The global billionaire population reached an unprecedented 2,325 by June 2014, according to a new billionaire census by Wealth X and investment bank UBS.

The Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census 2014 shows that the combined wealth of the world’s billionaires increased by 12 percent to US $7.3 trillion, which is higher than the combined market capitalisation of all the companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Around 55 percent of the total number were deemed to be self made billionaires (see our list of Richest self-made US billionaires). In addition, 155 new billionaires were added to the list this year, pushing the global population to a record 2,325 – a seven percent rise from last year.

Despite a greater number of billionaires in Europe overall, and a significant surge in the Far East, the US leads the pack with the most. There are now 571 billionaires in the USA, 103 of whom are based in New York City - more than any other city.

The report claims to be the only comprehensive global study on the composition and dynamics of the top-tier of the global ultra high net worth (UHNW) population.

“Expert commentary from UBS complements Wealth-X’s global intelligence on the world’s billionaire population, producing a report that demonstrates a true collaboration between the global leader in wealth management and the world’s leading UHNW intelligence provider,” commented Wealth-X CEO Mykolas Rambus.

Highlights from the Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census 2014: