy's restaurants in the Middle East.

Liechtenstein: Christoph Zeller

Liechtenstein: Christoph Zeller

Net worth: $3 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~48.2%

Source of wealth: Dental products

Zeller is the former CEO and now a supervising board member of Ivoclar Vivadent AG, a Lichtenstein-based dental products company with offices in 25 countries. Zeller's grandfather, Dr. Adolph Schneider, bought the company in 1948. Zeller served as CEO from 1990 to 2003.

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Nepal: Binod Chaudhary

Nepal: Binod Chaudhary

Net worth: $1.7 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~5.9%

Source of wealth: Diversified

Chaudhary holds a controlling stake in CG Corp Global, which makes the popular Wai Wai noodles, owns 30 hotels, and manages 55 more.

His two sons help him run the company.

Portugal: Maria Fernanda Amorim

Portugal: Maria Fernanda Amorim

Net worth: $4.9 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~2.0%

Source of wealth: Energy, investments

Amorim was married to Americo Amorim. After he died in 2017, she and her three daughters inherited his fortune, which was made in the family's cork business, Corticeira Amorim, as well as international investments in energy and banks.

She has an estimated 18% stake in Galp Energia, a Portuguese oil and gas company.

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Qatar: Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani

Qatar: Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani

Net worth: $1.2 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~0.6%

Source of wealth: Hotels, diversified

Al Thani is the founder and chairman of Al Faisal Holding, one of Qatar's largest conglomerates, which owns more than 20 hotels worldwide, including the St. Regis in Washington, DC and Miami, and the W Hotel in London.

His company also holds a majority stake in Aamal, which sells medical supplies and pharmaceuticals and owns real estate in Qatar.

Romania: Ion Tiriac

Romania: Ion Tiriac

Net worth: $1.1 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~0.4%

Source of wealth: Banking, insurance

Tiriac has a minority stake in Romanian insurance company Allianz-Tiriac and has also made investments in automobile dealerships, petroleum, and real estate.

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Eswatini (formerly Swaziland): Nathan Kirsh

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland): Nathan Kirsh

Net worth: $5.3 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~112%

Source of wealth: Retail, real estate

Kirsh owns 70% of Jetro Holdings, a wholesale supplier of goods to small stores and restaurants.

He's also invested in commercial property development.

Tanzania: Mohammed Dewji

Tanzania: Mohammed Dewji

Net worth: $1.9 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~3.3%

Source of wealth: Diversified

Dewji is the CEO of METL, a Tanzanian conglomerate that deals in textile manufacturing, flour milling, beverages, and edible oils in at least six African countries. His father founded the company in the 1970s.

Dewji signed the Giving Pledge in 2016, promising to give at least half his wealth to charity.

In October 2018, he was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint and held for nine days.

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Zimbabwe: Strive Masiyiwa

Zimbabwe: Strive Masiyiwa

Net worth: $2.8 billion

Percentage of country's GDP: ~9.0%

Source of wealth: Telecom

Masiyiwa is the founder and 50% owner of mobile network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe.

He also owns more than half of Liquid Telecom, a private company that supplies fiber optic and satellite services to telecom companies throughout Africa.