Sonia Gandhi richer than Queen Elizabeth: Huffington Post

Congress party president Sonia Gandhi is the 12th richest leader in the world and is richer than Britain's Queen Elizabeth, while Barack Obama, President of the world's richest country, the United States, is nowhere in the list of the world's top 20 richest political leaders, says a report in Huffington Post World.

According to a report published in the website of Huffington Post World, Sonia Gandhi, with a net worth of $2 billion, ranks as the 12th richest political leader in the world, while Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, with a net worth of $400 to $500 million is ranked 18th in the list.

Russian President Vladimir Putin tops the list with riches worth $40 million, followed by Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah.

Sonia Gandhi with a net worth of $2 billion also ranks ahead of Moroccan prince Albert II, who is worth $1 billion. Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, and President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo also trail Sonia Gandhi in the list.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is 16th on the list with riches worth $550 million.

Sonia Gandhi, the report noted, had assets worth Rs1.38 crore, although she does not officially own a house or a car in India, as per her filing with the election commission for the Lok Sabha election in 2009. She, however, had mentioned owning an ancestral home in Italy valued at an equivalent of Rs18.02 lakh.

According to Sonia Gandhi's affidavit, she had Rs75,000 in cash and Rs28.61 lakh in bank deposits. In addition, she had mutual funds worth about Rs20 lakh and Rs12 lakh in Reserve Bank of India bonds.

A sum of Rs199,000 was deposited in post offices and Rs24.88 lakh with the Public Provident Fund.

Sonia Gandhi's jewellery, weighing about 2.5 kg, was valued at Rs11 lakh while 88 kg of silver that she held was worth about Rs18 lakh.

She owns two plots of agricultural land totalling about 15 bighas and valued at Rs219,000. Their location is not mentioned in the affidavit.

Sonia Gandhi paid Rs558,000 in income tax for the assessment year 2008-09 and Rs32,512 in wealth tax.

However, the report claims Sonia Gandhi has $2 billion (Rs12,000 crore) of wealth.

The report does not mention how it arrived at the figure.

Huffington's top 20 richest world leaders vs country GDP per capita

1. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia - $40 billion (GDP per capita: $14,000);
2. Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand - $30 billion (GDP per capita: $4,400);
3. Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei - $20 billion (GDP per capita: $41,000);
4. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia - $18 billion (GDP per capita: $21,000);
5. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE - $15 billion (GDP per capita: $40,000);
6. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai - $14 billion (GDP per capita: $16,000);
7. Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea - $5 billion (GDP per capita: $1,800);
8. Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechstenstein - $5 billion (GDP per capita: $135,000);
9. Mohammed VI, King of Morocco - $2.5 billion (GDP per capita: $3,000);
10. Sebastian Pinera, President of Chile - $2.5 billion (GDP per capita: $15,000);
11. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar - $2 billion (GDP per capita: $90,000);
12. Sonia Gandhi, President of India's INC - $2 billion (GDP per capita: $1,500);
13. Albert II, Prince of Monaco - $1 billion (GDP per capita: $163,000);
14. Qaboos bin Said, Sultan of Oman - $700 million (GDP per capita: $23,700);
15. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea - $600 million (GDP per capita: $24,000);
16. Bashar Al-Assad, President of Syria - $550 million (GDP per capita: $3,000);
17. Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan - $500 million (GDP per capita: $7,000);
18. Elizabeth II, Queen of England - $400-500 million (GDP per capita: $38,000);
19. Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Sheikh of Kuwait - $400 million (GDP per capita: $56,000); and
20. Mswati III, King of Swaziland - $100 million (GDP per capita: $3,000).