China: a country with the 3rd most millionaires in 2010
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/10/06/0615_global_millionaires/image/china–bcg.jpg
No. 3: China
Population: 1,331.4 million
2009 number of millionaire households: 670,000
Percentage increase: 30.7 percent YOY
Share of country’s wealth held by millionaire households: 50 percent
While developed countries struggled through the recession, China’s economy continued to boom, with gross domestic product growing 8.7 percent last year. The surge of commercial activity has created a growing nouveau riche population in China that includes entrepreneurs and investors, although they still represent a tiny fraction of the total population. Seeing opportunities in the growing wealthy demographic, luxury retailers have set up operations in major cities, and high-end real estate is drawing interest—for example, a $30 million house reportedly sold in Shanghai.http://images.businessweek.com/ss/10/06/0615_global_millionaires/4.htm
The big picture is that some 2 million people (<0.2% of total population) are controlling 50% if the country’s wealth. Not a pretty picture.