These 20 countries and territories are home to most of the world's 2,755 billionaires

Sarah JacksonOct 7, 2021, 22:35 IST

An office worker walks along the Singapore River front during the lunch hour.Wong Maye-E/AP

There are 2,755 people in Forbes' 35th annual ranking of the world's billionaires.
Almost every country added more billionaires in 2021, and the Top 20 had some noteworthy shakeups.
Here are the 20 countries and territories that most of the world's richest people call home.

The US and China have the lion's share of the world's richest people, unsurprisingly. But almost every country in the world saw their number of billionaire residents rise this year, according to Forbes' 2021 Billionaires List.

This means there's plenty of shakeups and surprises on the list of countries with the most billionaires.

India, for example, broke into the Top 3 after adding 19 new billionaires this year, according to Forbes' ranking. Italy, meanwhile, made it into the Top 10.

Forbes' list of billionaires for 2021 includes 2,755 people. The following places are home to 2,444 of these billionaires.

Here are the 20 countries and territories with the biggest number of the world's billionaires:

1. United States

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The US has 724 billionaires, led by Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Musk is worth $202.6 billion.

2. China

The night skyline in Shanghai. Feng Li/Getty Images

China has 626 billionaires, led by Zhong Shanshan, who chairs bottled water company Nongfu Spring. He is worth $65 billion.

3. India

Skyline in New Delhi. Shihan Shan/Getty Images

India has 140 billionaires, led by Mukesh Ambani, who chairs Reliance Industries Limited, a conglomerate with interests in telecommunications, retail, and oil and gas. He is worth $97.7 billion.

4. Germany

An unusually empty scene in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Germany has 136 billionaires, led by Beate Heister and Karl Albrecht Jr., who are heirs to the Aldi empire. They are worth $43.4 billion.

5. Russia

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Russia has 117 billionaires, led by the family of Alexey Mordashov, former CEO of steel and mining company Severstal. Mordashov and his family are worth $31 billion.

6. Hong Kong

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Hong Kong has 71 billionaires, led by Li Ka-shing. He is the former chairman of CK Asset Holdings, which operates real estate businesses, and CK Hutchison Holdings, which has interests in retail, infrastructure, and port services. He is worth $31.4 billion.

7. Brazil

Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Brazil has 65 billionaires, led by investment banker Jorge Paulo Lemann and his family. They are worth $14.9 billion.

8. Canada

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Canada has 64 billionaires, led by media magnate David Thomson and his family. Thomson and his family are worth $50.9 billion.

9. United Kingdom

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The UK has 56 billionaires, led by chemical engineer-turned-financier James Ratcliffe, who is worth $14.8 billion.

10. Italy

A general view of the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) empty and without tourists during the first day of lockdown on March 15. Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

Italy has 51 billionaires, led by Giovanni Ferrero, who is executive chairman of his family's namesake chocolate business. Ferrero is worth $34.1 billion.

11. Japan

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Japan has 49 billionaires, led by SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, who is worth $27.4 billion.

12. Taiwan

A general view of the Taipei skyline shows the Taipei 101 building before Earth Hour in Taipei, Taiwan Thomson Reuters

Taiwan has 47 billionaires, led by Terry Gou, who is the CEO of Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer. He is worth $6.4 billion.

13. Australia

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Australia has 44 billionaires, led by mining magnate Gina Rinehart, who is worth $22.4 billion.

14. South Korea

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South Korea has 43 billionaires, led by Seo Jung-jin, the co-founder of biopharmaceutical company Celltrion. He is worth $9.2 billion.

15. France

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France has 42 billionaires, led by LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and his family. Arnault and his family are worth $177.1 billion.

16. Sweden

Hotels lining the waterfront of Stockholm goga18128/Shutterstock

Sweden has 41 billionaires, led by former H&M chairman Stefan Persson, who is worth $19 billion.

17. Switzerland

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Switzerland has 40 billionaires, led by Mediterranean Shipping Company founder Gianluigi Aponte and his wife, Rafaela. The couple is worth $10.4 billion.

18. Thailand

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Thailand has 31 billionaires, led by Dhanin Chearavanont, who is chairman of conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group, which has interests in agro-industry, retail, and telecommunications. Chearavanont is worth $12.6 billion.

19. Spain

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Spain has 30 billionaires, led by Amancio Ortega, who is the co-founder of clothing retailer Inditex Group, which owns Zara. Ortega is worth $82.4 billion.

20. Singapore

An office worker walks along the Singapore River front during the lunch hour. Wong Maye-E/AP

Singapore has 27 billionaires, led by Zhang Yong, who is the chairman of hotpot restaurant chain Haidilao. Yong is worth $10.3 billion.

Turkey tied with Singapore for 20th place with 27 billionaires of its own, although Singapore had more billionaires last year than Turkey did.