Forbes launched the first Forbes list of the world’s richest people in 1987.
The annual World’s Billionaires list began as a ranking of people with at least $1 billion in estimated net worth. Forbes identified 140 billionaires in the inaugural edition, which used publicly available information and financial research.
The list grew into one of the best-known wealth rankings in journalism. Forbes later added country lists, industry analyses and a real-time billionaire tracker, while continuing to publish an annual snapshot.
This list is distinct from the Forbes 400, which ranks the richest people in the United States and began in 1982. It is also different from the Forbes Global 2000, a ranking of companies rather than individuals.