This is a list on economic strength of world countries and regions as well as large-scale transnational corporations in 2000, based on gross domestic product (GDP) for countries and regions, and added value for corporations.

Among the list of 29 transnational corporations, five are the newly added ones onto that of 24 in 1990, indicating that transnational enterprise has gained a stronger position in global economy.

The 29 corporations listed are mainly in the fields of petrol and automobile. The petrol product based Exxon Mobil Company took the 45th place with an economic strength of 63 billion US dollars, ranking between Chile and Pakistan. Other companies as General Motors, Ford, Daimler Chrysler and Shell are also listed on top of many developing countries.

The world top 100 transnational corporations have been developing, in recent years, at a speed faster than that of most countries and regional economies, according to UNCATD's press release on the same day. In 1990 these enterprises stood for 3.5 percent of global Gross National Product (GNP), which rose to 4.3 percent in 2000, showing that transnational enterprises are gaining a stronger position in world economy.

(People's Daily August 15, 2002)