Asia’s Richest Man
By Russell Flannery
Li Ka-shing holds the keys to China, but it’s his tech investments that have turned heads.

How Sara Blakely of Spanx Turned $5,000 into $1 billion
Clare O’Connor
She joins the billionaires’ club as the youngest self-made woman in the world, thanks to $5,000 and one great idea.

Sections
The Billionaires Issue
A Look Back
The Americas
Europe
United States

Front & Back
Sidelines
Readers Say
Fact & Comment
Current Events
Thoughts

The Billionaires Issue

Forbes World’s Billionaires 2012
Luisa Kroll
Our 25th anniversary World’s Billionaires List features a record 1,226 billionaires including newcomers from Glencore, Spanx, Valve and Tesla.

The World’s Billionaires
Edited By Luisa Kroll And Kerry A. Dolan
Forbes began the authoritative pursuit of the world’s billionaires 25 years ago. Our first cut yielded 140 names. This year we’ve counted an all-time high: 1,226 billionaires worth a record $4.6 trillion.

A Look Back

Interactive: 25 Years of Ranking Global Wealth
By Forbes staff
Since 1987 we’ve been tracking the world’s wealthiest people. Click an arrow to visit the milestones and stories along the way.

The Americas

The World’s Richest Man On Fixing The Global Economy
Kerry A. Dolan
The planet’s richest person has technically retired to focus on his foundation. But he’s keeping a sharp eye on his gigantic businesses-and on global affairs.

Europe

Nobody’s Bigger Than Bidzina
Julia Ioffe
The richest man in Georgia (he’s worth half the country’s GDP) is out to topple his nation’s leader. It’s either an act of patriotism--or self-preservation.

United States

Billionaire Drop-Offs
Forbes staff
This year 117 members were kicked out of the billionaires club. Another 12 dead.

In Memoriam
Fred Dreier
The world said farewell to 12 billionaires over the last year.