This graphic lays out the parts of the world with the most billionaires - and Asia is climbing fast
There are now more billionaires on earth than ever before - 2,473 of them, according to wealth information and insight firm Wealth-X, which released its annual Billionaire Census Monday. As part of its report, Wealth-X analyzed the Earth's growing billionaire population geographically, breaking down the regions that have seen the most growth in new billionaires and their fortunes.
The majority of billionaires have traditionally hailed from parts of the world with advanced Western economies - Europe and North America have 806 and 628, respectively. North America's group is the wealthiest with a combined net worth of $2.56 trillion, while Europe's billionaires are worth $2.33 trillion.
But Asia is minting more new mega-fortunes than any other part of the world. The region overtook North America by adding 85 new billionaires last year, bringing its total to 645. The combined wealth of Asia's ultra-rich now stands at $1.69 trillion.
Check out the rest of Wealth-X billionaire map below:
