The United Kingdom is the fifth richest country in the world in terms of total individual wealth within the country, according to a recently-published survey. The survey was prepared by New World Wealth (NWW), a wealth specialist consultancy which carries out regular surveys of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs).
The survey was one of a series which looked at global wealth in a number of ways. As well as total wealth within a country, NWW examined: per capita wealth; wealth growth, 2000-2015; overall per capita rankings which includes countries such as Monaco and Liechtenstein where the population is too small to feature in the headline survey; and special focus surveys on Africa and the Middle East.
When all net assets owned by individuals are taken into account, including property, cash, equities and business interests, the UK population is reckoned to be worth $9.24 trillion (US dollars; £6.01 trillion pounds sterling). With a population of around 60m, this averages out to per capita wealth of $147,600. This figure – which, of course, does not take account differences in society – is higher than in many other countries because of the emphasis put on home ownership in the UK and the frequently high price of real estate.
Leading the table by a long way in overall assets is the USA, with $48.73 trillion. China, in second place, looks a long way behind on $17.25 trillion. With its huge population, China falls to 17th position in the table for per capita wealth, averaging at $12,800 (the USA comes third in that table, with an average of $150,600).
Third in the overall assets table is Japan ($15.23 trillion), with Germany fourth on $9.36 trillion. When divided up into per capita wealth, Japan is 10th and Germany 11th. Top of the per capita table is Switzerland ($285,100), followed by Australia ($204,400). But if the smaller countries are factored in, Monaco is way out in front, with average per capita wealth of over $1.5m.
The figures for growth in the first 15 years of this century make for interesting reading, although when seen as percentages it has to be remembered that certain countries were starting from a very low base in 2000. So Indonesia ostensibly leads the way, with a growth in wealth of 362%. But this has meant a per capita change from $1,300 in 2000 to just $6,000 per capita now. Of the developed countries, Australia has seen the biggest leap in the 15-year period, with per capita wealth increasing by almost 250%.
The people of France, Canada, Switzerland and Germany have also seen per capita wealth increase in this period by over 100%; while the increase in the UK has been a more modest 58%, but that coming from a high starting point of $93,300, which was the third highest per capita figure in 2000, after Switzerland and the USA.
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