Source of Wealth: Oil

2010 Forbes Ranking: #64

Country Of Citizenship: Saudi Arabia

Education: N/A

Age: 65

Marital Status: Married, 8 children

Residence: Jeddah

Fortune: $10.0 bil (Self made)

“Born in Ethiopia to Saudi father and Ethiopian mother, Al-Amoudi claims to be investing more than $3 billion into Ethiopian agriculture and industry with the aim of modernizing farming and eventually exporting much of the output to Saudi Arabia. Also owns mine in Ethiopia that puts out 5 tons of gold a year. Started investing in Sweden in 1974; stakes there now comprise half his fortune: Preem operates two refineries; Svenska Petroleum produces crude oil in the North Sea and west Africa. Construction company Midroc operates in Europe, Africa and Middle East. In recent years completed estimated $30 billion contract with Saudi Arabia to build vast underground oil storage caverns.”

Source of Wealth: Construction

2010 Forbes Ranking: #127

Country Of Citizenship: Egypt

Education: U of Chicago, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Age: 48

Marital Status: N/A

Residence: Cairo

Fortune: $5.9 bil (Inherited and growing)

“Youngest son of Orascom conglomerate founder and fellow billionaire, Onsi Sawiris. Took over leadership of empire’s flagship construction and fertilizer division in 1998. Shares in Orascom Construction Industries have doubled over the past year as projects have picked up. In January announced joint venture with investment bank, Morgan Stanley, to invest in infrastructure assets in the Middle East and Africa. Spun off group’s cement division 3 years ago to French giant LaFarge, landing Nassef a seat on the board and a 13% stake. Joined his 15% interest in Texas Industries with the late Roy Disney’s Shamrock holding in voting for slate of new directors at the company last fall.”

Source of Wealth: De Beers (World’s largest diamond producer)

2010 Forbes Ranking: #154

Country Of Citizenship: South Africa

Education: Oxford U Christ Church, Bachelor of Arts / Science; Oxford U Christ Church, Master of Arts

Age: 64

Marital Status: Married, 1 child

Residence: Johannesburg

Fortune: $5.0 bil (Inherited)

“Diamonds in the rough: sales of De Beers, the world’s largest diamond producer, which he runs, dropped 44% to $3.8 billion; group posted a net loss of $220 million. Cutting costs allowed it to remain cash positive. Along with De Beers’ other two investors, he and his family who own 40% of the group were asked to invest another $1 billion to help the company recapitalize and keep the ownership structure in tact. His family’s portion: $400 million. Consumer demand starting to recover, led by China and India. Still owns a stake in mining giant Anglo American, founded in 1917 by grandfather Ernest. Passionate conservationist, owns Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, largest private game reserve in South Africa.”

Source of Wealth: Construction

2010 Forbes Ranking: #307

Country Of Citizenship: Egypt

Education: N/A

Age: 80

Marital Status: Married, 3 children

Residence: Cairo

Fortune: $3.1 bil (Self Made)

“Founding patriarch of Egypt’s most famous business dynasty; remains chairman. Shares in primary holding, Orascom Construction Industries, have doubled over the past year as projects have picked up. In January announced joint venture with investment bank, Morgan Stanley, to invest in infrastructure assets in the Middle East and Africa. His 3 sons run construction, telecommunications and tourism divisions. Studied agriculture in college after lawyer father urged him to pursue farming. Found it boring, instead opened a small contracting firm in Upper Egypt. Construction baron forced to rebuild empire after it was nationalized in 1960s.”

Source of Wealth: Telecom

2010 Forbes Ranking: #374

Country Of Citizenship: Egypt

Education: Swiss Fed Polytech, Bachelor of Arts / Science; Swiss Fed Polytech, Master of Science

Age: 55

Marital Status: Married, 4 children

Residence: Cairo

Fortune: $2.5 bill (Inherited and Growing)

“Eldest son of Orascom conglomerate founder and fellow billionaire Onsi Sawiris; now executive chairman of Orascom Telecom, one of largest mobile providers in Middle East, Africa and South Asia. His Weather Investments, which includes telecom companies Italy’s Wind Telecomunicazioni and Greece’s Wind Hellas, is saddled with debt from their leveraged buyouts four years ago. Consummate dealmaker reportedly looking to buy Serbian’s Telekom Srbija.”

Source of Wealth: Luxury goods

2010 Forbes Ranking: #420

Country Of Citizenship: South Africa

Education: U of Stellenbosch, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Age: 59

Marital Status: Married, 3 children

Residence: Stellenbosch

Fortune: $2.3 bil (Inherited and Growing)

“Taking over in April as interim chief executive of his family’s publicly traded Swiss luxury group Richemont, which owns Cartier, Dunhill and other premium brands. Stock doubled in past year helped by Christmas sales that were ahead of expectations; also particularly bullish about continued growth in Asia-Pacific. His South African holding company, Remgro, bought out private South African investment outfit, VenFin, in which he also had a stake, in December. Appointed to position of Chancellor of the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa’s wine country where he has an office. With family relatives, owns two of South Africa’s best-known vineyards, Rupert & Rothschild and L’Ormarins; also owns one of the country’s most exclusive golf clubs.”

Source of Wealth: Sugar, flour, cement

2010 Forbes Ranking: #463

Country Of Citizenship: Nigeria

Education: N/A

Age: 52

Marital Status: Married, 2 children

Residence: Lagos

Fortune: $2.1 bil (Inherited and Growing)

“Commodities keeping Dangote afloat despite Nigeria’s financial meltdown. Stocks of his sugar and flour companies are both up in the past year. Meanwhile, stake in Benue Cement has doubled, helped by demand from China. Dangote now expanding cement operations in Senegal and Zambia. Overcame negative reports about debts owned to banks and share price fixing allegations to become the newly installed President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange last August. Settled row with businessman Femi Otedola, who fell off the billionaires list this year. Dangote began career as trader; built his Dangote Group into conglomerate with interests in sugar, flour milling, salt processing, cement manufacturing, textiles, real estate, and oil and gas.”

Source of Wealth: Mining

2010 Forbes Ranking: #421

Country Of Citizenship: South Africa

Education: N/A

Age: 48

Marital Status: Married, 3 children

Residence: Johannesburg

Fortune: $2.3 (Self Made)

“Johannesburg mining magnate is South Africa’s first black billionaire. Net worth up this year by $1 billion as a result of rising stock prices and South African Rand’s strength against the dollar. Born in the sprawling black township of Soweto and then trained as a lawyer, became first black partner at Bowman Gilfillan law firm in Johannesburg, before starting a contracting business doing mine scut work. Bought low-producing gold mine shafts in 1994, turned them profitable using lean, mean management style. Since then built $1.3 billion (sales) mining conglomerate, African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), with interests in a wide swath of minerals: platinum, nickel, chrome, iron, manganese, coal and gold. Benefited from South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws, which mandate that companies be at least 26% black-owned in order to get a government mining license. Also holds a 6.2% stake in Sanlam, a publicly traded financial services company outside Cape Town where he sits on the board. Invited to chair the board of Sanlam in December, but turned down the post.”

2010 Forbes Ranking: #463

Country Of Citizenship: Sudan, United Kingdom

Education: Ph.D from the University of Birmingham.

Age: N/A

Marital Status: N/A

Residence: London

Fortune: $2.1 bil (Self Made)

“Sudanese-born “Mo” founded Celtel, a mobile phone company that now serves 23 countries in Africa and the Middle East. Sold it in 2005 for $3.4 billion; pocketed $1.4 billion. The London resident now spends his time on philanthropy and investing in Africa. Created Mo Ibrahim Foundation to award monetary prize to former African heads of state who have shown exemplary leadership in such areas as promoting political freedom; panel of judges decided not to award prize in 2009.”

Source of Wealth: Hotels

2010 Forbes Ranking: #655

Country Of Citizenship: Egypt

Education: Technical University of Berlin, BSc

Age: 53

Marital Status: N/A

Residence: Cairo

Fortune: $1.5 bil (Inherited and Growing)

Forbes.com Says:

“Middle son of Orascom conglomerate founder Onsi Sawiris. Samih owns and runs family’s real estate and hotel division with operations in Egypt, Jordan, Oman, UAE, Switzerland, Mauritius, and Morocco. Shares in Orascom Development Holding have gone up 150% over the past year. Fluent in German, has engineering degree from Berlin Institute of Technology. Founded first company, National Marine Boat Factory, in the 1980s. Established El Gouna Beverages Co. in 1997, which he sold in 2001 when it was the largest beverage company in Egypt.”

Antik CEO is Founder and CEO of Rankaster.com. Rankaster.com is a website where users can make top ten lists in important categories