Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful People

Starting in 2009, Forbes magazine compiles an annual list of the world's most powerful people. The list has one slot for every 100 million people on Earth, meaning in 2009 there were 67 people on the list, in 2010 there were 68, in 2011 there were 70, and in 2012 there were 71. Slots are allocated based on the amount of human and financial resources that they have sway over, as well as their influence on world events.

Forbes' Most Powerful People, 2015 (top 10)

1– Vladimir Putin President of Russia   2 – Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany   3– Barack Obama President of the United States   4 – Francis Pope of the Roman Catholic Church   5 – Xi Jinping General Secretary of the Communist Party of China   6 – Bill Gates Founder of Microsoft   7 – Janet Yellen Chairwoman of the Federal Reserve   8 – David Cameron Prime Minister of the United Kingdom   9 – Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India   10 – Larry Page Co-founder of Google

2015 list (top 10)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Vladimir Putin	President of Russia
2	Angela Merkel	Chancellor of Germany
3	Barack Obama	President of the United States
4	/ Francis	Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
5	Xi Jinping	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
6	Bill Gates	Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Founder and Former Chairman of Microsoft
7	Janet Yellen	Chair of the Federal Reserve
8	David Cameron	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
9	Narendra Modi	Prime Minister of India
10	Larry Page	Co-Founder of Google

2014 list (top 10)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Vladimir Putin	President of Russia
2	Barack Obama	President of the United States
3	Xi Jinping	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
4	/ Francis	Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
5	Angela Merkel	Chancellor of Germany
6	Janet Yellen	Chair of the Federal Reserve
7	Bill Gates	Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Founder and Former Chairman of Microsoft
8	Mario Draghi	President of the European Central Bank
9	Sergey Brin Larry Page	Co-Founders of Google
10	David Cameron	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

2013 list (top 10)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Vladimir Putin	President of Russia
2	Barack Obama	President of the United States
3	Xi Jinping	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
4	/ Francis	Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
5	Angela Merkel	Chancellor of Germany
6	Bill Gates	Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Founder and Former Chairman of Microsoft
7	Ben Bernanke	Chairman of the Federal Reserve
8	Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud	King of Saudi Arabia Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
9	Mario Draghi	President of the European Central Bank
10	Mike Duke	Former CEO of Walmart

2012 list (top 10)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Barack Obama	44th President of the United States
2	Angela Merkel	8th Chancellor of Germany
3	Vladimir Putin	Prime Minister of Russia
4	Bill Gates	Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Founder and Former Chairman of Microsoft
5	/ Benedict XVI	265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
6	Ben Bernanke	14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve
7	Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud	6th King of Saudi Arabia Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
8	Mario Draghi	3rd President of the European Central Bank
9	Xi Jinping	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
10	David Cameron	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Source: Forbes

2011 list (top 10)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Barack Obama	44th President of the United States
2	Vladimir Putin	Prime Minister of Russia
3	Hu Jintao	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
4	Angela Merkel	8th Chancellor of Germany
5	Bill Gates	Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation founder and chairman of Microsoft
6	Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud	6th King of Saudi Arabia Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
7	/ Benedict XVI	265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
8	Ben Bernanke	14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve
9	Mark Zuckerberg	Chief executive officer and founder of Facebook
10	David Cameron	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Source: Forbes

2010 list (top 10)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Hu Jintao	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
2	Barack Obama	44th President of the United States
3	Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud	6th King of Saudi Arabia Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
4	Vladimir Putin	Prime Minister of Russia
5	/ Benedict XVI	265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
6	Angela Merkel	8th Chancellor of Germany
7	David Cameron	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
8	Ben Bernanke	14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve
9	Sonia Gandhi	President of the Indian National Congress Member of Parliament, India
10	Bill Gates	Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation founder and chairman of Microsoft

2009 list (top 10 selection)

#	Individual	Office / Position
1	Barack Obama	44th President of the United States
2	Hu Jintao	General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
3	Vladimir Putin	Prime Minister of Russia
4	Ben Bernanke	14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve
5	Sergey Brin / Larry Page	Founders of Google
6	Carlos Slim	Chief executive of Telmex
7	/ Rupert Murdoch	Chairman of News Corporation
8	Mike Duke	Chief executive of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
9	Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud	6th King of Saudi Arabia Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
10	Bill Gates	Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation founder and chairman of Microsoft

See also

• Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women
• 40 under 40 (Fortune Magazine)

External links

• Forbes site: The World's Most Powerful People 2015
• Forbes site: The World's Most Powerful People 2010
• Forbes site: The World's Most Powerful People 2009