Do you ever wonder who the world’s largest landowners are?

Maybe because I was born and live in Scotland, a country where ~70% of the land is owned by 1,125 owners, that this question interests me so much. OK, so not all of that ~70% is owned by private landowners, approximately 12.5% owned by public bodies, 3% under community ownership and about 2.5% is owned by charities and other third sector organisations. However, that still leaves a lot in private hands, often hidden through the use of off sure holdings and trusts.

There is a desperate need for land reform in Scotland and indeed globally. Which brings me back to my first question, who the world’s largest landowners are? I recently found this infographic which is truly jaw dropping.

Why is one man allowed to own so much? By any standards, the ownership of ~17% of the land surface of the planet by one family is quite excessive.

Who Owns the Most Land in the World? - MadisonTrust.com IRA - InfographicBy MadisonTrust.com