document_title: List of Asian countries by area

question_text: which is the asia's smallest country in term of area and population

question_tokens: which is the asia 's smallest country in term of area and population

text: List of Asian countries by area

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Below is a list of all the Asian countries, in order of geographical area. Asia's total geographical area is 44,579,000 km².

text: Note: Some of these countries are transcontinental or have territory located somewhere other than Asia. These countries are marked with an asterisk (*).

text:
Rank
Country
Area (km²)
Notes

1
 Russia*
13,100,000
17,125,200 including European part

2
 China
9,596,961
excludes Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and disputed areas/islands

3
 India[1]
3,287,263

4
 Kazakhstan*
2,455,034
2,724,902 km² including European part

5
 Saudi Arabia
2,149,690

6
 Iran
1,648,195

7
 Mongolia
1,564,110

8
 Indonesia*
1,472,639
1,904,569 km² including Oceanian part

9
 Pakistan
796,095
882,363 km² including Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK

10
 Turkey*
747,272
783,562 km² including European part

11
 Myanmar
676,578

12
 Afghanistan
652,230

13
 Yemen
527,968

14
 Thailand
513,120

15
 Turkmenistan
488,100

16
 Uzbekistan
447,400

17
 Iraq
438,317

18
 Japan
377,930

19
 Vietnam
331,212

20
 Malaysia
330,803

21
 Oman
309,500

22
 Philippines
300,000

23
 Laos
236,800

24
 Kyrgyzstan
199,951

25
 Syria
185,180
Includes the parts of the Golan Heights

26
 Cambodia
181,035

27
 Bangladesh
147,570

28
 Nepal
147,181

29
 Tajikistan
143,100

30
 North Korea
120,538

31
 South Korea
100,210

32
 Jordan
89,342

33
 Azerbaijan*
86,600
Sometimes considered part of Europe.

34
 United Arab Emirates
83,600

35
 Georgia*
69,000
Sometimes considered part of Europe.

36
 Sri Lanka
65,610

37
 Egypt*
60,000
1,002,450 km² including African part

38
 Bhutan
38,394

39
 Taiwan
36,193

40
 Armenia*
29,843
Sometimes considered part of Europe.

41
 Israel
20,273

42
 Kuwait
17,818

43
 Timor-Leste
14,874

44
 Qatar
11,586

45
 Lebanon
10,452

46
 Cyprus
9,251
5,896  km² excluding Northern Cyprus. Politically sometimes considered part of Europe.

47
 Palestine
6,220

48
 Brunei
5,765

49
 Bahrain
765

50
 Singapore
716

51
 Maldives
300

Total
44,579,000


document_title: List of current Indian chief ministers

question_text: list of current chief ministers of india 2018

root

text: List of current Indian chief ministers

text: In the Republic of India, a chief minister is the head of government of each of twenty-nine states and two union territories (Delhi and Puducherry). According to the Constitution of India, at the state-level, the governor is de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister. Following elections to the state legislative assembly, the governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Given he has the assembly's confidence, the chief minister's term is usually for a maximum of five years; there are no limits to the number of terms he/she can serve.[1]

tag: p

text: Since June 2018, the office of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir has been vacant; Governor's rule is in force there. Of the thirty incumbents, two are women—Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan. Serving since December 1994 (for 23 years, 318 days), Sikkim's Pawan Kumar Chamling has the longest incumbency. Amarinder Singh (b. 1942) of Punjab is the oldest chief minister while Arunachal Pradesh's Pema Khandu (b. 1979) is the youngest.[2] Fifteen incumbents belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party and three to the Indian National Congress; no other party has more than one chief minister in office.

text: Current Indian chief ministers[edit]

text:
Colour key for parties

  Aam Aadmi Party
  All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
  All India Trinamool Congress
  Bharatiya Janata Party
  Biju Janata Dal
  Communist Party of India (Marxist)
  Indian National Congress
  Janata Dal (Secular)
  Janata Dal (United)
  Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party
  National People's Party
  Sikkim Democratic Front
  Telangana Rashtra Samithi
  Telugu Desam Party
  N/A (Governor's rule)

tag: table

text:
State(past chief ministers)

Name[3]

Portrait

Took office(tenure length)

Party[a]

Ref

Andhra Pradesh(list)

N. Chandrababu Naidu

8 June 2014(7003160100000000000♠4 years, 140 days)

Telugu Desam Party

[4]

Arunachal Pradesh(list)

Pema Khandu

17 July 2016(7002831000000000000♠2 years, 101 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[5][6]

Assam(list)

Sarbananda Sonowal

24 May 2016(7002885000000000000♠2 years, 155 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[7]

Bihar(list)

Nitish Kumar

22 February 2015(7003134200000000000♠3 years, 246 days)

Janata Dal (United)

[8]

Chhattisgarh(list)

Raman Singh

7 December 2003(7003543700000000000♠14 years, 323 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[9]

Delhi[b](list)

Arvind Kejriwal

14 February 2015(7003135000000000000♠3 years, 254 days)

Aam Aadmi Party

[10]

Goa(list)

Manohar Parrikar

14 March 2017(7002591000000000000♠1 year, 226 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[11]

Gujarat(list)

Vijay Rupani

7 August 2016(7002810000000000000♠2 years, 80 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[12]

Haryana(list)

Manohar Lal Khattar

26 October 2014(7003146100000000000♠4 years, 0 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[13]

Himachal Pradesh(list)

Jai Ram Thakur

27 December 2017(7002303000000000000♠303 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[14]

Jammu and Kashmir(list)

Vacant[c](Governor's rule)

20 June 2018(7002128000000000000♠128 days)

N/A

[16]

Jharkhand(list)

Raghubar Das

28 December 2014(7003139800000000000♠3 years, 302 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[17]

Karnataka(list)

H. D. Kumaraswamy

23 May 2018(7002156000000000000♠156 days)

Janata Dal (Secular)

[18]

Kerala(list)

Pinarayi Vijayan

25 May 2016(7002884000000000000♠2 years, 154 days)

Communist Party of India (Marxist)

[19]

Madhya Pradesh(list)

Shivraj Singh Chouhan

29 November 2005(7003471400000000000♠12 years, 331 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[20]

Maharashtra(list)

Devendra Fadnavis

31 October 2014(7003145600000000000♠3 years, 360 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[21]

Manipur(list)

N. Biren Singh

15 March 2017(7002590000000000000♠1 year, 225 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[22]

Meghalaya(list)

Conrad Sangma

6 March 2018(7002234000000000000♠234 days)

National People's Party

[23]

Mizoram(list)

Lal Thanhawla

7 December 2008(7003361000000000000♠9 years, 323 days)

Indian National Congress

[24]

Nagaland(list)

Neiphiu Rio

8 March 2018(7002232000000000000♠232 days)

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party

[25]

Odisha(list)

Naveen Patnaik

5 March 2000(7003680900000000000♠18 years, 235 days)

Biju Janata Dal

[26]

Puducherry[b](list)

V. Narayanasamy

6 June 2016(7002872000000000000♠2 years, 142 days)

Indian National Congress

[27]

Punjab(list)

Amarinder Singh

16 March 2017(7002589000000000000♠1 year, 224 days)

Indian National Congress

[28]

Rajasthan(list)

Vasundhara Raje

13 December 2013(7003177800000000000♠4 years, 317 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[29]

Sikkim(list)

Pawan Kumar Chamling

12 December 1994(7003871900000000000♠23 years, 318 days)

Sikkim Democratic Front

[30]

Tamil Nadu(list)

Edappadi K. Palaniswami

16 February 2017(7002617000000000000♠1 year, 252 days)

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

[31]

Telangana(list)

K. Chandrashekhar Rao

2 June 2014(7003160700000000000♠4 years, 146 days)

Telangana Rashtra Samithi

[32]

Tripura(list)

Biplab Kumar Deb

9 March 2018(231 Days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[33]

Uttar Pradesh(list)

Yogi Adityanath

19 March 2017(7002586000000000000♠1 year, 221 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[34]

Uttarakhand(list)

Trivendra Singh Rawat

18 March 2017(7002587000000000000♠1 year, 222 days)

Bharatiya Janata Party

[35]

West Bengal(list)

Mamata Banerjee

20 May 2011(7003271600000000000♠7 years, 159 days)

All India Trinamool Congress

[36]

text:
Jump up ^ This column names only the chief minister's party. The ministry he heads may be a complex coalition of several parties and independents; those are not listed here.

^ Jump up to: a b Although Delhi and Puducherry each have an elected legislature and a council of ministers (headed by the chief minister), they are officially union territories.

Jump up ^ Similar to President's rule, Governor's rule is imposed as per Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.[15]

tag: ol


document_title: The Vampire Diaries (season 2)

question_text: what episode does klaus appear in the vampire diaries

text: The Vampire Diaries (season 2)

text: Cast[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert (22 episodes) / Katherine Pierce (18 episodes)
Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore (22 episodes)
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore (22 episodes)
Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert (17 episodes)
Sara Canning as Jenna Sommers (15 episodes)
Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett (17 episodes)
Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes (20 episodes)
Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan (15 episodes)
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood (15 episodes)
Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman (17 episodes)

tag: ul

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Susan Walters as Carol Lockwood (13 episodes)
Daniel Gillies as Elijah Mikaelson (Elijah Smith) (12 episodes)
Marguerite MacIntyre as Sheriff Elizabeth "Liz" Forbes (8 episodes)
Taylor Kinney as Mason Lockwood (8 episodes)
David Anders as John Gilbert (7 episodes)
Bryton James as Luka Martin (7 episodes)
Randy J. Goodwin as Dr. Jonas Martin (6 episodes)
Michaela McManus as Jules (6 episodes)
Lauren Cohan as Rosemary "Rose" (5 episodes)
Dawn Olivieri as Andie Starr (4 episodes)
Joseph Morgan as Klaus Mikaelson (4 episodes)
Gino Anthony Pesi as Maddox (4 episodes)

text: Guest[edit]

text:
Tiya Sircar as Aimee Bradley (3 episodes)
Lisa Tucker as Greta Martin (3 episodes)
Trent Ford as Trevor (3 episodes)
Maiara Walsh as Sarah (2 episodes)
Stephen Amell as Brady (2 episodes)
Mia Kirshner as Isobel Flemming (2 episodes)
Trevor Peterson as Slater (1 episodes)
B.J. Britt as Carter (1 episode)
Courtney Ford as Vanessa Monroe (1 episode)
Simon Miller as George Lockwood (1 episode)
Natashia Williams as Lucy Bennett (1 episode)
Bree Condon as Alice (1 episode)
James Harvey Ward as Cody Webber (1 episode)
Ahna O'Reilly as Jessica Cohen (1 episode)
Arielle Kebbel as Alexia "Lexi" Branson (1 episode)
Bianca Lawson as Emily Bennett (voice only) (1 episode)
Malese Jow as Annabelle "Anna" (1 episode)
Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan (uncredited) (1 episode)

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Prod.
code
U.S. viewers
(millions)

23
1
"The Return"
J. Miller Tobin
Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
September 9, 2010 (2010-09-09)
2J5251
3.28[5]

Picking up where the first season left off, Elena arrives home to discover the fates of Uncle John and Jeremy. Jeremy has not transitioned into a vampire, because he did not take enough drugs to die and Anna's blood overcame the overdose. Damon, Bonnie, and Elena agree that Caroline needs Damon's blood to survive. Damon realizes that Katherine has returned and is impersonating Elena. Tyler is surprised when his uncle, Mason Lockwood, arrives in town to console him. Katherine and Damon nearly sleep together, but Katherine tells Damon, "it will always be Stefan". Distraught, Damon goes to see Elena, who resists his attempt to kiss her. Angry that Elena also loves Stefan, Damon snaps Jeremy's neck. Jeremy survives because he is wearing a Gilbert ring, which protects the wearer from death from supernatural causes. Katherine goes to the hospital and smothers Caroline with a pillow. Before Caroline dies, Katherine gives her a message for the Salvatore brothers: "Game on."

24
2
"Brave New World"
John Dahl
Brian Young
September 16, 2010 (2010-09-16)
2J5252
3.05[6]

Caroline has become a vampire and awakens in the hospital craving blood. Tyler catches Mason searching for a moonstone, which is a family heirloom. At the carnival, Damon compels a boy named Carter to pick a fight with Tyler to provoke one of Tyler's bursts of anger. Mason breaks up the fight using his supernatural abilities, proving that he is a werewolf. Caroline confronts Damon about his abusive treatment, and he realizes that she is a vampire. He alerts Elena and Stefan, while a ravenous Caroline drains Carter. Stefan promises Caroline he will guide her journey as a vampire. Tyler retrieves the moonstone Mason has been seeking. Matt notices Caroline's erratic behavior but admits that he loves her.

25
3
"Bad Moon Rising"
Patrick Norris
Andrew Chambliss
September 23, 2010 (2010-09-23)
2J5253
3.57[7]

Elena, Damon, and Alaric head to Isobel's old office at Duke University, where it is revealed that vampires and werewolves used to roam freely until a shaman uttered a curse to limit their powers, after which the werewolves were servants of the moon and vampires became the slaves of the sun. Stefan teaches Caroline how to control herself and hunt animals. Bonnie makes Caroline a daylight ring so that she will not be burned by the sun. In werewolf form, Mason encounters Stefan and Caroline. Tyler saves them by shouting at the werewolf; he later finds Mason in the woods and realises what has happened. Unable to control herself, Caroline feeds on Matt. She compels him to forget it, but ends their relationship to keep him safe from her. Damon tells Elena Katherine's real name, Katerina Petrova, to aid Elena with her research. Alaric reaffirms his romantic interest in Jenna, and Caroline finds Katherine in her bedroom.

26
4
"Memory Lane"
Rob Hardy
Caroline Dries
September 30, 2010 (2010-09-30)
2J5254
3.18[8]

Katherine tells Stefan that she will kill Elena unless he ends his relationship with her, and as a result, Elena realizes that Caroline is working for Katherine. Elena and Katherine finally meet, but Katherine ignores Elena's questions. Damon stabs Mason with a silver knife, but Mason says it is only a myth that silver hurts werewolves. They are now enemies. Katherine remembers how in 1864, after Stefan and Damon were shot in an attempt to save her, she had kissed Stefan, declaring her love and saying they would be together again one day. Stefan and Elena stage a fake break-up to prevent Katherine from hurting anybody.

27
5
"Kill or Be Killed"
Jeff Woolnough
Mike Daniels
October 7, 2010 (2010-10-07)
2J5255
3.47[9]

At the Mystic Falls picnic, Mason Lockwood tells Sheriff Liz Forbes that Stefan and Damon are vampires. Liz and her fellow police officers shoot Stefan and Damon. Caroline and Elena reach the Salvatore's before Liz can kill them, but Caroline's identity as a vampire is exposed to her mother. Liz rejects Caroline as her daughter, and Stefan drinks Elena's blood to gain strength. Caroline confesses to Elena that Katherine had threatened to kill Matt if Caroline didn't spy on Elena and Stefan for her; Elena forgives Caroline. Jeremy and Tyler start to bond when Tyler learns that Jeremy knows about the curse. Tyler almost kills a girl, feeling for a second that he wants her to die. He then tells Mason that he wants nothing to do with the curse, and gives him the moonstone. It is revealed that Mason is working for Katherine, who wants the moonstone, and that they are lovers.

28
6
"Plan B"
John Behring
Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain
October 21, 2010 (2010-10-21)
2J5256
3.62[10]

Liz accepts Caroline, and Caroline compels her mother to forget that she is a vampire. Bonnie incapacitates Mason by giving him an aneurysm. Damon then questions and tortures Mason who, believing that Katherine loves him, refuses to talk. Telling Mason that Katherine is using him, Damon eventually kills him. Bonnie has a vision of the moonstone's location in a well. Stefan discovers that the well is full of vervain, which burns him. Caroline and Bonnie help Elena rescue Stefan and retrieve the moonstone. Katherine compels Jenna to stab herself. Fearful of what else Katherine might do, Elena breaks up with Stefan for good. Needing another werewolf, Katherine compels Matt to attack Tyler, so that Tyler will kill Matt and become a werewolf.

29
7
"Masquerade"
Charles Beeson
Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
October 28, 2010 (2010-10-28)
2J5257
3.55[11]

Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Alaric, and Caroline plan to kill Katherine at the Lockwoods' masquerade ball. Katherine is visited by Lucy, a witch who is to help her retrieve the moonstone. Under Katherine's compulsion, Matt fights Tyler. Caroline breaks up the fight, but Sarah, who is also compelled, stabs Tyler, and he accidentally breaks her neck. Tyler's eyes turn yellow, showing that the curse has been triggered. Stefan and Damon try to kill Katherine, but they stop when Jeremy tells them that every time they stake her, Elena is wounded. Katherine reveals that she had Lucy put a spell on Elena and herself, which linked them. Lucy, who is Bonnie's cousin, lifts the spell and incapacitates Katherine, who collapses. Damon traps Katherine in the underground tomb. As Elena heads home she is intercepted by a masked stranger.

30
8
"Rose"
Liz Friedlander
Brian Young
November 4, 2010 (2010-11-04)
2J5258
3.63[12]

A vampire named Trevor takes Elena to an abandoned house, where she meets Rose, another vampire. When Tyler witnesses Caroline's abilities, she reveals that she is a vampire. Elena overhears Rose and Trevor arguing about a vampire named Elijah. Using a spell, Bonnie locates Elena. Elena tries to extract information from Rose, who tells her that Elijah is one of the "original" vampires. Rose and Trevor are using Elena, the Petrova doppelgänger who is the key to breaking the curse, as a bargaining chip. Elijah arrives, and Rose offers him Elena in exchange for their pardon. Elijah agrees but kills Trevor. Elena tries to stall Elijah by saying that she knows where the moonstone is, but he compels her to tell him its location. Stefan and Damon arrive to fight with Elijah and stake him. Elena's vervain necklace remains at the house. Later that night, Damon is in Elena's bedroom with her vervain necklace in his hand. He tells her that he loves her but doesn't deserve her, and that Stefan does. Then he compels her to forget what he said. In the abandoned house, Elijah pulls the wooden stake out of his chest.

31
9
"Katerina"
J. Miller Tobin
Andrew Chambliss
November 11, 2010 (2010-11-11)
2J5259
3.50[13]

This episode's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The episode begins in Bulgaria in 1490 and shows Katherine giving birth to a baby girl. Her father says that she has shamed their family and takes the baby away. In the present, Elena goes to the tomb, where she offers Katherine blood in exchange for the truth - that a doppelgänger from the Petrova line can be used to break the curse. As Katherine's descendant, Elena is the current Petrova doppelgänger. Katherine reveals that she was expelled from Bulgaria and fled to England, where Elijah and Trevor found her. They recognized her as the Petrova doppelgänger and Elijah tried to kill her, but Trevor helped her to escape. She became a vampire so that she could not be used to break the curse. Katherine came to Mystic Falls to offer Klaus what he needed to lift the curse: the current doppelgänger, a witch, a werewolf, a vampire, and the moonstone. She hoped that Klaus would spare her life in exchange for this. Bonnie meets a warlock named Luka and his father. Jeremy is jealous of Bonnie's attraction to Luka. Damon and Rose seek information about Klaus from Rose's vampire friend, Slater, but a healed Elijah overhears them. Damon and Rose sleep together, and Elijah compels Slater to stake himself. It is revealed that Luka and his father are working for Elijah.

32
10
"The Sacrifice"
Ralph Hemecker
Caroline Dries
December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02)
2J5260
3.46[14]

Elena and Rose go to ask Slater about Klaus, but they find his staked corpse. Elena uses information from Slater's computer to get Klaus's attention, saying she wants to surrender. Caroline and Tyler discover Mason's journal and the video diary that he used to document his transformations. Bonnie plans to lift the spell from the tomb and incapacitate Katherine so that Stefan can grab the moonstone, but Jeremy goes ahead with the plan alone and is captured by Katherine, who feeds on him. Stefan saves Jeremy but is trapped himself. Three vampires confront Damon, Rose, and Elena. Elijah kills the three vampires and then departs. Back home, a trapped Stefan makes Damon promise to protect Elena. Elijah informs Luka's father that Damon and Stefan will protect Elena, which is Elijah's goal.

33
11
"By the Light of the Moon"
Elizabeth Allen
Mike Daniels
December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09)
2J5261
3.16[15]

As the full moon approaches, Caroline helps Tyler prepare for his transformation. Stefan asks Katherine to prove that there is good in her, and she advises him to ask Isobel for help in finding Klaus. Bonnie seeks Luka's help to destroy the moonstone; they cast a spell, but Luka gives the moonstone to his father. Jules, a friend of Mason, arrives in Mystic Falls looking for him. Damon and Alaric try to trick her into having a drink mixed with wolfsbane. She reveals that she is a werewolf and tells Damon that he has been marked. Elijah makes a deal with Elena: she has to keep herself safe from Klaus (so that Elijah can use her as bait to kill Klaus) and in return, Elijah will protect her friends and family and free Stefan from the tomb. Caroline reunites with Tyler. At the Salvatore mansion, Jules, in wolf form, tries to attack Damon but instead bites Rose's shoulder, which becomes infected.

34
12
"The Descent"
Marcos Siega
Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain
January 27, 2011 (2011-01-27)
2J5262
3.55[16]

Stefan tries to contact Isobel and gets in touch with John Gilbert, who comes home. While Damon tries to get Jules to tell him how to cure the werewolf bite, he asks Elena to keep an eye on Rose, who becomes delirious and mistakes her for Katherine. Caroline and Matt confess their love for each other. Tyler's reaction to Caroline's generosity surprises her. Rose escapes from the Salvatore house and goes on a killing spree. Damon finds her and brought her back to the Salvatore's house, he then stakes her, while giving her a peaceful death by giving her a dream about her old home. He confesses to a stranger that he misses being human. He lets her go, but bites her soon after. Jules informs Tyler that she knows that he and Mason are werewolves. She tells him that more werewolves are coming.

35
13
"Daddy Issues"
Joshua Butler
Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
February 3, 2011 (2011-02-03)
2J5263
3.22[17]

Tyler is furious that Caroline has kept Mason's death secret from him. Jenna becomes upset over the revelation that John is Elena's biological father. Jules meets her wolf-lover Brady and tells him she wants to leave town and take Tyler with them. Caroline asks Stefan to reason with Tyler, while Jules takes Caroline hostage. Jules tells Stefan to bring Tyler to her in exchange for Caroline. Stefan tries to make peace, but he fails, and Damon offers his "bloodier" method. Jules then calls on her wolf friends, and although Damon and Stefan are outnumbered, they kill most of the wolves. Tyler releases Caroline from the cage, but watches as Jules has Caroline at gunpoint. As Stefan and Damon are about to get staked, Jonas, on Elijah's behalf, incapacitates the remaining wolves. Tyler tries to apologize to Caroline, but she tells him they are no longer friends. Tyler tells Jules and Brady that Mason was probably killed because he found the moonstone. John says that he returned to protect Elena, and that the only way to kill an Original is with a dagger dipped in ash from a white oak as old as the Originals. John is shown to be still working with Katherine and trying to get her out of the tomb.

36
14
"Crying Wolf"
David Von Ancken
Brian Young
February 10, 2011 (2011-02-10)
2J5264
2.78[18]

Stefan and Elena spend a weekend at the Gilbert lakehouse, unaware that they've been followed by Tyler and Brady. Jenna worries that Alaric isn't being honest about his past. Jules and Brady explain the sun and moon curse to Tyler and lure him into helping them. Bonnie performs a hypnosis spell on Luka in order to get information. Luka reveals that Elijah plans to kill Klaus by making him vulnerable after he sacrifices Elena. He also reveals that Klaus has his sister, so he and his father are working for Elijah to help him kill Klaus. Jules and her friends torture Damon for information about the moonstone, but Elijah intervenes, kills most of the wolves, and saves Damon. Brady finds Stefan and shoots him with a wooden bullet, leaving Tyler to guard him. When Tyler learns that Elena has to die for the curse to be broken, he lets Stefan go. Stefan kills Brady to save Elena. Meanwhile, Jeremy and Bonnie confess their feelings for each other and kiss. Realising that Elena knew about Elijah's real plan for her, Stefan tells her that she is behaving like a martyr. Tyler tells Matt that he has feelings for Caroline but knows that Caroline loves Matt. The episode ends with Jules and Tyler leaving town.

37
15
"The Dinner Party"
Marcos Siega
Andrew Chambliss
February 17, 2011 (2011-02-17)
2J5265
3.07[19]

Elena reads one of Jonathan Gilbert's journals about a night when Stefan attacked him and killed two of the Fells. Stefan admits that he had been brutal and inhuman until Lexi showed him the path of love and humanity. Damon invites Elijah to the boarding house for a dinner party, intending to kill him. Jonathan Gilbert's journal reveals that if a vampire uses the dagger to kill an Original, both will die. After Stefan sends a warning, Alaric stabs and kills Elijah, but the body later disappears. Elena reads in the journal that if the dagger is removed, the Original will come back to life. John blackmails Alaric into returning his ring. Elijah shows up at the lake house telling Elena that the deal is off, but Elena threatens to kill herself and become a vampire so that she will no longer be useful to him. Elijah calls her out on a bluff, but Elena stabs herself. Elijah begs Elena to let him heal her, and she agrees, but then stabs him with the dagger, killing him again. Damon returns home to find Katherine there. Elijah's compulsion on her has worn off with his death, and she says she intends to help them.

38
16
"The House Guest"
Michael Katleman
Caroline Dries
February 24, 2011 (2011-02-24)
2J5266
2.98[20]

Discovering that Katherine is free, Elena is upset. Stefan and Bonnie try to persuade Jonas and Luka to work with them, but Jonas wants Elijah alive again. He performs a ritual that puts Luka in the boarding house in invisible form. Luka tries to remove the dagger from Elijah's body, but Katherine stops him. Luka then stakes Katherine, but Damon uses a flamethrower to prevent the removal of the dagger. Luka is fatally burned, and Jonas vows to avenge him by killing Elena. Bonnie tells Elena about her relationship with Jeremy and is surprised by Elena's positive response. Jonas appears at the Grill, looking for Elena. Bonnie tries to stop him, but he disables her; Matt intervenes, but Jonas stabs him. Caroline sees Matt dying and forces him to drink her blood to save his life. Jonas attacks Elena, but she proves to be Katherine, and she bites him. Alaric tells Jenna that he loves her. Bonnie reveals that Jonas has restored her powers and told her how to kill Klaus. Caroline tells Matt that she is a vampire, but he takes the news badly. Isobel shows up at Elena's house and tells Jenna that she is Elena's mother.

39
17
"Know Thy Enemy"
Wendey Stanzler
Mike Daniels
April 7, 2011 (2011-04-07)
2J5267
2.73[21]

Elena and Alaric become angry with John when Isobel's arrival devastates Jenna. Alaric is abducted by Maddox, a warlock from Klaus's inner circle. Meanwhile, Bonnie works with Jeremy and Damon to find the spell they need to gather the power of the witches killed in the massacre. Damon takes them to the site where the witches were burned. Matt demands to know what happened to Vicki. After Caroline tells him and then compels him to forget, it is revealed that Matt's involvement was a setup by Sheriff Forbes to find out everything about the vampires. Matt has drunk vervain, so the compulsion does not work. Isobel kidnaps Elena and then receives a phone call from Maddox, who tells her that she has finished what Klaus compelled her to do and is free to let Elena go. Isobel apologizes to Elena for being a disappointment as a mother, removes her necklace, and burns to death in the sun. Stefan and Damon realize that Bonnie is their new secret weapon since she now has tremendous power. Jeremy is upset because, if Bonnie uses too much power, she will die. Katherine, who had been set up by Isobel and taken by Maddox, wakes up to see Klaus take control of Alaric's body.

40
18
"The Last Dance"
John Behring
Michael Narducci
April 14, 2011 (2011-04-14)
2J5268
2.81[22]

Klaus (in Alaric's body) compels Katherine to tell him how the others plan to kill him. He then finds out that Bonnie has obtained power that could threaten his life. At the school dance, Jeremy confronts Bonnie about why she wants to kill herself for Elena, and Damon overhears. Jeremy goes to Stefan for help, and Stefan tells Elena about Bonnie's plans. Elena finally guesses who "Alaric" really is. Bonnie fights Klaus with her powers and appears to die. As Elena grieves, Damon tells her that Klaus must believe Bonnie is dead, but her death was faked. Realizing that Bonnie intends to endanger herself to defeat Klaus, Elena pulls the dagger out of Elijah's heart.

41
19
"Klaus"
Joshua Butler
Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
April 21, 2011 (2011-04-21)
2J5269
2.70[23]

After Elena removed the dagger, Elijah wakes, and Elena makes another deal with him. In a flashback to 1492 England, Katherine meets Elijah and Klaus for the first time. Elijah and Klaus were raised as brothers, but Klaus was the result of their mother's affair with a man from a werewolf bloodline. Elijah's father hunted down the man and had him and his family killed, beginning the schism between werewolves and vampires. As a vampire/werewolf hybrid, Klaus can only be killed by a witch. The sun and moon curse was fake – the real curse is that Klaus's werewolf side had been forced into dormancy by witches. Jenna finally finds out about the vampires from Stefan and Klaus/Alaric. Elsewhere, Katherine is being held captive by Klaus. Damon finds her and gives her a vial of vervain to protect her from further compulsion. At the end of the episode, Maddox and Greta (Luka's sister) perform a ritual to release Klaus's spirit from Alaric's body and put it back into his own.

42
20
"The Last Day"
J. Miller Tobin
Andrew Chambliss & Brian Young
April 28, 2011 (2011-04-28)
2J5270
2.68[24]

Elijah tells Elena that the way to break the curse involves sacrifice a vampire and a werewolf. Maddox injures Carol Lockwood to make Tyler return to town, after which he and Greta kidnap Caroline and Tyler. Damon forces Elana to drink his blood so she will "survive" the sacrifice. Alaric returns as himself and gives the message from Klaus that the ritual will happen that night. Jenna forgives him. Damon realizes that if Klaus doesn't have a werewolf, he will be unable to complete the ritual, and Elena will have another month. He rescues Caroline and Tyler from the tomb and kills Maddox. Klaus takes Elena from the boarding house to begin the ritual. Damon informs Klaus that he has rescued the vampire and werewolf he needs for the ritual, but Klaus says he has backups. At the site of the ritual, Elena realizes that Klaus has turned Jenna and is using her as the vampire. Katherine makes Damon aware of a wolf bite he got from Tyler during his transformation.

43
21
"The Sun Also Rises"
Paul M. Sommers
Caroline Dries & Mike Daniels
May 5, 2011 (2011-05-05)
2J5271
2.84[25]

Matt and Caroline are in the Lockwood cellar while Tyler, in wolf form, attacks them, and they hide. Meanwhile, Greta the witch feeds Jenna her blood, completing Jenna's transformation into a vampire. Elijah is revealed to be seeking revenge on Klaus for killing his family and burying their bodies at sea. Klaus begins the ritual and kills Jules, the werewolf. Stefan offers to switch places with Jenna, but Klaus refuses and kills her. Bonnie performs a spell that can bring someone back to life by joining two people's souls, binding John and Elena. At the ritual grounds, Klaus drains Elena's blood and begins to transform. However, Bonnie uses her powers to weaken him while Damon kills Greta. Before Elijah can rip out his heart, Klaus says he didn't bury the bodies at sea and if he is killed, Elijah will never find them. Elijah listens to him and flees with Klaus. When Elena comes back to life, John dies. At Jenna's and John's funeral, Damon reveals to Stefan that he was bitten by Tyler and asks him to not tell Elena.

44
22
"As I Lay Dying"
John Behring
Turi Meyer & Al Septien & Michael Narducci
May 12, 2011 (2011-05-12)
2J5272
2.86[26]

This episode's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Damon apologizes to Elena for feeding her his blood. At home, he tries to kill himself by taking off his ring and walking into sunlight but is stopped by Stefan and locked in a cell. Klaus has completed the transformation into a wolf and awakens to find Elijah waiting for him. He makes Klaus remember his deal: he must reunite Elijah with their family, and Klaus does so by staking Elijah. Stefan seeks Klaus for a cure for Damon. Klaus then bites Katherine and feeds her his blood, revealing the cure for a werewolf bite. In exchange for a vial of his blood, Klaus wants Stefan to become a ripper again and leave Mystic Falls with him. Stefan drinks human blood to prove himself. Klaus gives Katherine the cure for Damon and allows her to leave. Sheriff Forbes, who wants to kill Damon, accidentally frees him from his cell. She later tracks him down and shoots at him but strikes and kills Jeremy instead. Bonnie begs the witches to bring Jeremy back to life saying that she loves him, and they do, warning of "consequences." Elena finds a delirious Damon, brings him home, and kisses him after he confesses his love. Katherine interrupts with Klaus's cure for the werewolf bite. Klaus tests Stefan, asking him to kill someone. Once Stefan does, Klaus says that they can leave Mystic Falls. At the Gilbert house, Jeremy finds his deceased vampire ex-girlfriends Anna and Vicki.

text: Production[edit]

text: On February 16, 2010, The CW officially renewed The Vampire Diaries for a full 22-episode second season.[1] It premiered on Thursday September 9, 2010, at 8 pm ET.[2] The season finale aired on May 12, 2011.[27]

text: Cast[edit]

text: On July 9, 2010, Entertainment Weekly announced Taylor Kinney would join the cast in a recurring role as Tyler's uncle Mason, a werewolf who comes to town after his brother dies. Katherine sends Mason to Mystic Falls to get the moonstone for her. He succeeds, but Damon and Stefan find out that he works with Katherine, and Damon kills him. Mason has been described as a "cool" uncle, sexy and athletic.[28] Lauren Cohan joined the cast as Rose, a 500-year-old vampire and possible love interest for Damon. She kidnaps Elena to hand her over to Elijah, but Elena is saved by Stefan and Damon. She then becomes their ally and even starts a small romantic relationship with Damon. She dies after being bitten by werewolf Jules.[29]

text: Michaela McManus joined the cast in a guest role as a werewolf who comes to town looking for answers about Mason's death.[30] She helps Tyler deal with the discovery that he is a werewolf, but is later killed during the sacrifice. Bryton James portrays warlock Luka Martin in season two. He befriends Bonnie, but it is later revealed that he and his father work for Elijah. When he tries to save Elijah invisibly, Damon burns him to death. His father Jonas Martin, played by Randy J. Goodwin in season two, is introduced as a friend of Elijah. He is a warlock who, in order to save his daughter Greta, is willing and able to help defeat Klaus.[31] He is later killed by Katherine, who is protecting the Salvatore brothers.[32]

text: Gino Anthony Pesi portrays Maddox at the end of season two, a warlock who works for Klaus. Matt shoots him to death when he tries to overcome Damon. On February 18, 2011, it was announced that British actor Joseph Morgan had signed on to play original vampire Klaus.[33]

text: Storylines[edit]

text: This section's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (October 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: The second season focuses mainly on the arrival of Elena's doppelgänger Katherine Pierce and on her reasons for returning to Mystic Falls. It also introduces werewolves. Tyler's werewolf uncle, Mason Lockwood, arrives after the death of Tyler's father and tells Tyler about the so-called "Lockwood curse" in their family. To activate the werewolf gene, the person must kill someone. Katherine turns Caroline into a vampire, so as to have a spy against Stefan and Elena. Katherine's main reason for returning to Mystic Falls is to find the moonstone, with the help of Mason, who is killed by Damon. Katherine calls in a favor from a witch named Lucy to get the stone. Lucy casts a spell so that when Katherine is hurt, it also affects Elena.

text: When Lucy finds out that another Bennett is at the party and that Katherine had deceived her, she puts a spell on the moonstone, injuring Katherine. Damon then leaves her in the original tomb where she is trapped until the spell has been removed from the tomb. She tells him that her reason for not killing Elena is that she is in danger. Elena is later kidnapped by a masked individual and held hostage by vampires Rose and Trevor, who have been on the run from the Originals (the first generation of vampires). Rose reveals to Elena that she is the Petrova doppelgänger and needs to be sacrificed to break the sun and moon curse. Katherine was also a Petrova doppelgänger, who used Trevor to help her escape from the Originals and Rose to turn her into a vampire to save herself. Elena is rescued by Stefan and Damon by stabbing Elijah with a sharp wooden pole and they escape.

text: Klaus, one of the original vampires, arrives and is now hunting Elena. His brother Elijah has made a deal with Elena to protect her loved ones, because he wants to use her as bait to lure Klaus and kill him. Jules, a friend of Mason, tells the Lockwoods that Mason never came back to Florida and is missing. Alaric is suspicious of Jules and calls Damon to the Grill (local town hangout). Jules reveals that she is a werewolf. Damon tells Jules she won't find Mason and to leave town. Jules breaks into the Salvatore mansion in wolf form and attacks Damon, but Rose pushes him out of the way, getting bitten on the shoulder instead (werewolf bites are lethal to vampires). As Rose succumbs to the effects of the bite, Damon stakes her in a glorious dream they share, giving her a peaceful death.

text: Uncle John returns to Mystic Falls and comes as an unpleasant surprise to Elena, Damon, Jenna, and Alaric. John reveals to Damon that the only way to kill an Original is with a dagger dipped in white ash wood. A boy named Luka settle in the town with his father (they are both warlocks) and reveals that they are working for Elijah because Klaus has his sister Greta and they want him (Luka) dead as well. Luka becomes friends with Bonnie and tells her that Klaus will be weakened by the sacrificial ritual, meaning that Elena has to die so that Elijah can kill him and free his sister. John gives Damon the special dagger to kill Elijah.

text: Elena finds out that if a vampire uses the dagger, that vampire will die. Stefan warns Damon and Alaric stabs Elijah, but he pulls the dagger out and tells Elena their deal is off. Elena stabs herself in the stomach, and Elijah begs her to let him heal her. She stabs him with the dagger and leaves it in him. Elijah's death means that Katherine is no longer compelled to stay in the tomb. She helps kill the Martin witches. When Isobel returns to town, Katherine double-crosses the Salvatores by kidnapping Elena and stealing the moonstone for Klaus in exchange for her freedom. But it is revealed that Klaus wanted Katherine and compelled Isobel to get her and the moonstone.

text: Klaus enters Alaric's body and compels Katherine to stay in Alaric's house. Bonnie and Jeremy find the site of the a witch massacre and Bonnie channels all the power. Alaric/Klaus blends with Stefan, Damon, and Elena and finds out that Bonnie has her powers. Damon tells Bonnie to put on a protection spell and make Alaric/Klaus believe that she is dead. Elena does not want Bonnie to die, so she pulls the dagger out of Elijah's heart. After Elijah comes to life, Elena learns the full history of Klaus. The Aztec curse is fake and there is a curse on Klaus, as he is a vampire born in a werewolf bloodline. There is a ritual that involves killing a vampire and a werewolf and a Petrova doppelganger, that will unearth the werewolf side of Klaus making him a hybrid.

text: Elena realizes that the real curse is on Klaus, who therefore wants to kill her. But Elijah says he has an elixir that can save Elena from dying. Elena believes Elijah, but Damon says that there is another way to save her life and feeds her his blood. Stefan tries to stop him, but he stabs in the chest with the wooden dagger. Elena then cries that she will be a vampire against her will. Maddox kidnaps Tyler and Caroline. Damon frees them and is bitten. Then he goes to Klaus to tell him that he does not have a werewolf and witch, as he killed Maddox. Klaus says that he has backups. Klaus takes Elena from Stefan. Elena sees Jenna, who thinks she is dead, but Greta tells her she is transitioning. Damon asks Katherine about the vampire, and she says that Jenna is the backup vampire. He then checks his arm and sees that Tyler has bitten him.

text: In the season's finale, Klaus is working on the ritual out in the woods and is near completion when he is about to kill Elena, but Stefan tries to work a deal with him. Klaus agrees to have Stefan work for him in exchange for Damon's protection. Elena is "killed" in the ritual but is shown to have survived. Regardless, Klaus's werewolf side is unleashed and he becomes the first hybrid, half vampire half werewolf. Bonnie arrives and subdues Klaus with her powers, giving Elijah the opportunity to strike, but Klaus talks him down offering to help find their siblings. Elena's survival is revealed as John had Bonnie cast a spell that had him die in Elena's place. The next morning John succumbs and dies. At his funeral, Elena reads a note from John saying he will always love her and she will always be his daughter, even if she becomes a vampire. Damon also shows where he was bitten and walks away.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "The throbbing red heart of The Vampire Diaries remains the tension between Damon and Paul Wesley's Stefan, and their mutual attraction to whomever Dobrev is embodying at the time."[34] Mark A. Perigard of the Boston Herald said, "The triangle – quadrangle? – becomes more twisted by episode's end. It leads to shocking violence against outsiders that deepens the tragedy and the mythology at the core of the show. "Game on" just might be the two most chilling words uttered this season."[34] Matt Roush of TV Guide commented, "The Vampire Diaries is the sort of show where 'never say die' is written into the mythology – a good thing for several of the opening hour's apparent victims. I don't know how much longer The Vampire Diaries can keep churning stories at this feverish rate, but if this is your sort of guilty pleasure, you'd be crazy not to bite."[34]

text: Ratings[edit]

text: DVR viewers[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Air date
18–49 rating (Live + SD)
Viewers
(millions) increase
Total 18-49 increase
Total viewers
(millions)
Ref

02
"Brave New World"
September 16, 2010 (2010-09-16)
1.4
0.91
1.9
3.96
[35]

03
"Bad Moon Rising"
September 23, 2010 (2010-09-23)
1.4
0.92
1.9
4.49
[36]

04
"Memory Lane"
September 30, 2010 (2010-09-30)
1.2
0.95
1.8
4.13
[37]

06
"Plan B"
October 21, 2010 (2010-10-21)
1.7
1.04
2.2
4.66
[38]

07
"Masquerade"
October 28, 2010 (2010-10-28)
1.7
0.85
2.2
4.40
[39]

08
"Rose"
November 4, 2010 (2010-11-04)
1.6
1.12
2.1
4.75
[40]

09
"Katerina"
November 11, 2010 (2010-11-11)
1.6
1.01
2.0
4.51
[41]

10
"The Sacrifice"
December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02)
1.6
1.07
2.1
4.53
[42]

11
"By the Light of the Moon"
December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09)
1.3
0.97
1.7
4.13
[43]

12
"The Descent"
January 27, 2011 (2011-01-27)
1.6
1.10
2.1
4.65
[44]

16
"The House Guest"
February 24, 2011 (2011-02-24)
1.3
1.13
1.8
4.11
[45]

17
"Know Thy Enemy"
April 7, 2011 (2011-04-07)
1.2
1.14
1.7
3.87
[46]

18
"The Last Dance"
April 14, 2011 (2011-04-14)
1.3
1.06
1.8
3.87
[47]

19
"Klaus"
April 21, 2011 (2011-04-21)
1.2
1.35
1.8
4.05
[48]

20
"The Last Day"
April 28, 2011 (2011-04-28)
1.2
1.34
1.8
4.02
[49]

21
"The Sun Also Rises"
May 5, 2011 (2011-05-05)
1.3
1.07
1.8
3.91
[50]

22
"As I Lay Dying"
May 12, 2011 (2011-05-12)
1.4
1.02
1.9
3.88
[51]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: For its second season The Vampire Diaries won five Teen Choice Awards, one People's Choice Award, and a nomination in Saturn Awards.

text: Home media[edit]

text: The Vampire Diaries Season 2 was made available on DVD and Blu-ray on August 30, 2011.[52] In region B, it was released on August 22, 2011.[53]


document_title: The World's Billionaires

question_text: who has the biggest net worth in the world 2017

text: The World's Billionaires

text: Methodology

text: Each year, Forbes employs a team of more than 50 reporters from a variety of countries to track the activity of the world's wealthiest individuals.[11] Preliminary surveys are sent to those who may qualify for the list. According to Forbes, they received three types of responses – some people try to inflate their wealth, others cooperate but leave out details, and some refuse to answer any questions.[12] Business deals are then scrutinized and estimates of valuable assets – land, homes, vehicles, artwork, etc. – are made. Interviews are conducted to vet the figures and improve the estimate of an individual's holdings. Finally, positions in a publicly traded stock are priced to market on a date roughly a month before publication. Privately held companies are priced by the prevailing price-to-sales or price-to-earnings ratios. Known debt is subtracted from assets to get a final estimate of an individual's estimated worth in United States dollars. Since stock prices fluctuate rapidly, an individual's true wealth and ranking at the time of publication may vary from their situation when the list was compiled.[11]

text: Family fortunes dispersed over a large number of relatives are included only if those individuals' holdings are worth more than a billion dollars. However, when a living individual has dispersed his or her wealth to immediate family members, it is included under a single listing provided that individual is still living.[11] Royal familys and dictators that have their wealth contingent on a position are always excluded from these lists.[13]

text: Annual rankings

text: The rankings are published annually in March, so the net worth listed are snapshots taken at that time. These lists only show the top 10 wealthiest billionaires.

text: On the 30th anniversary of the Forbes' list of the world's billionaires, for the fourth year in a row, Bill Gates was named the richest man in the world.[2] The number of billionaires increased 13% to 2,043 from 1,810 in 2016; this is the biggest change in over 30 years of tracking billionaires globally.[2] This is the first time after 12 years that Carlos Slim was not within the top five. The U.S. continues to have the most billionaires in the world, with a record of 565. China has 319 (not including Hong Kong or Macau), Germany has 114, and India has the fourth most with 101; India has reached over 100 billionaires for its first time.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$86.0 billion
61
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$75.6 billion
86
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Bezos, JeffJeff Bezos
$72.8 billion
53
 United States
Amazon.com

7000400000000000000♠4
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$71.3 billion
80
 Spain
Inditex, Zara

7000500000000000000♠5
Zuckerberg, MarkMark Zuckerberg
$56.0 billion
32
 United States
Facebook

7000600000000000000♠6
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$54.5 billion
77
 Mexico
América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000700000000000000♠7
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$52.2 billion
72
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000800000000000000♠8
Koch, CharlesCharles Koch
$48.3 billion
81
 United States
Koch Industries

7000800000000000000♠8
Koch, DavidDavid Koch
$48.3 billion
76
 United States
Koch Industries

7001100000000000000♠10
Bloomberg, MichaelMichael Bloomberg
$47.5 billion
75
 United States
Bloomberg L.P.

text: For the third year in a row, Bill Gates was named the richest man in the world by Forbes's 2016 list of the world's billionaires.[14] This is the 17th time that the founder of Microsoft has claimed the top spot. Amancio Ortega rose from last year's position of number four to second.[15] Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway came in third for the second consecutive time,[16] while Mexican telecommunication mogul Carlos Slim slipped down from last year's second position to fourth. Jeff Bezos of Amazon,[17] Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook[18] and Michael Bloomberg of Bloomberg L.P.,[19] appear for the first time on the Forbes top 10 billionaires list, coming at fifth, sixth and eighth position, respectively. Zuckerberg became the youngest top 10 billionaire this year at the age of 31. Larry Ellison, Charles Koch and David Koch also slipped down from their last year's positions, with Ellison dropping to seventh from fifth and the Kochs falling to ninth position from sixth, respectively.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$75.0 billion
60
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$67.0 billion
79
 Spain
Inditex

7000300000000000000♠3
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$60.8 billion
85
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000400000000000000♠4
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$50.0 billion
76
 Mexico
América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000500000000000000♠5
Bezos, JeffJeff Bezos
$45.2 billion
52
 United States
Amazon.com

7000600000000000000♠6
Zuckerberg, MarkMark Zuckerberg
$44.6 billion
31
 United States
Facebook

7000700000000000000♠7
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$43.6 billion
71
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000800000000000000♠8
Bloomberg, MichaelMichael Bloomberg
$40.0 billion
74
 United States
Bloomberg L.P.

7000900000000000000♠9
Koch, CharlesCharles Koch
$39.6 billion
80
 United States
Koch Industries

7000900000000000000♠9
Koch, DavidDavid Koch
$39.6 billion
75
 United States
Koch Industries

text: In the 29th annual Forbes list of global billionaires, a record 1,826 billionaires were named with an aggregated net worth of $7.1 trillion compared to $6.4 trillion last year. 46 of the billionaires in this list are under the age of 40. A record number of 290 people joined the list for the first time, of whom 25 percent hail from China, which produced a world-leading 71 newcomers. The United States came in second, with 57, followed by India, with 28, and Germany, with 23.[20] The United States has the largest number of billionaires with 526. Russia went down to 88 from 111 in 2014. Russia was placed behind China, Germany and India by the number of billionaires. Self-made billionaires made up the largest number of people on the list with 1,191 positions (over 65 percent) while just 230 (under 13 percent) have wealth through inheritance. The number of billionaires who inherited a portion but are still working to increase their fortunes is 405.[21]

text: Bill Gates was named the richest man in the world by Forbes's annual list of the world's billionaires. This was the 16th time that the founder of Microsoft claimed the top spot. Carlos Slim came in second for the second consecutive time. Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway was placed third, while Amancio Ortega of Spain, slipped down a position from last year to number four. Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle rounded off the top five. Christy Walton was the highest-ranking female at number eight. America's Evan Spiegel, co-founder of photo messaging app Snapchat became the youngest billionaire this year at the age of 24. At age 99, David Rockefeller maintained his position as the oldest billionaire to be included in the list.[22] Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, rose to number 16 with $33.4 billion. Iceland had a billionaire, Thor Bjorgolfsson, in the list after a gap of five years. Guatemala had a billionaire, Mario Lopez Estrada, for the first time in its history.[23]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$79.2 billion
59
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$77.1 billion
75
 Mexico
América Móvil, Telmex, Grupo Carso

7000300000000000000♠3
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$72.7 billion
84
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000400000000000000♠4
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$64.5 billion
78
 Spain
Inditex

7000500000000000000♠5
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$54.3 billion
70
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000600000000000000♠6
Koch, CharlesCharles Koch
$42.9 billion
79
 United States
Koch Industries

7000600000000000000♠6
Koch, DavidDavid Koch
$42.9 billion
74
 United States
Koch Industries

7000800000000000000♠8
Walton, ChristyChristy Walton
$41.7 billion
60
 United States
Walmart

7000900000000000000♠9
Walton, JimJim Walton
$40.6 billion
66
 United States
Walmart

7001100000000000000♠10
Bettencourt, LilianeLiliane Bettencourt
$40.1 billion
92
 France
L'Oreal

text: Bill Gates added $9 billion to his fortune since 2013 and topped the Forbes 2014 billionaire list. He has topped the list 15 of the previous 20 years, but his last number one ranking in 2009.[24] Mexican telecommunication mogul Carlos Slim came in second place after being number one the previous four years. Zara founder Amancio Ortega placed third for the second consecutive year. American investor Warren Buffett was in the top five for the 20th consecutive year, placing fourth.[25] America's Christy Walton was the highest ranking female, placing ninth overall.[1] Aliko Dangote of Nigeria became the first African ever to enter the top 25, with an estimated net worth of $25 billion.[3]

text: A total of 1,645 people made the 2014 billionaire list, representing combined wealth of $6.4 trillion.[25] Of those, a record 268 were newcomers, surpassing 2008's 226 newcomers.[1] One hundred people listed in 2013 failed to make the list.[25] The number of women on the list rose to a record 172 in 2014.[1] Approximately 66 percent of the list was self-made, 13 percent achieved their wealth through inheritance alone, and 21 percent through a mixture of the two.[3]

text: The United States had 492 billionaires on the list, the most of any country.[25] The country also had the most newcomers with 50, and women with 54.[1] China had the second most billionaires with 152, while Russia was third with 111.[25] Algeria, Lithuania, Tanzania, and Uganda were all represented on the list for the first time. Turkey saw the most people drop off the list, 19, due to a period of high inflation in the country.[3]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$76.0 billion
58
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family
$72.0 billion
74
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000300000000000000♠3
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$64.0 billion
77
 Spain
Inditex

7000400000000000000♠4
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$58.2 billion
83
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000500000000000000♠5
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$48.0 billion
70
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000600000000000000♠6
Koch, CharlesCharles Koch
$40.0 billion
78
 United States
Koch Industries

7000600000000000000♠6
Koch, DavidDavid Koch
$40.0 billion
73
 United States
Koch Industries

7000800000000000000♠8
Adelson, SheldonSheldon Adelson
$38.0 billion
80
 United States
Las Vegas Sands

7000900000000000000♠9
Walton, ChristyChristy Walton & family
$36.7 billion
58–59
 United States
Walmart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, JimJim Walton
$34.7 billion
65
 United States
Walmart

text: Carlos Slim topped the 2013 billionaire list, marking his fourth consecutive year at the top. Bill Gates remained in second, while Amancio Ortega moved up to third. Ortega's gain of $19.5 billion was the largest of anyone on the list.[26] Warren Buffett failed to make the top three for the first time since 2000, placing fourth. Diesel founder Renzo Rosso was among the top newcomers, debuting with an estimate net worth of $3 billion.[27]

text: A global rise in asset prices, led Forbes editor Randall Lane to declare "It [was] a very good year to be a billionaire". However, it was not a good year to be Eike Batista who fell from seventh to 100th, suffering the largest net loss of anyone on the list.[26] Overall, net gainers outnumbered net losers by 4:1.[27]

text: A record total of 1,426 people made the 2013 list, representing $5.4 trillion of assets.[28] Of those, 442 billionaires hailed from the United States.[26] The Asian-Pacific region had 386 billionaires and Europe 366. The list also featured a record number of newcomers, 210, representing 42 different countries. Sixty people from the 2012 list fell below a billion dollar of assets in 2013 and eight others from the 2012 list died. The Asia-Pacific region had the most drop-offs, with 29, followed by the United States with 16. The 2013 list featured 138 women, of which 50 came from the United States. A majority of the list (961 individuals, 67 percent) was entirely self-made; 184 (13 percent) inherited their wealth, and 281 (20 percent) achieved their fortune through a combination of inheritance and business acumen.[28]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family
$73.0 billion
73
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000200000000000000♠2
Gates, BillBill Gates
$67.0 billion
57
 United States
Microsoft

7000300000000000000♠3
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$57.0 billion
76
 Spain
Inditex Group

7000400000000000000♠4
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$53.5 billion
82
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000500000000000000♠5
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$43.0 billion
68
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000600000000000000♠6
Koch, CharlesCharles Koch
$34.0 billion
77
 United States
Koch Industries

7000600000000000000♠6
Koch, DavidDavid Koch
$34.0 billion
72
 United States
Koch Industries

7000800000000000000♠8
Ka-shing, LiLi Ka-shing
$31.0 billion
84
 Hong Kong
 Canada
Cheung Kong Holdings

7000900000000000000♠9
Bettencourt, LilianeLiliane Bettencourt & family
$30.0 billion
90
 France
L'Oréal

7001100000000000000♠10
Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault
$29.0 billion
63
 France
LVMH

text: Carlos Slim topped the 2012 list, marking this third consecutive year at the top. Bill Gates placed second, but narrowed the gap from 2011 as Slim's fortune fell $5 billion while Gates' rose $5 billion. Warren Buffett remained in third place. Bernard Arnault of France was the top-ranking European on the list, placing fourth.[29] Ricardo Salinas Pliego was the greatest gainer in terms of dollars, adding $9.2 billion to his fortune and moving up to number 37 overall.[29] Making her debut on the list at age 27, Spanx founder Sara Blakely became the youngest self-made female billionaire ever.[30] Colombia's Alejandro Santo Domingo was the highest-ranked newcomer, inheriting a $9.5 billion stake in Santo Domingo Group from his father.[29] India's Lakshmi Mittal was the largest loser as his fortune dropped from $31.1 billion to $20.7 billion as the price of steel maker ArcelorMittal fell sharply.[29] As a result, he failed to make the top 10 for the first time since 2004 and lost his title of richest Asian to Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing.[31]

text: A record total of 1,226 people made the 2012 list, representing 58 different countries. Of those, 126 were newcomers to the list and 104 were women. The United States had the greatest number of billionaires with 425. Russia had 96 people on the list, while China had 95.[29] Georgia, Morocco, and Peru were newly represented on the list. Falling stock prices in Asia contributed to 117 former billionaires falling from the list worldwide. Twelve others listed in 2011 died. Overall, net gainers (460) barely outnumbered net losers (441).[31]

text: To coincide with the release of the 2012 list, Forbes announced a new "Billionaire Real-Time Ticker" updating the wealth of the world's top fifty billionaires in real time.[29]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family
$69.0 billion
72
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000200000000000000♠2
Gates, BillBill Gates
$61.0 billion
56
 United States
Microsoft

7000300000000000000♠3
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$44.0 billion
81
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000400000000000000♠4
Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault
$41.0 billion
63
 France
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton

7000500000000000000♠5
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$37.5 billion
75
 Spain
Inditex Group

7000600000000000000♠6
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$36.0 billion
67
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000700000000000000♠7
Batista, EikeEike Batista
$30.0 billion
55
 Brazil
EBX Group

7000800000000000000♠8
Stefan Persson
$26.0 billion
64
 Sweden
H&M

7000900000000000000♠9
Ka-shing, LiLi Ka-shing
$25.5 billion
83
 Hong Kong
 Canada
Cheung Kong Holdings

7001100000000000000♠10
Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht
$25.4 billion
92
 Germany
Aldi

text: In the 25th annual Forbes list of global billionaires, Carlos Slim added $20.5 billion to his fortune, the most of anyone, and retained his number one ranking with a total fortune of $74 billion. Bill Gates remained in second place with $56 billion, while Warren Buffett was third with $50 billion. The top 10 had a combined wealth of $406 billion, up from $342 billion in 2010.[32] According to Forbes editor Kerry Dolan, "media and technology billionaires definitely benefited from a stronger stock market and a growing enthusiasm for all things social" since the 2010 list.[33] However, Nigerian commodity mogul Aliko Dangote was the greatest gainer on a percentage basis as his fortune increased 557 percent to $13.5 billion. Mark Zuckerberg was one of seven Facebook-related billionaires on the list, as he $9.5 billion to his fortune to move up to 52nd. Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz was the youngest person on the list. Aged 26, eight days younger than Zuckerberg, he debuted at number 420 with an estimated fortune of $2.7 billion. IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad was the largest loser as he saw his fortune plummet from $23 billion to $6 billion, dropping him from 11th to 162nd overall.[32]

text: A record 1,210 billionaires made the 2011 list, representing a combined wealth of $4.5 trillion, up from $3.6 trillion the previous year.[34] One third of the world's billionaires, 413, came from the United States. China had the second most billionaires with 115, while Russia was third with 101. Asia moved up to 332 billionaires, passing Europe as a region for the first time since the 1990s.[32] The 2011 list included 214 newcomers and the average net worth of those on it increased to $3.7 billion.[33]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family
$74.0 billion
71
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000200000000000000♠2
Gates, BillBill Gates
$56.0 billion
55
 United States
Microsoft

7000300000000000000♠3
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$50.0 billion
80
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000400000000000000♠4
Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault
$41.0 billion
62
 France
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton

7000500000000000000♠5
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$39.5 billion
66
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000600000000000000♠6
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$31.1 billion
60
 India
Arcelor Mittal

7000700000000000000♠7
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$31.0 billion
74
 Spain
Inditex Group

7000800000000000000♠8
Batista, EikeEike Batista
$30.0 billion
53
 Brazil
EBX Group

7000900000000000000♠9
Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani
$27.0 billion
57
 India
Reliance Industries

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, ChristyChristy Walton & family
$26.5 billion
55
 United States
Walmart

text: Carlos Slim narrowly eclipsed Bill Gates to top the billionaire list for the first time. Slim saw his estimated worth surge $18.5 billion to $53.5 billion as shares of America Movil rose 35 percent. Gates' estimated wealth rose $13 billion to $53 billion, placing him second. Warren Buffett was third with $47 billion.[35] Christy Walton was the highest-ranking woman, placing 12th overall, with an inherited fortune of $22.5 billion.[36] At age 25, Mark Zuckerberg continued to be the world's youngest self-made billionaire.[12] American Isaac Perlmutter was among the newcomers with an estimated fortune of $4 billion largely acquired in his sale of Marvel Entertainment to Disney.[35]

text: A total of 1,011 people made the 2010 list. The United States accounted for 403 billionaires, followed by China with 89 and Russia with 62.[36] It was the first time China, while including Hong Kong, placed second.[35] A total of 55 countries were represented on the 2010 list, including Finland and Pakistan which claimed their first billionaires.[36] Eighty-nine women made the list, but only 14 of them were self-made.[36] The combined net worth of the list was $3.6 trillion, up 50 percent from 2009's $2.4 trillion, while the average net worth was $3.5 billion.[12]

text: The 2010 list featured 164 re-entries and 97 true newcomers.[12] Asia accounted for more than 100 of the new entrants. Overall, just 12 percent of the list lost wealth since 2009, and 30 people fell off the list. Thirteen others died.[35] Of the 89 women, 12 were newcomers in 2010. Steve Forbes said the growing number of billionaires was clear sign that the world's economy was recovering from 2009's global financial crisis.[12]

text: In June 2010, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates announce The Giving Pledge that is a promise to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. As of 2017, the pledge has 158 signatories, but some of the signatories have since died. Most of the signers of the pledge are billionaires, and their pledges total to over $365 billion.[37]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim & family
$53.5 billion
70
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000200000000000000♠2
Gates, BillBill Gates
$53.0 billion
54
 United States
Microsoft

7000300000000000000♠3
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$47.0 billion
79
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000400000000000000♠4
Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani
$29.0 billion
53
 India
Reliance Industries

7000500000000000000♠5
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$28.7 billion
60
 India
Arcelor Mittal

7000600000000000000♠6
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$28.0 billion
66
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000700000000000000♠7
Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault
$27.5 billion
61
 France
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton

7000800000000000000♠8
Batista, EikeEike Batista
$27.0 billion
53
 Brazil
EBX Group

7000900000000000000♠9
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$25.0 billion
74
 Spain
Inditex Group

7001100000000000000♠10
Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht
$23.5 billion
90
 Germany
Aldi Süd

text: In the wake of the Financial crisis of 2007–2008, the world's billionaires lose $2 trillion in net worth and the list becomes 30% smaller than the previous year's list.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$40.0 billion
53
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$37.0 billion
78
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$35.0 billion
69
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil

7000400000000000000♠4
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$22.5 billion
64
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000500000000000000♠5
Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad
$22.0 billion
83
 Sweden
IKEA

7000600000000000000♠6
Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht
$21.5 billion
89
 Germany
Aldi Süd

7000700000000000000♠7
Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani
$19.5 billion
57
 India
Reliance Industries

7000800000000000000♠8
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$19.3 billion
58
 India
Arcelor Mittal

7000900000000000000♠9
Albrecht, TheoTheo Albrecht
$18.8 billion
87
 Germany
Aldi Nord, Trader Joe's

7001100000000000000♠10
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$18.3 billion
73
 Spain
Inditex Group

text: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, four years after starting the company, joins the list at 23 to become the youngest self-made billionaire.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$62.0 billion
77
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000200000000000000♠2
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$60.0 billion
68
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil

7000300000000000000♠3
Gates, BillBill Gates
$58.0 billion
52
 United States
Microsoft

7000400000000000000♠4
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$45.0 billion
57
 India
Arcelor Mittal

7000500000000000000♠5
Ambani, MukeshMukesh Ambani
$43.0 billion
50
 India
Reliance Industries

7000600000000000000♠6
Ambani, AnilAnil Ambani
$42.0 billion
48
 India
Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group

7000700000000000000♠7
Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad
$31.0 billion
81
 Sweden
IKEA

7000800000000000000♠8
Pal Singh, KushalKushal Pal Singh
$30.0 billion
76
 India
DLF Group

7000900000000000000♠9
Deripaska, OlegOleg Deripaska
$28.0 billion
40
 Russia
Rusal

7001100000000000000♠10
Albrecht, Karl Karl Albrecht
$27.0 billion
88
 Germany
Aldi Süd

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$56.0 billion
51
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$52.0 billion
76
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$49.0 billion
67
 Mexico
Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso

7000400000000000000♠4
Ingvar Kamprad
$33.0 billion
80
 Sweden
IKEA

7000500000000000000♠5
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$32.0 billion
56
 India
Arcelor Mittal

7000600000000000000♠6
Adelson, SheldonSheldon Adelson
$26.5 billion
73
 United States
Las Vegas Sands

7000700000000000000♠7
Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault
$26.0 billion
58
 France
LVMH

7000800000000000000♠8
Ortega, AmancioAmancio Ortega
$24.0 billion
71
 Spain
Inditex Group

7000900000000000000♠9
Ka-shing, LiLi Ka-shing
$23.0 billion
78
 Hong Kong
 Canada
Cheung Kong Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa

7001100000000000000♠10
David Thomson
$22.0 billion
49
 Canada
Thomson Corporation

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$52.0 billion
50
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$42.0 billion
75
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$30.0 billion
66
 Mexico
Telmex

7000400000000000000♠4
Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad
$28.0 billion
79
 Sweden
IKEA

7000500000000000000♠5
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$23.5 billion
55
 India
Mittal Steel Company

7000600000000000000♠6
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$22.0 billion
53
 United States
Microsoft

7000700000000000000♠7
Arnault, BernardBernard Arnault
$21.5 billion
57
 France
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton

7000800000000000000♠8
Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed
$20.0 billion
49
 Saudi Arabia
Kingdom Holding Company

7000900000000000000♠9
Thomson, KennethKenneth Thomson
$19.6 billion
82
 Canada
The Thomson Corporation

7001100000000000000♠10
Shing, Li KaLi Ka Shing
$18.8 billion
77
 Hong Kong
 Canada
Cheung Kong Group, Hutchison Whampoa

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$46.5 billion
49
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$44.0 billion
74
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Mittal, LakshmiLakshmi Mittal
$25.0 billion
54
 India
Mittal Steel Company

7000400000000000000♠4
Slim, CarlosCarlos Slim
$23.8 billion
65
 Mexico
Telmex

7000500000000000000♠5
Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed
$23.7 billion
49
 Saudi Arabia
Kingdom Holding Company

7000600000000000000♠6
Kamprad, IngvarIngvar Kamprad
$23.0 billion
79
 Sweden
IKEA

7000700000000000000♠7
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$21.0 billion
52
 United States
Microsoft

7000800000000000000♠8
Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht
$18.5 billion
85
 Germany
Aldi Süd

7000900000000000000♠9
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$18.4 billion
60
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton
$18.3 billion
61
 United States
Walmart

text: The founders of Google, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, become billionaires at age 30.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$46.6 billion
48
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$42.9 billion
73
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Albrecht, KarlKarl Albrecht
$23.0 billion
84
 Germany
Aldi Süd

7000400000000000000♠4
Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed
$21.5 billion
47
 Saudi Arabia
Kingdom Holding Company

7000500000000000000♠5
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$21.0 billion
51
 United States
Microsoft

7000600000000000000♠6
Walton, AliceAlice Walton*
$20.0 billion
55
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000700000000000000♠7
Walton, HelenHelen Walton*
$20.0 billion
84
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000800000000000000♠8
Walton, JimJim Walton*
$20.0 billion
56
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000900000000000000♠9
Walton, JohnJohn Walton*
$20.0 billion
58
 United States
Wal-Mart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton*
$20.0 billion
60
 United States
Wal-Mart

text: Oprah Winfrey becomes the first female African American billionaire.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$40.7 billion
47
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$30.5 billion
72
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Karl and Theo Albrecht
$25.6 billion
83
 Germany
Aldi Süd

7000400000000000000♠4
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$20.1 billion
50
 United States
Microsoft

7000500000000000000♠5
Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed
$17.7 billion
46
 Saudi Arabia
Kingdom Holding Company

7000600000000000000♠6
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$16.6 billion
58
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000700000000000000♠7
Walton, AliceAlice Walton*
$16.5 billion
54
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000800000000000000♠8
Walton, HelenHelen Walton*
$16.5 billion
83
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000900000000000000♠9
Walton, JimJim Walton*
$16.5 billion
55
 United States
Wal-Mart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, JohnJohn Walton*
$16.5 billion
57
 United States
Wal-Mart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton*
$16.5 billion
59
 United States
Wal-Mart

text: As a result of the market crash caused by the Dot-com bubble, 83 billionaires drop off the list from the previous year.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$52.8 billion
46
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$35.0 billion
71
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Karl and Theo Albrecht
$26.8 billion
82
 Germany
Aldi Süd

7000400000000000000♠4
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$25.2 billion
49
 United States
Microsoft

7000500000000000000♠5
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$23.5 billion
57
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000600000000000000♠6
Walton, JimJim Walton*
$20.8 billion
54
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000700000000000000♠7
Walton, JohnJohn Walton*
$20.7 billion
56
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000800000000000000♠8
Walton, AliceAlice Walton*
$20.5 billion
53
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000900000000000000♠9
Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton*
$20.5 billion
58
 United States
Wal-Mart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, HelenHelen Walton*
$20.4 billion
82
 United States
Wal-Mart

text: In 2001, BET founder Robert L. Johnson became the first ever African-American billionaire.[38]

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$58.7 billion
45
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$32.3 billion
70
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000300000000000000♠3
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$30.4 billion
48
 United States
Microsoft

7000400000000000000♠4
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$26.0 billion
56
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000500000000000000♠5
Karl and Theo Albrecht
$25.0 billion
81
 Germany
Aldi

7000600000000000000♠6
Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed
$20.0 billion
44
 Saudi Arabia
Kingdom Holding Company

7000700000000000000♠7
Walton, JimJim Walton*
$18.8 billion
53
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000800000000000000♠8
Walton, JohnJohn Walton*
$18.7 billion
55
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000900000000000000♠9
Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton*
$18.6 billion
57
 United States
Wal-Mart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, AliceAlice Walton*
$18.5 billion
52
 United States
Wal-Mart

7001100000000000000♠10
Walton, HelenHelen Walton*
$18.5 billion
81
 United States
Wal-Mart

text: Each hold an essentially equal share in Wal-Mart. Had he been alive in 2001, Sam Walton would have been the world's wealthiest person.

text: Bill Gates became the first American to take the top spot of the World's Billionaires in 1995 with a net worth of $12.5 billion and he remained there during the Dot-com bubble's height in 1999 when Gates' fortune peaked at $90 billion. After the dot-com bubble started to collapse in 2000, his wealth dropped to $60 billion although he remained at the top of the list.

text:
No.
Name
Net worth (USD)
Age
Nationality
Source(s) of wealth

7000100000000000000♠1
Gates, BillBill Gates
$60.0 billion
44
 United States
Microsoft

7000200000000000000♠2
Ellison, LarryLarry Ellison
$47.0 billion
55
 United States
Oracle Corporation

7000300000000000000♠3
Allen, PaulPaul Allen
$28.0 billion
47
 United States
Microsoft

7000400000000000000♠4
Buffett, WarrenWarren Buffett
$25.6 billion
69
 United States
Berkshire Hathaway

7000500000000000000♠5
Karl and Theo Albrecht
$20.0 billion
80
 Germany
Aldi Süd

7000600000000000000♠6
Al-Waleed, PrincePrince Al-Waleed
$20.0 billion
43
 Saudi Arabia
Kingdom Holding Company

7000700000000000000♠7
Walton, S. RobsonS. Robson Walton
$20.0 billion
57
 United States
Wal-Mart

7000800000000000000♠8
Son, MasayoshiMasayoshi Son
$19.4 billion
43
 Japan
Softbank Capital, SoftBank Mobile

7000900000000000000♠9
Dell, MichaelMichael Dell
$19.1 billion
35
 United States
Dell

7001100000000000000♠10
Thomson, KennethKenneth Thomson
$16.1 billion
77
 Canada
The Thomson Corporation

text: Legend

text:
Icon
Description

Has not changed from the previous ranking.

Has increased from the previous ranking.

Has decreased from the previous ranking.

text: Statistics

text: The dot-com bubble created the most paper wealth for some billionaires. However, once the dotcom bubble burst the new rich saw their fortunes disappear.[39] Billionaires' fortunes were hit even harder by the global financial crisis; 2009 was the first time in five years that the world had a net loss in the number of billionaires.[40] The strong performance of the financial markets and global economic recovery have erased financial assets losses. Most of the richest people in the world have seen their fortunes soar in the early 2010s.[41][42]

text:
Number and combined net worth of billionaires by year[43]

Year
Number of billionaires
Group's combined net worth

2017
2,043
$7.67 trillion

2016
1,810
$6.5 trillion

2015[6]
1,826
$7.1 trillion

2014[44]
1,645
$6.4 trillion

2013[45]
1,426
$5.4 trillion

2012
1,226
$4.6 trillion

2011
1,210
$4.5 trillion

2010
1,011
$3.6 trillion

2009
793
$2.4 trillion

2008
1,125
$4.4 trillion

2007
946
$3.5 trillion

2006
793
$2.6 trillion

2005
691
$2.2 trillion

2004
587
$1.9 trillion

2003
476
$1.4 trillion

2002
497
$1.5 trillion

2001
538
$1.8 trillion

2000
470
$0.9 trillion$898 billion

text: Source: Forbes.[6][44][43][45]


document_title: European Investment Bank

question_text: where does the eib get its money from

question_tokens: where does the eib get its money from

text: European Investment Bank

text: History[edit]

text: The European Investment Bank was founded in Brussels in 1958 when the Treaty of Rome came into force. It relocated to Luxembourg, its current headquarters, in 1968. By 1999, it had more than 1,000 staff members, a figure that had nearly doubled by 2012; when the EIB was founded in 1958 it had 66 employees.[5]

text: The EIB Group was formed in 2000, comprising the EIB and the European Investment Fund (EIF), the EU's venture capital arm that provides finances and guarantees for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The EIB is the EIF's majority shareholder, with 62% of the shares.[6] In 2012, the EIB Institute was created, with the goal of promoting "European initiatives for the common good" in EU Member States and candidate and potential candidate countries, as well as EFTA nations.

text: The total subscribed capital of the Bank was EUR 232 billion in 2012.[7] The capital of the EIB was virtually doubled between 2007 and 2009 in response to the crisis. The EU heads of government agreed to increase paid-in capital by EUR 10 billion in June 2012, with implementation expected in early 2013.

text: For the fiscal year 2011, EIB lent EUR 61 billion in various loan products, bringing total outstanding loans to EUR 395 billion; one-third higher than at the end of 2008. Nearly 90% of these were with EU member states with the remainder dispersed between around 150 "partner countries" (in southern and eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region, Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific). The bank uses its AAA credit rating and funds itself by raising equivalent amounts on the capital markets.

text: Mission[edit]

text: As the "Bank of the European Union", the EIB's mission is to make a difference to the future of Europe and its partners by supporting sound investments which further EU policy goals.[8]

text: Although about 90 percent of projects financed by the EIB are based in EU member countries, the bank does fund projects in about 150 other countries—non-EU Southeastern European countries, Mediterranean partner countries, ACP countries, Asian and Latin American countries, the members of the Eastern Partnership and Russia.[9] According to the EIB, it works in these countries to implement the financial pillar of the union's external cooperation and development policies by encouraging private sector development, infrastructure development, security of energy supply and environmental sustainability. In the wake of the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine, the Council of the European Union instructed the EIB to suspend the signature of new financing operations in Russia.[10]

text: Strategy[edit]

text: Operating strategy:

text:
To finance viable capital projects which further EU objectives
To borrow on the capital markets to finance these projects

text: Lending strategy within the EU

text: Within the EU the EIB has six priority objectives:

text:
Cohesion and convergence (regional policy)
Support for small and medium-sized enterprises
Environmental sustainability
Knowledge economy
Development of Trans-European Networks of transport and energy
Sustainable, competitive, and secure energy supply

text: Lending strategy outside the EU

text: Outside the EU the EIB's priority objectives for lending activity are:

text:
Private sector development
Financial sector development
Infrastructure development
Security of energy supply
Environmental sustainability
EU presence

text: When making loans outside the EU, the bank has lending mandates based on EU external cooperation and development policies, which differ from region to region.

text:
Pre-Accession: Candidate and Potential Candidate countries in the Enlargement region (states which could possibly join the EU)
European Neighbourhood: Mediterranean Neighbourhood / Russia and Eastern Neighbours
Development: Africa, Pacific and Caribbean (ACP) / Republic of South Africa
Economic Cooperation: Asia and Latin America (ALA)

text: Within pre-accession countries, activities support both the EU priority lending objectives and the objectives of the external mandates.[8]

text: Corporate policies[edit]

text:
Transport Policy (renewed in 2011), Energy Policy (2012), Transparency Policy (latest renewal in 2015), Climate Strategy (2015), Governance at the EIB, Complaints Mechanism Policy (renewed in 2010), Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Policy, Integrity Policy and Compliance Charter, Statement on Environmental and Social Principles and Standards, EIB Whistleblowing Policy, EIB Policy towards weakly regulated, non-transparent and uncooperative jurisdictions.
As such, the European Investment Bank is currently represented in the Standard Committee of SuRe® – The Standard for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, which is a global voluntary standard, developed by the Swiss Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation and the French bank Natixis, which integrates key criteria of sustainability and resilience into infrastructure development and upgrade.[11]

text: Governance[edit]

text: The EIB is governed by the:

text:
Board of Governors – usually the Finance Ministers of the Member States. Their mandate is to authorise EIB activities outside the Union, form credit policy guidelines and approve the annual accounts.
Board of directors – twenty-eight members (one nominated by each member state and one by the European Commission).[12]:13–14 There are eighteen alternates,[12]:13–14 meaning that some of these positions are shared by groups of states.[13] The board also co-opts a maximum of six experts (three directors and three alternates),[12]:13–14 who participate in the Board meetings in an advisory capacity, without voting rights. The Board has sole power to take decisions in respect of loans, guarantees and borrowings. They are responsible only to the bank.

text:
Management committee – EIB President and eight vice-presidents
Audit committee – six members appointed by the Board of Governors

text: The EIB addresses complaints internally and the bank can also be referred to the European Ombudsman if concerns about maladministration persist.[14]

text: Offices[edit]

text:
The headquarters is situated at 100 Boulevard Konrad Adenauer in Kirchberg, Luxembourg.[15] The building's first phase, now the West building, was designed by British architect Sir Denys Lasdun and is one of his few works outside the UK.
An extension, the East building, was designed by Ingenhoven Architects, Düsseldorf. Covered by a glass roof that spans the entire structure, the extension adds 72,500 meters of office space.[16]

text: The EIB has offices in the different EU countries, including Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Fort-de-France, Martinique (one of France's overseas departments); Dublin, Helsinki, Lisbon, London, Lubliana, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Sofia, Warsaw, Copenhagen and Vienna.

text: Outside of the EU, it has offices in Belgrade, Serbia; Bogota, Colombia; Kiev, Ukraine; Ankara, Turkey; Beijing, China; Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Istanbul, Turkey; Nairobi, Kenya; Pretoria, South Africa; Rabat, Morocco; Sydney, Australia; and Tunis, Tunisia and Tbilisi, Georgia.[17]

text: In 2007, the EIB opened a regional office in Helsinki, located at the headquarters of the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB), with the aim of enhancing the Bank's presence in the Baltic Sea region.[18]

text: Presidents[edit]

text: The EIB president is the head of the Management Committee, a nine-member executive body that is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the EIB. They are "appointed by the EIB's Board of Governors, on a proposal from the board of directors", for a renewable six-year term. The President is also the chair of the board of directors.[19] The other eight members are vice-presidents.[20]

text:
Werner Hoyer (Germany): January 2012 –  present[21]
Philippe Maystadt (Belgium): March 2000 – December 2011
Sir Brian Unwin (UK): April 1993 – December 1999
Ernst-Günther Bröder (Germany): August 1984 – March 1993
Yves Le Portz (France): September 1970 – July 1984
Paride Formentini (Italy): June 1959 – September 1970
Pietro Campilli (Italy): February 1958 – May 1959

text: Shareholders[edit]

text: The shareholders of the EIB are the 28 member states of the EU, while each state’s share in the EIB’s capital is based on its economic weight within the European Union (expressed in GDP) at the time of its accession.[22] Shares of capital are following:[23]

text:
Country
Capital (EUR mil.)
Capital (%)

Germany
39,195
16.1

France
39,195
16.1

Italy
39,195
16.1

United Kingdom
39,195
16.1

Spain
23,517
9.7

Belgium
10,865
4.5

Netherlands
10,865
4.5

Sweden
7,208
3.0

Denmark
5,501
2.3

Austria
5,393
2.2

other member states
23,156
9.5

Total
243,284
100

text: Active projects[edit]

text:
Crossrail, United Kingdom
Kanpur Metro, India
Manchester Metrolink Phase 3, United Kingdom
Eurasia Tunnel, Turkey
Marmaray Railway, Turkey

text: Controversial projects[edit]

text: There are a few projects financed or under the appraisal procedure by the EIB that have raised objections from local communities as well as international and national NGOs.[24][25] Such projects include the M10 motorway in Russia[26], the Gazela Bridge in Serbia,[27] Rača Bridge between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina,[citation needed] the D1 motorway in the Slovakia, Šoštanj Power Plant in Slovenia,[28] the Bujagali Hydroelectric Power Station in Uganda[29]

text: The Transparency Policy of the EIB has been criticised by NGOs. In 2004, Article 19 issued a memorandum in which it accused the EIB of failing to meet international (including EU) standards on openness.[30] In 2010 the EIB updated its transparency policy following a public consultation.[31] The latest update of the Transparency Policy in 2015 equally followed a public consultation.

text: A 2011 report accused the EIB of a lending policy that failed its responsibility to further the EU goal of cutting carbon emissions.[32]

text: In 2014 11 NGOs demanded the release of an EIB report into allegations of tax fraud by Glencore in Zambia.[33] Following a recommendation of the European Ombudsman the EIB released a summary which stated their investigation had been "non-conclusive".[34][35] The Ombudsman subsequently called this summary inadequate and accused the EIB of failing to meet its own transparency policy.[36][37]

text: Reports in 2010 and 2015, from a coalition of NGOs, implicated the EIB in tax avoidance by lending to businesses which use tax havens.[38][39][40]