World's Richest Leaders

Forbes.com

Fidel Castro, we assume he has economic control over a web of state-owned companies, including El Palacio de Convenciones, a convention center near Havana; Cimex, retail conglomerate; and Medicuba, which sells vaccines and other pharmaceuticals produced in Cuba. Former Cuban officials insist Castro, who travels exclusively in a fleet of black Mercedes, has skimmed profits from these outfits for years. To come up with a net worth figure, we use a discounted cash flow method to value these companies and then assume a portion of that profit stream goes to Castro. To be conservative, we don’t try to estimate any past profits he may have pocketed, though we have heard rumors of large stashes in Swiss bank accounts. Castro, for the record disagrees, insisting his personal net worth is zero.

ten wealthy rulers:

King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz

King/Saudi Arabia
$21 billion*
Age: 82

Longtime crown prince, commander of the Saudi National Guard and First Deputy Prime Minister, Abdullah became the sixth king of Saudi Arabia in August 2005 after his half-brother King Fahd died. The royal family derives most of its wealth through oil, which represents 45% of the country’s $340 billion GDP. Under King Fahd, it was said that there was almost no distinction between the royal treasury and that of the state. Many Saudis are hoping King Abdullah, who once lived with Bedouin tribes, will be a reformist and spread the wealth more. Abdullah is an avid horseman who breeds Arabian horses.

*(£11.3B, 941.9B rupees, CA$23.3B, AU$27.2B, 16.5B euros)


#2
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

Sultan/Brunei
$20 billion*
Age: 59

The 29th Sultan of Brunei is heir to an unbroken 600-year-old Muslim dynasty. At its height, Brunei's sultans controlled an empire that stretched to the southern Philippines. Internal strife and piracy drove predecessors to seek British protection in 1888. Hassanal became Sultan in 1967 and 17 years later, Brunei gained independence. For several years, he battled his brother Prince Jefri, Brunei's former finance minister, over claims Jefri embezzled an estimated $15 billion. Brunei--and the sultan--benefit from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields. Known for a lavish lifestyle, his palace is said to have 1,788 rooms; has also built mosques with touches in gold and diamonds.

*(£10.8B, 897B rupees, CA$22.2B, AU$25.9B, 15.7B euros)

#3
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

President/United Arab Emirates
$19 billion*
Age: 58

Took over as ruler of Abu Dhabi, part of the United Arab Emirates, in November 2004 after his father's death; at the same time, elected as UAE’s president. Most of his family’s wealth comes from our estimates of its take of the emirate’s oil wealth; it holds more than 90% of the 2.5 million barrels a day exported from the UAE, and represents almost two-thirds of the nation’s GDP. Sheikh Khalifa chairs Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council, which oversees energy policy in that emirate. Last year, the royal family purchased real estate worth more than £1 billion in London’s West End.

*(£10.2B, 852.2B rupees, CA$21.1B, AU$24.6B, 14.9B euros)

#4
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Ruler/Dubai
$14 billion*
Age: 56

Became Dubai’s 10th ruler upon older brother’s death in January. Credited with already transforming tiny Persian Gulf Emirate into aviation, business and tourist hub and growing its GDP from $8 billion in 1994 to an expected $40 billion in 2006. Also guiding its investments abroad: Dubai recently bought London's Tussauds Group, a stake in DaimlerChrysler and aerospace company Doncasters, plus real estate in the U.S. Its purchase of P&O group and consequent bid to manage six key American ports sparked a national controversy in the U.S. and forced Dubai to back away from the U.S. port portion of the deal in March. It’s estimated that a substantial portion of the sheikh’s fortune, which he shares with two brothers, comes from the government’s stake in banks, aluminum and real estate companies. Sheikh Mohammed is a horse lover and champion endurance rider. Also composes Nabati poems, a style unique to the Arabian peninsula.

*(£7.5B, 627.9B rupees, CA$15.5B, AU$18.2B, 11B euros)

#5
Hans Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein

Prince/Liechtenstein
$4 billion*
Age: 61

Heads family fortune that goes back almost nine centuries. Holdings include three 17th-century palaces, four houses in central Vienna, a priceless collection of art, including works by Rembrandt and Rubens, an estimated 20,000 hectares of land in Austria, the private LGT bank, and Rice Tec Inc., a U.S. producer of hybrid rice. Got a degree in business and economics then worked as a trainee at a bank in London. Assumed regency in 1989. Fourteen years later, tapped son Prince Alois for eventual succession and gave him ability to exercise sovereign powers.

*(£2.2B, 179.4B rupees, CA$4.4B, AU$5.2B, 3.1B euros)

#6
Prince Albert II

Prince/Monaco
$1 billion
Age: 48

Son of legendary movie star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, Prince Albert II officially became the ruler of tiny principality Monaco after his father’s death in 2005. Along with the throne, he inherited interests in real estate, art, stamps and Monte Carlo’s casino, Societe des Bains de Mer. A 48-year-old bachelor, Albert has been romantically linked to women like Claudia Schiffer. Made news recently for fathering an illegitimate child with a former airline stewardess. To bring attention to global warming, made a four-day sled expedition to the North Pole in April. Attended Amherst College.

*(£0.5B, 44.9B rupees, CA$1.1B, AU$1.3B, 0.8B euros)


#7
Fidel Castro

President/Cuba
$900 million
Age: 79

Comandante since 1959. We estimate his fortune based on his economic power over a web of state-owned companies including El Palacio de Convenciones, a convention center near Havana; Cimex, retail conglomerate; and Medicuba, which sells vaccines and other pharmaceuticals produced in Cuba. Former Cuban officials living in U.S. assert that he has long skimmed profits. Castro insists his net worth is zero.

*(£484.1M, 40.4B rupees, CA$997.2M, AU$1,167.4M, 706.5M euros)

#8
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

President/Equatorial Guinea
$600 million*
Age: 63

Obiang has ruled the tiny West African country since 1979, when he overthrew his uncle. After oil was discovered in 1995, Obiang and his government deposited up to $700 million in U.S.’ Riggs Bank, which was fined for not reporting possible money laundering in these and other accounts. The money was later released back to Obiang & Co. and deposited in the Bank of the Central African Monetary Union. Equatorial Guinea’s embassy insists the money belongs to the government, not Obiang personally. But our sources say he tightly controls these accounts as well as the country’s overall oil revenues, and that, until recently, little oil money has made its way to its citizens. Obiang and relatives reportedly own several companies at home, including a construction/real estate firm and forestry group.

*(£322.7M, 26.9B rupees, CA$664.8M, AU$778.3M, 471M euros)

#9
Queen Elizabeth II

Queen/U.K.
$500 million
Age: 80

Christened in the Buckingham Palace chapel and home schooled in art, music and riding, Elizabeth became queen at age 25 and was officially crowned a year later. Holdings include estates in Scotland and England, fine art, gems, antiques and a stamp collection built by her grandfather. Our estimate doesn’t count invaluable, state-owned treasures such as Buckingham Palace or the crown jewels. The queen, who celebrated her 80th birthday in April, maintains a busy schedule of travel and royal duties but rumors persist that she is slowing down and may soon delegate some duties to Prince Charles.

*(£269M, 22.4B rupees, CA$554M, AU$648.6M, 392.5M euros)


#10
Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard

Queen/Netherlands
$270 million
Age: 68

With her family, possesses a fortune that includes real estate, antiques and investments in companies like ABN AMRO and Royal Dutch Shell. After a wave of family scandals, the news from the Netherlands these days is refreshingly low-key and domestic: Queen Beatrice celebrated her 25th anniversary on the throne last year and had successful knee surgery; a second daughter was born to her son Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Màxima; son Johan Friso and wife Mabel--for whom he renounced the rights to the throne because of her alleged involvement with a Dutch gangster--gave her another grandchild and one more is on the way.

*(£145.2M, 12.1B rupees, CA$299.1M, AU$350.2M, 212M euros)