Article/News bit of the Week: the Millionaire's club

A recent Business Week article on Millionaires caught my eye this week

The Global Millionaire Boom

It's amazing how a decade or so ago a 'Millionaire' seemed to represent something very unique and almost unattainable but today, it appears:

"The total number of world millionaire households—those with assets of $1 million or more—grew by 14% in 2006, to 9.6 million, representing the richest 0.7% of all households and owning $33.2 trillion, or about a third of the world's wealth, according to a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm."

That's right there are nearly 10 million ...Millionaires in the world now so the once exclusive club is no longer that terribly exclusive. OK I guess it does still remain fairly exclusive club as Millionaires account for only less than a percent of the world's population but when there are more than a million, Millionaires - it makes being a Billionaire, seem like the new hip salary bracket to be in.

Nevertheless, here are the top 5 countries as fas a Millionaires go:

The Top Five Countries With the Most Millionaire Households

No. 1: U.S.

Total millionaire households: 4,585,000
Change in 2005-06: +10%
Growth rank: 13 (of 15)

Total population: 301,139,947

Total $100 million+ households: 2,300 (rank: 1)
Change in 2005-06: +7%
Growth rank: 14

No. 2: Japan

Total millionaire households: 830,000
Change in 2005-06: +7%
Growth rank: 15

Total population: 127,433,494

Total $100 million+ households: 1,300 (rank: 2)
Change in 2005-06: +6%
Growth rank: 15

No. 3: Britain

Total millionaire households: 610,000
Change in 2005-06: +30.5%
Growth rank: 3

Total population: 60,776,238

Total $100 million+ households: 810 (rank: 3)
Change in 2005-06: +25%
Growth rank: 4

No. 4: Germany

Total millionaire households: 350,000
Change in 2005-06: +21%
Growth rank: 10

Total population: 82,400,996

Total $100 million+ households: 620 (rank: 4)
Change in 2005-06: +18%
Growth rank: 10

No. 5: China

Total millionaire households: 310,000
Change in 2005-06: +39%
Growth rank: 1

Total population: 1,321,851,888

Total $100 million+ households: 180 (rank: 13)
Change in 2005-06: +74%
Growth rank: 1