Photographs: Reuters
According to the Forbes the world's richest women (two women tied at 20th place) have a combined total net worth of $248.6 billion, or an average of $11.84 billion each. That's a slight jump up from last year's 20 richest, whose average net worth was $11.6 billion.
The majority of this exclusive set, members of Forbes' 2012 list of The World's Billionaires, gained their wealth through inheritance and marriage.
But one woman – Chinese journalist-turned-real-estate-developer Wu Yajun -- can say her fortune is entirely self-made. Read on to find out who are the other women on the list:
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, Forbes
Christy Walton
Net worth: $25.3 billion
Organisation: Wal-Mart
The widow of John Walton, Christy Walton is the richest woman in America. Christy Walton is also a philanthropist and supports museums, education and organic gardening.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters
Liliane Bettencourt
Net worth: $24 billion
Organisation: L'Oreal
Liliane Bettencourt is a French heiress, socialite, businesswoman a and philanthropist. She is one of the principal shareholders of L'Oreal.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Jacob Slaton/Reuters
Alice Walton
Net worth: $23.3 billion
Organisation: Wal-Mart
Alice Walton, 62, is the youngest of the four children of Sam Walton and Helen Walton and one of the three surviving heirs to the world's biggest retail chain and business, Wal-Mart.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, Youtube snapshot
Georgina Rinehart
Net worth $18 billion
Organisation: Hancock Prospecting
Georgina Hope Rinehart is an Australian mining tycoon. She is the heiress of Hancock Prospecting and the daughter of the late Lang Hancock and Hope Margaret Nicholas. Her fortunes doubled to $18 billion after completion of the deal, which will see South Korean steel giant Posco take a 15 per cent stake in her yet-to-be-developed Roy Hill iron ore mine.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, therichest.org
Iris Fontbona
Net worth: $17.8 billion
Organisation: Luksic Group
Iris Fontbona is the widow of Andronico Luksic, who was a Chilean businessman of Croatian origin and founder of the Luksic Group.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: A girl plays on the deck of a home-made boat made using only Tetra packaging (Inset: Birgit Rausing)
Birgit Rausing
Net worth: $14 billion
Organisation: Tetra Laval
Birgit Rausing is a Swedish art historian and philanthropist, and the widow of Gad Rausing. In 1944 her father-in-law Ruben Rausing founded Tetra Pak, which revolutionised the packaging of liquids such as juices and milk.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Will Burgess/Reuters
Jacqueline Mars
Net worth: $13.8 billion
Organisation: Mars Inc
Jacqueline Mars is one of three siblings of the late Forrest Mars. She and her two brothers, John and Forrest Jr., own $31.6 billion (sales) Mars, the world's largest candy company.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, Facebook
Susanne Klatten
Net worth: $13 billion
Organisation: BMW
Susanne Klatten inherited a stake in automaker BMW from late father Herbert Quandt, making her the richest woman in Germany. She also inherited a 50 per cent stake in chemical manufacturer Altana.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, Youtube
Anne Cox Chambers
Net worth: $12.5 billion
Organisation: Cox Enterprises
Anne Beau Cox Chambers, 92, is a media proprietor, who is primary owner of Cox Enterprises, a privately held media empire that includes newspapers, television, radio, cable television, and other businesses.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: David Mercado/Reuters
Savitri Jindal
Net worth: $10.9 billion
Organisation: Jindal group
Savitri Jindal is an Indian steel baroness and the wealthiest woman in India. She is the non-executive chairperson of O.P. Jindal Group, and member of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Brian Snyder/Reuters
Abigail Johnson
Net worth: $10.3 billion
Organisation: Fidelity Investments
Abigail Pierrepont Johnson is an American businesswoman. Johnson is President of Fidelity Investments Personal and Workplace Investing. Fidelity is led by her father, Edward C. (Ned) Johnson III.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Michael Dalder/Reuters
Johanna Quandt
Net worth: $10 billion
Organisation: BMW
Johanna Quandt is the German widow of industrialist Herbert Quandt. Johanna Bruhn became a secretary in Herbert's office in the 1950s and eventually became his personal assistant. She married Herbert in 1960.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Larry Downing/Reuters
Laurene Powell Jobs
Net worth: $9 billion
Laurene Powell Jobs is an American business executive, co-founder and President of the Board of College Track, and widow of Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy of Heineken International
Charlene de Carvalho
Net worth: $7.7 billion
Organisation: Heineken
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is the owner of a controlling interest in the world's third-largest brewer, Heineken International. She is the daughter of Freddy Heineken, the Dutch industrialist, and Lucille Cummins, an American from a Kentucky family of bourbon whiskey distillers.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
Miuccia Prada
Net worth: $6.8 billion
Organisation: Prada
Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur. She also has a Ph.D. in political science. Prada is the youngest granddaughter of Mario Prada, founder of the company.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, Axel Johnson Group
Antonia Johnson
Net worth: $6.5 billion
Organisation: The Axel Johnson Group
Antonia Johnson is the fourth generation of the family company The Axel Johnson Group, founded by her great grandfather in 1873. In 1982 she succeeded her father as chairman of the board for Axel Johnson AB , Sweden, and Axel Johnson, Stamford.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, hawaii.edu
Blair Parry-Okeden
Net worth: $6.3 billion
Organisation: Cox Enterprise
Blair Parry-Okeden is the granddaughter of Cox Enterprises founder James M. Cox. She inherited a 25 per cent stake after her mother, Barbara Cox Anthony, passed away in 2007.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, therichest.org
Wu Yajun
Net worth: $5.7 billion
Organisation: Longfor Properties
Wu Yajun chairs Beijing-based property developer Longfor Properties. She is former a journalist, with a degree in engineering.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: China Daily/Reuters
Yang Huiyan
Net worth: $4.7 billion
Organisation: Country Garden Holdings
Yang Huiyan is the majority shareholder of Country Garden Holdings and one of the wealthiest people in Mainland China. She is the daughter of Yang Guoqiang, who started his company Biguiyuan in 1997.
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One Indian among the world's richest women
Photographs: Courtesy, lne.es
Rosalia Mera
Net worth: $4.5 billion
Organisation: Inditex
Rosalia Mera is one of the richest people in the world. She began designing gowns and lingerie in her home with her then-husband, Amancio Ortega Gaona. The couple parlayed their work into a multi-billion-dollar corporation, Inditex, and the Zara line of clothing stores. Despite her divorce from Ortega, Mera retains a 7 per cent stake in the company.
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