Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has once again topped Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of global billionaires.
This is the second time in a row that the Microsoft founder has been crowned the world's richest person, and the 16th time in the past 21 years.
Forbes magazine announced its ranking of the world's billionaires on March 2.
His net worth rose to $79.2bn (£51bn) from $76bn a year earlier, after he unloaded one-third of his remaining stake in the tech firm he co-founded in the 1970s.
That sale included a gift of shares worth $1.5bn to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in November 2014, which brought his lifetime giving up to $29.5bn, Forbes said.
Mexico telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim ranked second, worth $77.1bn, while Berkshire Hathaway chief Warren Buffett was third, with $72.7bn.
Amancio Ortega, the Spanish founder of Zara owner Inditex, was fourth at $64.5bn, while Oracle chairman Larry Ellison was fifth at $54.3bn.
Forbes identified a record 1,826 billionaires, up from 1,645 last year, worth a combined $7.05 trillion. The list is in its 29th year.
The publication said that entrepreneurship is thriving globally, as 1,191 members of the list are self-made billionaires, while just 230 inherited their wealth.
Another 405 inherited at least a portion but are still working to increase their fortunes.
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, aged 30, rose to 16th place from 21st last year, with his net worth now $34.8bn.
Elizabeth Holmes, American founder of blood-testing firm Theranos, entered the global list for the first time as the youngest self-made woman at age 31, with a fortune of $4.5bn.
Russia, which has struggled with currency and oil market turmoil and political tension, saw its collection of billionaires fall to 88 from 111, Forbes said.
The youngest billionaires were Evan Spiegel, 24, and Bobby Murphy, 25, who co-founded mobile messaging app Snapchat, and are each worth $1.5bn.
