Althought last year was marked with the global economic crisis, the world's leading political leaders enjoyed in its wealth, and some of theme have increased their wealth. In front of you is a list of 20 world's richest political leaders, you evaluate whether should everyone to deal with policy in the 21st century?
The longest-serving monarch in the world as well as the richest, 82-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej's wealth includes large amounts of land and property. However the Thai government has disputed his position as the wealthiest head of state, saying that much of this is not part of his personal wealth. Regardless of his personal finances, in a country where the rural poor are currently locked in violent protests against an unpopular government, he remains a universally loved figure.
2. Sultan of Brunei, £13.5bn
Brunei's oil and gas reserves have kept the Sultan among the world's richest, and he spends accordingly: as well as having a love for luxury cars, for his 50th birthday in 1996 he hired Michael Jackson to perform.
3. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (President of UAE), £12bn
As the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa has been a driving force during its recent spending spree in its attempts to establish itself as a cultural hub. A pro-Western moderniser and camel-racing fan.
4. King of Saudi Arabia, £11.5bn
Saudi Arabia's vast oil reserves are behind the wealth of King Abdullah, whose grandeur is such that he has a city named after him – King Abdullah Economic City – currently being constructed on the west coast of the country.
5. Silvio Berlusconi, £6bn
Varied business interests – including television stations, magazines and his beloved AC Milan – have made the Italian prime minister a very rich man indeed. His many critics charge that he has used his political career to maximise that wealth.
6. Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, £2.5bn
The fortune of Liechtenstein's monarch comes from the royal family's ownership of the country's LGT Bank, and the prince owns palaces and land in Austria. He expanded his power in the tiny country in a 2003 referendum.
7. Emir of Qatar £1.4bn
The head of a country with the world's third largest natural gas reserves, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's expensive tastes include art as well as horse and camel racing. His $137m loan in 1996 was crucial to the founding of the Al Jazeera news network.
8. Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, £1.2bn
Nicknamed "Mr 10 per cent" thanks to the corruption allegations that have dogged him, Benazir Bhutto's widower is accused by the National Accountability Bureau of holding $1.5bn in assets abroad.
9= Prince Albert II of Monaco, £700m
Assets of the wealthy Grimaldi family includes art, real estate and Société des Bains de Mer, which owns Monaco's casinos. Prince Albert, a lifelong bachelor with two illegitimate children, is the son of Hollywood actress Grace Kelly.
9= Sebastián Piñera, President of Chile, £700m
Responsible for the introduction of the credit card to Chile, Pinera sold many of his investments when he became president last year. He agreed to give up a television station under pressure over conflicts of interest this week.
11. Sultan of Oman, £470m
Sultan Qaboos, who came to power when he overthrew his father in 1970, suffered considerable losses in the credit crunch, but remains vastly wealthy. The Sandhurst graduate has used his fortune to finance the restoration of mosques across the country.
12. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea, £400m
Once labelled Africa's worst dictator, he deposited half a billion dollars from the national treasury into private family accounts in 2003 to "fight corruption".
13. The Queen of England: Elizabeth II, £300m
Even excluding state-owned properties like Windsor Castle and national treasures like the royal art collection, and despite the downturn, the Queen's homes, business interests, horses, art collection and jewellery have kept her personal fortunes in rude health.
14. Emir of Kuwait, £270m
Unlike most other Gulf leaders, Sheikh Sabah's fortune depends on a stipend from the state – which he took steps to increase considerably by passing a law that adjusted it from $25m to $188m annually after he acceded to the throne in 2006.
15. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, £135m
Although her mother put the family's major cultural assets into national trusts, Beatrix is still worth about $200m. Her family gets an allowance of €5.6m a year – plus €93m or so in expenses.
16. King Mswati III of Swaziland, £68m
As the sole trustee of a $10bn national fund, Mswati augments his personal wealth with state money. Each of his 13 brides has a palace, a retinue and a BMW; meanwhile, two thirds of the country live in poverty.
17. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, £41m
Although Rudd's own background is in bureaucracy, he enjoys considerable wealth as the husband of Therese Rein, an entrepreneur who sold her recruitment business in 2007 to avoid conflicts of interest.
18. John Key, New Zealand Prime Minister, £25m
The former investment banker amassed a tidy sum before entering politics with the right-wing National Party in 2002. He owns properties in London and Hawaii as well as his home country.
19. Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea, £16m
Lee came from a poverty-stricken background to rise at Hyundai until he became chief executive. Cleared of fraud shortly before his inauguration in 2008.
20. Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro, £10m
Mysteriously wealthy, he denies allegations that he was involved in a lucrative tobacco smuggling ring.
Noted: £1 = approx. $1.45
1. King of Thailand, £20bn The longest-serving monarch in the world as well as the richest, 82-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej's wealth includes large amounts of land and property. However the Thai government has disputed his position as the wealthiest head of state, saying that much of this is not part of his personal wealth. Regardless of his personal finances, in a country where the rural poor are currently locked in violent protests against an unpopular government, he remains a universally loved figure.
2. Sultan of Brunei, £13.5bn
Brunei's oil and gas reserves have kept the Sultan among the world's richest, and he spends accordingly: as well as having a love for luxury cars, for his 50th birthday in 1996 he hired Michael Jackson to perform.
3. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (President of UAE), £12bn
As the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa has been a driving force during its recent spending spree in its attempts to establish itself as a cultural hub. A pro-Western moderniser and camel-racing fan.
4. King of Saudi Arabia, £11.5bn
Saudi Arabia's vast oil reserves are behind the wealth of King Abdullah, whose grandeur is such that he has a city named after him – King Abdullah Economic City – currently being constructed on the west coast of the country.
5. Silvio Berlusconi, £6bn
Varied business interests – including television stations, magazines and his beloved AC Milan – have made the Italian prime minister a very rich man indeed. His many critics charge that he has used his political career to maximise that wealth.
6. Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, £2.5bn
The fortune of Liechtenstein's monarch comes from the royal family's ownership of the country's LGT Bank, and the prince owns palaces and land in Austria. He expanded his power in the tiny country in a 2003 referendum.
7. Emir of Qatar £1.4bn
The head of a country with the world's third largest natural gas reserves, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's expensive tastes include art as well as horse and camel racing. His $137m loan in 1996 was crucial to the founding of the Al Jazeera news network.
8. Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, £1.2bn
Nicknamed "Mr 10 per cent" thanks to the corruption allegations that have dogged him, Benazir Bhutto's widower is accused by the National Accountability Bureau of holding $1.5bn in assets abroad.
9= Prince Albert II of Monaco, £700m
Assets of the wealthy Grimaldi family includes art, real estate and Société des Bains de Mer, which owns Monaco's casinos. Prince Albert, a lifelong bachelor with two illegitimate children, is the son of Hollywood actress Grace Kelly.
9= Sebastián Piñera, President of Chile, £700m
Responsible for the introduction of the credit card to Chile, Pinera sold many of his investments when he became president last year. He agreed to give up a television station under pressure over conflicts of interest this week.
11. Sultan of Oman, £470m
Sultan Qaboos, who came to power when he overthrew his father in 1970, suffered considerable losses in the credit crunch, but remains vastly wealthy. The Sandhurst graduate has used his fortune to finance the restoration of mosques across the country.
12. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea, £400m
Once labelled Africa's worst dictator, he deposited half a billion dollars from the national treasury into private family accounts in 2003 to "fight corruption".
13. The Queen of England: Elizabeth II, £300m
Even excluding state-owned properties like Windsor Castle and national treasures like the royal art collection, and despite the downturn, the Queen's homes, business interests, horses, art collection and jewellery have kept her personal fortunes in rude health.
14. Emir of Kuwait, £270m
Unlike most other Gulf leaders, Sheikh Sabah's fortune depends on a stipend from the state – which he took steps to increase considerably by passing a law that adjusted it from $25m to $188m annually after he acceded to the throne in 2006.
15. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, £135m
Although her mother put the family's major cultural assets into national trusts, Beatrix is still worth about $200m. Her family gets an allowance of €5.6m a year – plus €93m or so in expenses.
16. King Mswati III of Swaziland, £68m
As the sole trustee of a $10bn national fund, Mswati augments his personal wealth with state money. Each of his 13 brides has a palace, a retinue and a BMW; meanwhile, two thirds of the country live in poverty.
17. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, £41m
Although Rudd's own background is in bureaucracy, he enjoys considerable wealth as the husband of Therese Rein, an entrepreneur who sold her recruitment business in 2007 to avoid conflicts of interest.
18. John Key, New Zealand Prime Minister, £25m
The former investment banker amassed a tidy sum before entering politics with the right-wing National Party in 2002. He owns properties in London and Hawaii as well as his home country.
19. Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea, £16m
Lee came from a poverty-stricken background to rise at Hyundai until he became chief executive. Cleared of fraud shortly before his inauguration in 2008.
20. Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro, £10m
Mysteriously wealthy, he denies allegations that he was involved in a lucrative tobacco smuggling ring.
