Last year saw an additional 102 people around the world become billionaires, according to the latest Forbes magazine’s 2006 rankings of the ...

Last year saw an additional 102 people around the world become billionaires, according to the latest Forbes magazine’s 2006 rankings of the world’s richest people.

There are now 793 billionaires and their combined wealth grew 18 per cent to $2.6 trillion, according to the study.

Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates was again the world's richest man for the 12th year running. Mr Gates saw his net worth rising to $50 billion from $46.5 billion. Investor Warren Buffett, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway again ranked second, but his fortune fell by $2 billion to $42 billion.

The rest of the top 10 saw three names dropping out of that select group: German supermarket company owner Karl Albrecht, Oracle’s Lawrence Ellison and Wal-Mart chairman S. Robson Walton.

Mexican telecom billionaire Carlos Slim Helu moved up one place to No. 3 with $30 billion, replacing Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who fell one place to No. 5 with $23.5 billion.

Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad of Sweden rose two places to No. 4 with $28 billion. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen moved up to sixth place from No. 7, with $22 billion.

France's Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH and The Christian Dior Group, entered the top ten for the fist time with $21.5 billion. Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud fell to eighth place from No. 5, with $20 billion; and Canadian publisher Kenneth Thomson and his family moved into the top 10, ranking No. 9 with $19.6 billion.

Hong Kong's Li Ka-shing rose to No. 10 with $18.8 billion. Ka-shing is the chairman of Cheung Kong and Hutchinson Whampoa.

The Walton family, which dominated the upper places of the Forbes list in recent years, fell in this year's ranking as stock in the world's largest retailer dropped more than 10 per cent in the past year.

S. Robson Walton, who last year ranked 10th, fell to 19th with $15.8 billion. Christy Walton and Jim Walton tied for 17th with $15.9 billion each, while Alice Walton followed Rob Walton at $15.7 billion. Helen Walton came in at No. 21 with $15.6 billion.

The top 100 are listed below, with how much they have, country they are from, company/sector associated with and age.

1. William Gates III, U.S., 50, $50, Microsoft
2. Warren Buffett, U.S., 75, $42, Berkshire Hathaway
3. Carlos Slim Helu, Mexico, 66, $30, telecom
4. Ingvar Kamprad, Sweden, 79, $28, Ikea
5. Lakshmi Mittal, India, 55, $23.5, steel
6. Paul Allen, Washington, 53, $22, Microsoft, investments
7. Bernard Arnault, France, 57, $21.5, LVMH
8. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, Saudi Arabia, 49, $20, investments
9. Kenneth Thomson and family, Canada, 82, $19.6, publishing
10. Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong, 77, $18.8, diversified
11. Roman Abramovich, Russia, 39, $18.2, oil
12. Michael Dell, U.S., 41, $17.1, Dell
13. Karl Albrecht, Germany, 86, $17, supermarkets
14. Sheldon Adelson, U.S., 72, $16.1, casinos, hotels
15. Liliane Bettencourt, France, 83, $16, L'Oreal
15. Lawrence Ellison, U.S., 61, $16, Oracle
17. Christy Walton, U.S., 51, $15.9, Wal-Mart inheritance
17. Jim Walton, U.S., 58, $15.9, Wal-Mart
19. S. Robson Walton, U.S., 62, $15.8, Wal-Mart
20. Alice Walton, U.S., 56, $15.7, Wal-Mart
21. Helen Walton, U.S., 86, $15.6, Wal-Mart
22. Theo Albrecht, Germany, 83, $15.2, supermarkets
23. Amancio Ortega, Spain, 70, $14.8, Zara
24. Steven Ballmer, U.S., 50, $13.6, Microsoft
25. Azim Premji, India, 60, $13.3, software
26. Sergey Brin, U.S., 32, $12.9, Google
27. Larry Page, U.S., 33, $12.8, Google
28. Abigail Johnson, U.S., 44, $12.5, Fidelity
29. Nasser Al-Kharafi and family, Kuwait, 62, $12.4, construction
29. Barbara Cox Anthony, Hawaii, 82, $12.4, Cox Enterprises
29. Anne Cox Chambers, U.S., 86, $12.4, Cox Enterprises
32. Stefan Persson, Sweden, 58, $12.3, Hennes & Mauritz
33. Charles Koch, U.S., 70, $12, oil, commodities
33. David Koch, U.S., 65, $12, oil, commodities
35. Raymond, Thomas and Walter Kwok, Hong Kong, $11.6, real estate
36. Adolf Merckle, Germany, 71, $11.5, drugs
37. Sulaiman Bin Abdul Al Rajhi, Saudi Arabia, 86, $11, banking
37. Vagit Alekperov, Russia, 55, $11, oil
37. Silvio Berlusconi, Italy, 69, $11, media
37. Lee Shau Kee, Hong Kong, 78, $11, real estate
41. Vladimir Lisin, Russia, 49, $10.7, steel
42. Michael Otto and family, Germany, 62, $10.4, retail
43. Pierre Omidyar, U.S., 38, $10.1, eBay
44. Leonardo Del Vecchio, Italy, 70, $10, eyewear
44. Michele Ferrero and family, Italy, 79, $10, chocolates
44. Forrest Mars Jr., U.S., 74, $10, candy
44. Jacqueline Mars, U.S., 66, $10, candy
44. John Mars, U.S., 69, $10, candy
44. Viktor Vekselberg, Russia, 48, $10, oil, metals
50. Mikhail Fridman, Russia, 41, $9.7, oil, banking
51. Spiro Latsis and family, Greece, 59, $9.1, banking
52. John Kluge, U.S., 91, $9, Metromedia
53. Carl Icahn, U.S., 70, $8.7, leveraged buyouts
53. Kirk Kerkorian, U.S., 88, $8.7, investments, casinos
55. Birgit Rausing and family, Sweden, 82, $8.6, packaging
56. Mukesh Ambani, India, 48, $8.5, petrochemicals
56. Serge Dassault and family, France, 80, $8.5, aviation
56. Hans Rausing, Sweden, 80, $8.5, packaging
59. Galen Weston and family, Canada, 65, $8.4, retail
60. Susanne Klatten, Germany, 43, $8.1, BMW
61. Rudolf August Oetker and family, Germany, 89, $8, food
62. Oleg Deripaska, Russia, 37, $7.8, aluminum
63. Sumner Redstone, U.S., 82, $7.7, Viacom
64. Alexei Mordashov, Russia, 40, $7.6, steel
65. Donald Newhouse, U.S., 76, $7.5, publishing
65. Samuel Newhouse Jr., New York, 78, $7.5, publishing
65. Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, France, $7.5, Chanel
65. Reinhold Wurth, Germany, 70, $7.5, manufacturing
69. Joseph and Moise Safra, Brazil, $7.4, banking
70. Philip Knight, Oregon, 68, $7.3, Nike
71. George Soros, U.S., 75, $7.2, hedge funds
72. Ernesto Bertarelli, Switzerland, 40, $7.1, biotech
72. Suleiman Kerimov, Russia, 40, $7.1, stocks
74. Philip and Cristina Green, Britain, $7, retail
74. Francois Pinault, France, 69, $7, retail
74. August von Finck, Germany, 76, $7, investments
77. Mohammed Al Amoudi, Saudi Arabia, 60, $6.9, oil
77. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair and family, United Arab Emirates, 52, $6.9, banking
79. Maria-Elisabeth and Georg Schaeffler, Germany, $6.8, ball bearings
80. Charles Ergen, U.S., 53, $6.7, EchoStar
80. Edward Johnson III, U.S., 75, $6.7, Fidelity
82. Kun-Hee Lee and family, South Korea, 64, $6.6, Samsung
82. Stefan Quandt, Germany, 40, $6.6, BMW
84. Saleh Bin Abdul Aziz Al Rajhi, Saudi Arabia, 94, $6.5, banking
84. Rafael del Pino and family, Spain, 85, $6.5, construction
84. Stanley Ho, Hong Kong, 84, $6.5, gaming
84. Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller, Denmark, 92, $6.5, shipping
84. Keith Rupert Murdoch, U.S., 75, $6.5, News Corp.
89. Philip Anschutz, U.S., 66, $6.4, investments
89. Hasso Plattner, Germany, 62, $6.4, SAP
89. Vladimir Potanin, Russia, 45, $6.4, metals
89. Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia, 40, $6.4, metals
93. Vladimir Yevtushenkov, Russia, 57, $6.3, telecom
94. Micky Arison, U.S., 56, $6.1, Carnival Cruises
94. Curt Engelhorn, Germany, 79, $6.1, drugs
94. Friedrich Flick Jr., Germany, 79, $6.1, investments
94. German Khan, Russia, 44, $6.1, oil, banking
94. Ronald Perelman, U.S., 63, $6.1, leveraged buyouts
94. Johanna Quandt, Germany, 78, $6.1, BMW
100. Dan Duncan, U.S., 73, $6, energy