Bill Gates reclaims title of richest person in the world with $72bn

Microsoft founder richest American for 20th year in a row and ousts Carlos Slim from global top spot

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and a string of other tech billionaires have made their way onto the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans.

Gates (pictured) retains the title of the richest man in America for the 20th consecutive year, and has also booted Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim off the global top spot, as the Microsoft founder regains his place as the richest person in the whole world too.

Philanthropist Gates' worth stands at $72bn (£45.26bn). He has given away $27.6bn through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation since its inception.

Fellow Microsoft alumni Steve Ballmer and Paul Allen came in 21st and 26th places respectively, with personal fortunes of $18bn and $15.bn.

Elsewhere on Forbes' list, Oracle boss Larry Ellison is the third-richest American with a worth of $41bn. In the past year, Ellison purchased a Hawaiian island and acquired local airline Island Air to go with it too.

Dell founder Michael Dell is the 25th richest, with a worth of $15.9bn, and investor Carl Icahn – who battled against Dell in his ultimately successful efforts to take the firm private – came in at number 18 with a worth of $20.3bn.

Laurene Powell-Jobs and family ranked 35th on the list with a fortune of $11.7bn inherited from the late Steve Jobs, and HP chief executive Meg Whitman came in at number 296 with a $1.9bn fortune.