In The Long, Long Shadows Of Past Renaissance Florentine Oligarchs

Rinat Akhmetov, Richest Oligarch in today's Ukraine

1968-present

Industry: Steel and Iron Ore and Coal Mining; Vast Holding Companies

Wealth in 2006: $11,800,000,000 [Wikipedia]; $1,700,000,000 [Forbes].

Wealth/GDP: 1/30 to 1/200 [at 2006 Purchasing Power Parity and based upon the World Bank's complex PPP Project]

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John D. Rockefeller, Richest-Ever Oligarch in the United States

1839-1937

Industry: Oil

Wealth at death: $1,400,000,000 [1937]

Wealth/GDP: 1/65

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Bill Gates

1955-present

Industry: Software

Wealth in 2006: $82,000,000,000

Wealth/GDP: 1/152

Source for Wealth to American GDP estimates: Fortune magazine. Sources for Rinat Akhmetov Wealth to Ukrainian GDP estimates: as stated and World Bank. Washington, D.C.

According to the Forbes List of Billionaires, the Russian Federation has 32 Billionaires; Turkey has 21 Billionaires; and Ukraine has only 3 Billionaires.















Rinat Akhmetov

Photo credit: © Reuters /Landov 2007. All rights reserved. Via Fortune. With thanks.