President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle earned $5.5 million (£3.5 million) in 2009, more than twice their income in 2008, despite the economic recession.

Mr Obama has managed to develop a political career far more lucrative than those of his predecessors.

After the first year of his first term, President George W. Bush earned $894,800 and in his last year $936,111.

In his final year in office, President Bill Clinton netted just $417,467.

The Obamas' tax return, released by the White House on Thursday - the day all Americans have to file their tax returns - showed that the Obamas earned $5.5 million last year and paid nearly $1.8 million (£1.16 million) in federal income tax.

In 2008, the Obamas made just under $2.5 million. The White House said that the increase was due to increased sales of Mr Obama's books.

Mr Obama's books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" were on sale in 2008, but his winning the White House appears to have boosted sales considerably.

Mr Obama, whose "principal business or profession" was listed in his tax return as "author", and the First Lady gave $329,000 (£213,000) to charities.

That included $50,000 (£32,000) each to CARE and the United Negro College Fund.

The President also donated his $1.4 million (£900,000) Nobel Peace Prize award to 10 different charities. The president's official annual salary is $400,000 (£258,000), which was raised from half that amount in 2001.

(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a multimedia journalist at the China Daily Web site.)

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(Agencies)