Forbes magazine has released its 2005 rankings of the world's billionaires. (Xinhua Photo)

     BEIJING, Mar. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Li Ka-shing, a billionaire from Hong Kong, became the richest Chinese with 13 billion dollars, according to Forbes magazine's 2005 rankings of the world's billionaires. 

    For the eleventh year in a row, Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates led the latest Forbes' Billionaires List with a net worth of $46.5 billion, slightly less than his $46.6 billion last year.

For the eleventh year in a row, Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates leads the latest Forbes' Billionaires List with a net worth of $46.5 billion, slightly less than his $46.6 billion last year. (File photo)

    The number of billionaires grew to a record 691 from the last year's 587, and their total net worth rose by $300 billion to $2.2 trillion.

    The United States, with 341 billionaires, still ranked No. 1 in the world.

    Meanwhile, new names appear among the very richest on Forbes' Billionaires List. These include Indian steel mogul Lakshmi Mittal, Mexican telecom magnate Carlos Slim Helu and Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad of Sweden.

    The falling US dollar and positive performance by many stock markets around the world are two of the factors contributing to the increase of the number of billianaires as well as their wealth, Associated Press reported, quoting Forbes associate editor Luisa Kroll.

    Steve Forbes, Forbes Magazine's chief executive and editor-in-chief expects yet more billionaires for 2006, saying a key factor that contributes to the increasing number of billionaires is economic recovery and growth. Enditem

(Xinhua/Agencies)

    Forbes' Billionaires List 2005