Who Owns the World? Top 10 Biggest Landowners Revealed.
From the dusty cattle stations of Australia to the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia, land remains the most enduring symbol of wealth and power. While corporations and governments hold significant shares, a select group of individuals, from monarchs to moguls, control enormous tracts of land across the globe.
Astonishingly, these individuals oversee more than 20% of the Earth’s inhabitable land. Whether by birthright or through shrewd business strategies, they have carved out private kingdoms, from forests and mountains to farmlands and ranches. Here's a look at the 10 largest individual landowners on the planet, ranked by acreage.
10. King Letsie III – Lesotho (~7.5 million acres)
As the ceremonial monarch of Lesotho, King Letsie III holds legal ownership of the entire country, which spans approximately 7.5 million acres. Although the king’s role is largely symbolic today, the historic claim to the land remains intact under traditional laws.
9. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck – Bhutan (~9.6 million acres)
Known as the “Dragon King,” King Jigme Khesar holds legal control over the land of Bhutan, a 15,000 square-mile nation. Despite Bhutan being a constitutional democracy, the king retains ownership of all the country’s land, amounting to 9.6 million acres.
8. King Abdullah II – Jordan (~22 million acres)
Jordan’s King Abdullah II holds absolute ownership over the country’s 35,000 square miles (about 22 million acres). Although his powers are largely ceremonial, Jordanian law grants him legal claim to the nation’s territory.
7. Gina Rinehart – Australia & U.S. (~24 million acres)
Gina Rinehart, Australia's wealthiest woman, controls approximately 24 million acres, mostly through cattle stations and strategic acquisitions. Her holdings span across Australia’s Outback and parts of the U.S., making her the largest private landowner on Earth.
6. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq – Oman (~76 million acres)
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq inherited the legacy of his cousin and former monarch, Sultan Qaboos, including control over Oman’s 76 million acres. As an absolute monarch, he retains legal ownership of all Omani territory, covering deserts, mountains, and strategic ports.
5. King Maha Vajiralongkorn – Thailand (~128 million acres)
King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand controls the country’s entire landmass—128 million acres. While Thailand operates as a constitutional monarchy, the king's authority over the land remains in place, emphasizing his vast influence.
4. King Mohammed VI – Morocco (~175 million acres)
King Mohammed VI presides over Morocco and the disputed Western Sahara, encompassing a total of approximately 175 million acres. As an absolute monarch, he has legal ownership of this extensive land, which includes cities, forests, and deserts.
3. Pope Francis – Global (~177 million acres)
Pope Francis, as the head of the Catholic Church, presides over an estimated 177 million acres of land, including churches, schools, monasteries, and farms worldwide. These lands are held in trust for 1.3 billion Catholics, cementing his position as one of the largest landowners.
2. King Salman – Saudi Arabia (~531 million acres)
King Salman of Saudi Arabia controls over 531 million acres of land, spanning deserts, cities, religious sites, and vast oil reserves. As the head of state, he holds legal ownership over the entire kingdom, making him one of the world's most significant landowners.
1. King Charles III – U.K. & Commonwealth (~6.6 billion acres)
King Charles III stands as the world's largest landowner, with control over approximately 6.6 billion acres—one-sixth of the Earth’s landmass. This immense territory includes the entire United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Though much of this land is held in trust or symbolically controlled, the British monarchy’s legal structure places King Charles III at the helm of the world’s largest private land empire.
Conclusion
While the size of their holdings might seem unbelievable, these individuals’ land ownerships demonstrate the power that wealth and political structures hold in shaping global landscapes. From royal families to business moguls, they have secured their places as some of the most influential figures in modern history.
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With vast land control, these individuals hold enormous economic, cultural, and geopolitical influence, impacting everything from agriculture and conservation to energy and real estate. Their land empires are a reminder of how land continues to be an important asset in both wealth-building and exercising power.
