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March 6, 2008
Moscow Becomes
World's Billionaire Capital: Forbes

New York
Moscow now has 74 billionaires with average wealth of $5.9 billion, placing it above New York, Forbes Magazine said in its annual rich list published Thursday.

According to the list, New York has 71 billionaires, followed by London with 36, Istanbul with 34, and Hong Kong with 30.

Russia is second only to the United States in the number of its super-rich. An additional 35 Russians have crossed the $1 billion mark in the past year, propped by the continuing rise of the rouble against the dollar.

"Sixteen years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia, with 87 billionaires, is the new No. 2 country behind the US, easily overtaking Germany, with 59 billionaires, which held the honour for six years," said Forbes associate editor Luisa Kroll.

The Unites States accounts for 469 (42 percent) of the world's billionaires.

Topping the list of Russia's billionaires is Oleg Deripaska with $28 billion, placing him ninth in the world, ahead of the more famous Roman Abramovich with $23.5 billionn, in the 15th place.

Deripaska's holding company Basic Element owns huge assets in insurance, auto manufacture, and aluminium, while Abramovich, since selling his oil company Sibneft to Russian state-controlled gas giant Gazprom in 2005, has bought steel and mining assets. He also owns Chelsea Football Club.

Russia's richest woman remains Elena Baturina, the 45-year-old second wife of Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov (71). Forbes estimates that she has added $1.1 billion to her personal wealth in the past year, bringing it up to $4.2 billion and putting her in 253rd place globally. 

March 6, 2008

RIA Novosti | Top