Money
The Richest People in the World in 2021
Visualizing the Richest People in the World
Over $890 billion has been amassed by the ten wealthiest people since March 2020.
To put that into perspective, that’s more than the entire economic output of Sweden, Turkey, or Saudi Arabia. As just one example, Elon Musk witnessed his wealth increase at least 1,116% in the last year and a half. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has earned an additional $89 billion.
With data from the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List, we navigate how the wealth of various uber-affluent groups have changed since the beginning of the pandemic.
The 10 Richest People in the World
With a net worth of $304 billion, Elon Musk is the wealthiest in the world.
Boosting his wealth is a $100 billion valuation of SpaceX. Since February, its valuation has jumped roughly $25 billion, placing it among the most valuable private companies worldwide. The majority of Musk’s wealth, however, derives from Tesla, which recently moved its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas.
Based on data as of November 8, 2021 here are the ten wealthiest individuals worldwide:
Rank | Name | Source | Net Worth Nov 2021 | Net Worth Mar 2020 | Change 2020-2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Elon Musk | Tesla, SpaceX | $301B | $25B | $276B |
2 | Jeff Bezos | Amazon | $202B | $113B | $89B |
3 | Bernard Arnault & family | LVMH | $197B | $76B | $121B |
4 | Bill Gates | Microsoft | $139B | $98B | $41B |
5 | Larry Ellison | Oracle | $130B | $59B | $71B |
6 | Larry Page | $127B | $51B | $76B | |
7 | Sergey Brin | $122B | $49B | $73B | |
8 | Mark Zuckerberg | Meta (Facebook) | $121B | $55B | $66B |
9 | Steve Ballmer | Microsoft | $106B | $69B | $37B |
10 | Warren Buffett | Berkshire Hathaway | $105B | $68B | $37B |
Top 10 Wealth Growth
Since the onset of the pandemic, Musk has seen his wealth grow the fastest out of the top 10. Over the third quarter of 2021, Tesla net income topped $1.6 billion—a company record. This surge helped the entrepreneur become the first person to cross the $300 billion net worth threshold.
Yet once again, Musk surpassed Jeff Bezos as the richest person in the world. This is impressive, since Jeff Bezos’s wealth ballooned over 79% in the same time frame. Similarly, Zuckerberg, Gates, and Buffett have all seen double or triple-digit growth.
Following Musk and Bezos is Bernard Arnault, known as “The Wolf in Cashmere”. The French magnate has made over $121 billion spurred by a 43% jump in LVMH revenues over 2021. Earlier this year, LVMH closed a $15.8 billion acquisition of jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co.
On average, the top 10 richest have seen gains of 204% over the course of the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, the majority were in tech.
Who’s In and Who’s Out?
As of early August, Rihanna joins the billionaire’s club with an estimated $1.7 billion net worth.
Thanks to the rapid ascent of Fenty Beauty (of which she owns a 50% stake), Rihanna is the second-wealthiest female entertainer in the world, following Oprah at $2.7 billion. The company is focused on inclusivity, offering a broad set of products for every skin type. Launched in 2017 with LVMH (who owns the other 50% stake), Fenty Beauty currently sits at a $2.8 billion valuation.
By contrast, last year’s youngest billionaire, Kylie Jenner, fell off the list after allegedly inflating her net worth. Interestingly, the Kardashian’s took great lengths to show Forbes the extent of her wealth, including showing them their tax returns along with invitations to their mansions.
Still, Jenner’s net worth stands at roughly $700 million.
A New Gilded Age?
Given the staggering growth of the ultra-wealthy in recent years, today’s wealth concentration is now comparable to America’s Gilded Age.
At the time, John D. Rockefeller was the richest person in the world—worth roughly $285 billion in today’s terms. His businesses produced 1.6% of total U.S. economic output.
By comparison, Elon Musk, at over $304 billion, still has a little ways to go just yet.
The data and graphics were last updated on November 8th, 2021.
Markets
Visualizing $97 Trillion of Global Debt in 2023
Global debt has soared since the pandemic. Which countries have the biggest stockpile of debt outstanding in 2023?

Visualizing $97 Trillion of Global Debt in 2023
Global debt is projected to hit $97.1 trillion this year, a 40% increase since 2019.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments introduced sweeping financial measures to support the job market and prevent a wave of bankruptcies. However, this has exposed vulnerabilities as higher interest rates are amplifying borrowing costs.
This graphic shows global debt by country in 2023, based on projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Debt by Country in 2023
Below, we rank countries by their general government gross debt, or the financial liabilities owed by each country:
Country | Gross Debt (B) | % of World Total | Debt to GDP |
---|---|---|---|
🇺🇸 U.S. | $33,228.9 | 34.2% | 123.3% |
🇨🇳 China | $14,691.7 | 15.1% | 83.0% |
🇯🇵 Japan | $10,797.2 | 11.1% | 255.2% |
🇬🇧 UK | $3,468.7 | 3.6% | 104.1% |
🇫🇷 France | $3,353.9 | 3.5% | 110.0% |
🇮🇹 Italy | $3,141.4 | 3.2% | 143.7% |
🇮🇳 India | $3,056.7 | 3.1% | 81.9% |
🇩🇪 Germany | $2,919.3 | 3.0% | 65.9% |
🇨🇦 Canada | $2,253.3 | 2.3% | 106.4% |
🇧🇷 Brazil | $1,873.7 | 1.9% | 88.1% |
🇪🇸 Spain | $1,697.5 | 1.7% | 107.3% |
🇲🇽 Mexico | $954.6 | 1.0% | 52.7% |
🇰🇷 South Korea | $928.1 | 1.0% | 54.3% |
🇦🇺 Australia | $875.9 | 0.9% | 51.9% |
🇸🇬 Singapore | $835.0 | 0.9% | 167.9% |
🇧🇪 Belgium | $665.2 | 0.7% | 106.0% |
🇦🇷 Argentina | $556.5 | 0.6% | 89.5% |
🇮🇩 Indonesia | $552.8 | 0.6% | 39.0% |
🇳🇱 Netherlands | $540.9 | 0.6% | 49.5% |
🇵🇱 Poland | $419.4 | 0.4% | 49.8% |
🇬🇷 Greece | $407.2 | 0.4% | 168.0% |
🇹🇷 Türkiye | $397.2 | 0.4% | 34.4% |
🇷🇺 Russia | $394.8 | 0.4% | 21.2% |
🇦🇹 Austria | $393.6 | 0.4% | 74.8% |
🇪🇬 Egypt | $369.3 | 0.4% | 92.7% |
🇨🇭 Switzerland | $357.7 | 0.4% | 39.5% |
🇹🇭 Thailand | $314.5 | 0.3% | 61.4% |
🇮🇱 Israel | $303.6 | 0.3% | 58.2% |
🇵🇹 Portugal | $299.4 | 0.3% | 108.3% |
🇲🇾 Malaysia | $288.3 | 0.3% | 66.9% |
🇿🇦 South Africa | $280.7 | 0.3% | 73.7% |
🇵🇰 Pakistan | $260.9 | 0.3% | 76.6% |
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $257.7 | 0.3% | 24.1% |
🇮🇪 Ireland | $251.7 | 0.3% | 42.7% |
🇵🇭 Philippines | $250.9 | 0.3% | 57.6% |
🇫🇮 Finland | $225.0 | 0.2% | 73.6% |
🇳🇴 Norway | $204.5 | 0.2% | 37.4% |
🇨🇴 Colombia | $200.1 | 0.2% | 55.0% |
🇹🇼 Taiwan | $200.0 | 0.2% | 26.6% |
🇸🇪 Sweden | $192.9 | 0.2% | 32.3% |
🇷🇴 Romania | $178.7 | 0.2% | 51.0% |
🇧🇩 Bangladesh | $175.9 | 0.2% | 39.4% |
🇺🇦 Ukraine | $152.8 | 0.2% | 88.1% |
🇨🇿 Czech Republic | $152.2 | 0.2% | 45.4% |
🇳🇬 Nigeria | $151.3 | 0.2% | 38.8% |
🇦🇪 UAE | $149.7 | 0.2% | 29.4% |
🇻🇳 Vietnam | $147.3 | 0.2% | 34.0% |
🇭🇺 Hungary | $140.0 | 0.1% | 68.7% |
🇨🇱 Chile | $132.2 | 0.1% | 38.4% |
🇩🇰 Denmark | $126.7 | 0.1% | 30.1% |
🇮🇶 Iraq | $125.5 | 0.1% | 49.2% |
🇩🇿 Algeria | $123.5 | 0.1% | 55.1% |
🇳🇿 New Zealand | $115.0 | 0.1% | 46.1% |
🇮🇷 Iran | $112.1 | 0.1% | 30.6% |
🇲🇦 Morocco | $102.7 | 0.1% | 69.7% |
🇶🇦 Qatar | $97.5 | 0.1% | 41.4% |
🇵🇪 Peru | $89.7 | 0.1% | 33.9% |
🇦🇴 Angola | $79.6 | 0.1% | 84.9% |
🇰🇪 Kenya | $79.1 | 0.1% | 70.2% |
🇸🇰 Slovakia | $75.4 | 0.1% | 56.7% |
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | $72.1 | 0.1% | 59.8% |
🇪🇨 Ecuador | $65.9 | 0.1% | 55.5% |
🇸🇩 Sudan | $65.5 | 0.1% | 256.0% |
🇬🇭 Ghana | $65.1 | 0.1% | 84.9% |
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | $60.7 | 0.1% | 23.4% |
🇪🇹 Ethiopia | $59.0 | 0.1% | 37.9% |
🇧🇭 Bahrain | $54.5 | 0.1% | 121.2% |
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | $53.9 | 0.1% | 63.0% |
🇭🇷 Croatia | $51.2 | 0.1% | 63.8% |
🇺🇾 Uruguay | $47.0 | 0.0% | 61.6% |
🇯🇴 Jordan | $46.9 | 0.0% | 93.8% |
🇸🇮 Slovenia | $46.8 | 0.0% | 68.5% |
🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire | $45.1 | 0.0% | 56.8% |
🇵🇦 Panama | $43.5 | 0.0% | 52.8% |
🇲🇲 Myanmar | $43.0 | 0.0% | 57.5% |
🇴🇲 Oman | $41.4 | 0.0% | 38.2% |
🇹🇳 Tunisia | $39.9 | 0.0% | 77.8% |
🇷🇸 Serbia | $38.5 | 0.0% | 51.3% |
🇧🇴 Bolivia | $37.8 | 0.0% | 80.8% |
🇹🇿 Tanzania | $35.8 | 0.0% | 42.6% |
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | $31.7 | 0.0% | 35.1% |
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | $30.9 | 0.0% | 95.4% |
🇧🇾 Belarus | $30.4 | 0.0% | 44.1% |
🇬🇹 Guatemala | $29.1 | 0.0% | 28.3% |
🇱🇹 Lithuania | $28.7 | 0.0% | 36.1% |
🇸🇻 El Salvador | $25.8 | 0.0% | 73.0% |
🇺🇬 Uganda | $25.3 | 0.0% | 48.3% |
🇸🇳 Senegal | $25.2 | 0.0% | 81.0% |
🇨🇾 Cyprus | $25.2 | 0.0% | 78.6% |
🇱🇺 Luxembourg | $24.6 | 0.0% | 27.6% |
🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR | $23.5 | 0.0% | 6.1% |
🇧🇬 Bulgaria | $21.7 | 0.0% | 21.0% |
🇨🇲 Cameroon | $20.6 | 0.0% | 41.9% |
🇲🇿 Mozambique | $19.7 | 0.0% | 89.7% |
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | $19.6 | 0.0% | 16.7% |
🇳🇵 Nepal | $19.3 | 0.0% | 46.7% |
🇱🇻 Latvia | $18.9 | 0.0% | 40.6% |
🇮🇸 Iceland | $18.7 | 0.0% | 61.2% |
🇵🇾 Paraguay | $18.1 | 0.0% | 40.9% |
🇱🇦 Lao P.D.R. | $17.3 | 0.0% | 121.7% |
🇭🇳 Honduras | $15.7 | 0.0% | 46.3% |
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | $15.7 | 0.0% | 49.5% |
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago | $14.6 | 0.0% | 52.5% |
🇦🇱 Albania | $14.5 | 0.0% | 62.9% |
🇨🇬 Republic of Congo | $14.1 | 0.0% | 97.8% |
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | $14.1 | 0.0% | 18.2% |
🇾🇪 Yemen | $14.0 | 0.0% | 66.4% |
🇯🇲 Jamaica | $13.6 | 0.0% | 72.3% |
🇲🇳 Mongolia | $13.1 | 0.0% | 69.9% |
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | $12.7 | 0.0% | 61.2% |
🇬🇦 Gabon | $12.5 | 0.0% | 64.9% |
🇬🇪 Georgia | $11.9 | 0.0% | 39.6% |
🇲🇺 Mauritius | $11.8 | 0.0% | 79.7% |
🇦🇲 Armenia | $11.8 | 0.0% | 47.9% |
🇧🇸 Bahamas | $11.7 | 0.0% | 84.2% |
🇲🇱 Mali | $11.0 | 0.0% | 51.8% |
🇲🇹 Malta | $11.0 | 0.0% | 54.1% |
🇰🇭 Cambodia | $10.9 | 0.0% | 35.3% |
🇧🇯 Benin | $10.6 | 0.0% | 53.0% |
🇲🇼 Malawi | $10.4 | 0.0% | 78.6% |
🇪🇪 Estonia | $9.0 | 0.0% | 21.6% |
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of Congo | $9.0 | 0.0% | 13.3% |
🇷🇼 Rwanda | $8.8 | 0.0% | 63.3% |
🇳🇦 Namibia | $8.5 | 0.0% | 67.6% |
🇲🇬 Madagascar | $8.5 | 0.0% | 54.0% |
🇳🇪 Niger | $8.3 | 0.0% | 48.7% |
🇲🇰 North Macedonia | $8.2 | 0.0% | 51.6% |
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | $7.7 | 0.0% | 28.6% |
🇲🇻 Maldives | $7.7 | 0.0% | 110.3% |
🇬🇳 Guinea | $7.3 | 0.0% | 31.6% |
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | $7.2 | 0.0% | 41.5% |
🇧🇧 Barbados | $7.2 | 0.0% | 115.0% |
🇹🇬 Togo | $6.1 | 0.0% | 67.2% |
🇰🇬 Kyrgyz Republic | $6.0 | 0.0% | 47.0% |
🇲🇩 Moldova | $5.6 | 0.0% | 35.1% |
🇹🇩 Chad | $5.4 | 0.0% | 43.2% |
🇰🇼 Kuwait | $5.4 | 0.0% | 3.4% |
🇲🇷 Mauritania | $5.1 | 0.0% | 49.5% |
🇭🇹 Haiti | $5.1 | 0.0% | 19.6% |
🇬🇾 Guyana | $4.9 | 0.0% | 29.9% |
🇲🇪 Montenegro | $4.6 | 0.0% | 65.8% |
🇫🇯 Fiji | $4.6 | 0.0% | 83.6% |
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | $4.2 | 0.0% | 5.1% |
🇹🇯 Tajikistan | $4.0 | 0.0% | 33.5% |
🇧🇼 Botswana | $3.9 | 0.0% | 18.7% |
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | $3.8 | 0.0% | 38.3% |
🇸🇷 Suriname | $3.8 | 0.0% | 107.0% |
🇸🇸 South Sudan | $3.8 | 0.0% | 60.4% |
🇧🇹 Bhutan | $3.3 | 0.0% | 123.4% |
🇦🇼 Aruba | $3.2 | 0.0% | 82.9% |
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | $3.1 | 0.0% | 88.9% |
🇨🇻 Cabo Verde | $2.9 | 0.0% | 113.1% |
🇧🇮 Burundi | $2.3 | 0.0% | 72.7% |
🇱🇷 Liberia | $2.3 | 0.0% | 52.3% |
🇽🇰 Kosovo | $2.2 | 0.0% | 21.3% |
🇸🇿 Eswatini | $2.0 | 0.0% | 42.4% |
🇧🇿 Belize | $1.9 | 0.0% | 59.3% |
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | $1.8 | 0.0% | 74.2% |
🇬🇲 Gambia | $1.7 | 0.0% | 72.3% |
🇩🇯 Djibouti | $1.6 | 0.0% | 41.8% |
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda | $1.6 | 0.0% | 80.5% |
🇸🇲 San Marino | $1.5 | 0.0% | 74.0% |
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | $1.5 | 0.0% | 73.9% |
🇱🇸 Lesotho | $1.5 | 0.0% | 61.3% |
🇦🇩 Andorra | $1.4 | 0.0% | 37.7% |
🇨🇫 Central African Republic | $1.4 | 0.0% | 50.1% |
🇸🇨 Seychelles | $1.3 | 0.0% | 60.8% |
🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | $0.9 | 0.0% | 86.2% |
🇬🇩 Grenada | $0.8 | 0.0% | 60.2% |
🇩🇲 Dominica | $0.7 | 0.0% | 93.9% |
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis | $0.6 | 0.0% | 53.2% |
🇻🇺 Vanuatu | $0.5 | 0.0% | 46.8% |
🇰🇲 Comoros | $0.5 | 0.0% | 33.3% |
🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe | $0.4 | 0.0% | 58.5% |
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | $0.4 | 0.0% | 22.2% |
🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam | $0.3 | 0.0% | 2.3% |
🇼🇸 Samoa | $0.3 | 0.0% | 36.2% |
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | $0.3 | 0.0% | 16.4% |
🇵🇼 Palau | $0.2 | 0.0% | 85.4% |
🇹🇴 Tonga | $0.2 | 0.0% | 41.1% |
🇫🇲 Micronesia | $0.1 | 0.0% | 12.5% |
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | $0.1 | 0.0% | 18.1% |
🇳🇷 Nauru | <$0.1 | 0.0% | 29.1% |
🇰🇮 Kiribati | <$0.1 | 0.0% | 13.1% |
🇹🇻 Tuvalu | <$0.1 | 0.0% | 8.0% |
🇲🇴 Macao SAR | <$0.1 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
🌐 World | $97,129.8 | 100% | 93.0% |
With $33.2 trillion in government debt, the U.S. makes up over a third of the world total.
Given the increasing debt load, the cost of servicing this debt now accounts for 20% of government spending. It is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2028, surpassing the total spent on defense.
The world’s third-biggest economy, Japan, has one of the highest debt to GDP ratios, at 255%. Over the last two decades, its national debt has far exceeded 100% of its GDP, driven by an aging population and social security expenses.
In 2023, Egypt faces steep borrowing costs, with 40% of revenues going towards debt repayments. It has the highest debt on the continent.
Like Egypt, several emerging companies are facing strain. Lebanon has been in default since 2020, and Ghana defaulted on the majority of its external debt—debt owed to foreign lenders—in 2022 amid a deepening economic crisis.
Global Debt: A Regional Perspective
How does debt compare on a regional level in 2023?
Region | Gross Debt (B) | % of World Total | Debt to GDP |
---|---|---|---|
North America | $36,451.8 | 37.5% | 117.6% |
Asia and Pacific | $34,257.4 | 35.3% | 92.5% |
Europe | $20,123.4 | 20.7% | 79.1% |
South America | $3,164.9 | 3.3% | 77.2% |
Africa | $1,863.6 | 1.9% | 65.2% |
Other/Rest of World | $1,269.1 | 1.3% | 31.4% |
We can see that North America has both the highest debt and debt to GDP compared to other regions. Just as U.S. debt has ballooned, so has Canada’s—ranking as the 10th-highest globally in government debt outstanding.
Across Asia and the Pacific, debt levels hover close to North America.
At 3.3% of the global total, South America has $3.2 trillion in debt. As inflation has trended downwards, a handful of governments have already begun cutting interest rates. Overall, public debt levels are projected to stay elevated across the region.
Debt levels have also risen rapidly in Africa, with an average 40% of public debt held in foreign currencies—leaving it exposed to exchange rate fluctuations. Another challenge is that interest rates are also higher across the region compared to advanced economies, increasing debt-servicing costs.
By 2028, the IMF projects that global public debt will exceed 100% of GDP, hitting levels only seen during the pandemic.
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