Interesting Facts Of Forbes Billionaires 2009

Forbes Billionaires 2009 list shrinks for the first time in six years. You have heard the expression the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer. Well, not this time. The world's billionaires this time have become poorer.

Bill Gates regained the top spot as world's richest men. The top three billionaires lost $68 billion in the year to February 13. Gates Loses $18B. Warren Buffett is $25B poorer but still comes the second. Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim came in the third place with with 25 billion loss down from 35.

Indeed the downturn has effected the rich people too. It's been a tough year for the richest people in the world as the recession wipes 30% of Forbes billionaires off its 2009 list. Last year the world had 1,125 billionaires, today there are 793, and the net worth of world's billionaires fell from $4.4 to $2.4 trillion.

How do you think will the world's billionaires deal with losing average net worth of 23% a piece? Possibly they can cut back on meals out and cancel going to movies.

There is doom and gloom for UK billionaires as well. The world's richest people have failed to escape the ravages of recession. Sir Richard Branson and Sir Philip Green both saw their fortunes slashed, it is suggested. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's fortune was wiped out last year.

Some people are gone from the listi. Vasily Anisimov, father of Moscow's Paris Hilton, Anna Anisimova, who lost $3.2 billion as the value of his Metalloinvest Holding shrunk last year is gone from the list. Vasily is perhaps more known because of her daughter Anna Anisimova who is also known for a $550,000 summer rental, a $10 million Time Warner aerie and a Diane Von Furstenberg’s $23 million Village townhouse. Russia dropped 55 billionaires in 2009.

India also saw a billionaire drop-off. India's list is down to 24 from last year's 53. Only China is holding strong this year, who managed to have more billionaires in 2009 than India for the first time.