The world’s 500 biggest companies made an enormous $33.3 trillion (£25.1tn) in revenues last year, according to the Fortune Global 500 rankings. From household names to lesser-known firms, these massive businesses shape our lives in profound ways. Click or scroll through to see the top 50 largest companies in the world, based on their revenues for the financial year 2019.

Kicking things off with the state-owned China Railway Group, this firm is highly influential in the Chinese construction market, as well as leading large-scale infrastructure projects in other countries. Just making it into the top 50, the Group made an impressive $123.3 billion (£92.9bn) in revenues last year.

The largest telecoms equipment manufacturer in the world and the second biggest smartphone producer, Huawei operates in 170 countries and has millions of customers worldwide. However, the firm's 5G technology has been banned in numerous countries including the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand due to concerns over the company's links with the Chinese government and potential privacy issues. The controversy doesn't seem to have hit sales too badly, though, with Huawei turning over $124.3 billion (£93.5bn) last year, up 14% on the previous year. 

Marathon Petroleum comes in 48th place on the rankings with revenues of $124.8 billion (£94bn) in 2019. However, since then the coronavirus pandemic and oil price crash has hit the American oil firm. Its stock price plummeted from $61.91 (£46.62) at the start of the year to just $16.72 (£12.59) on Thursday 19 March, although since then it's climbed back up to $35.01 (£26.37). 

Microsoft is the world's largest software company by sales and a leading hardware maker, and its products from Windows and Office to Edge and Xbox are part of the fabric of everyday life for many people. The Washington-headquartered tech giant, which owns big names LinkedIn and Skype, reported revenues of $125.8 billion (£94.6bn) last year.

One of the largest insurance companies in the world, Allianz has offices in 70 countries and provides insurance and financial services to more than 100 million people worldwide, which is more than the population of Germany, the country where the firm is based. A major money-earner, Allianz made annual revenues of $130.4 billion (£98bn), and at the end of 2019 had $2 trillion (£1.5tn) of assets under management. 

This Beijing-headquartered firm provides individual and group life insurance, as well as health and accident insurance products. It's the largest insurer in mainland China, so has a huge customer base, and turned over an impressive $131.2 billion (£98.8bn) last year, earning it 45th place in the rankings.

The second largest telecoms company in the world by revenue and the main wireless network in the US, Verizon was founded 20 years ago as a joint venture by US firm Bell Atlantic and UK-based Vodafone, although Vodafone sold its 45% stake in 2014. The New York-headquartered firm is estimated to be worth a mind-boggling $250 billion (£188bn) and had revenues of $131.9 billion (£99.3bn) last year.

Bank of China was established in 1917 in Hong Kong, starting out with just 10 employees. Fast-forward a little over 100 years later and it boasts impressive revenues of $135.1 billion (£101.7bn).

The Mitsubishi brand name is used by the Mitsubishi Group of Companies, which includes the Mitsubishi Corporation, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, and features on a bewildering array of products, from mortgages and cars to chemicals and household appliances. The company's revenues last year totalled an eye-watering $135.9 billion (£115.7bn).

Ubiquitous pharmacy chain Walgreens has 18,750 stores in 11 countries, and in America 78% of the population lives within five miles of a Walgreens. In 2014, the company completed a merger with Swiss-headquartered health and beauty group Boots Alliance to form Walgreens Boots Alliance. With revenues of $136.9 billion (£103.1bn) the firm comes in 41st place on our ranking. 

American car manufacturer General Motors, which owns brands including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac, is one of the Big Three US automakers and last year it sold 7.71 million vehicles. The company turned over an impressive $137.2 billion (£103.3bn) last year, although the impacts of coronavirus could mean a rocky road ahead, as US auto sales declined 30% in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year. 

The world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, Japanese conglomerate Honda also produces cars, engines, garden equipment and a whole host of other products that are available in almost every market in the world. Founded in 1946, the Tokyo-based company has assembly plants in four continents and an enormous yearly turnover of $137.3 billion (£121.9bn).

JPMorgan Chase is one of the most well-known and influential banks in the world and currently has more than $2.6 trillion (£1.95tn) in client assets under management, operating in more than 100 markets worldwide. The financial holding company, which is based in New York, had revenues of $142.4 billion (£107bn) last year, up 8.4% since 2018.

American healthcare company Cardinal Health serves almost 90% of US hospitals and the business is booming, with profits increasing by more than 400% in the last year according to Fortune. The Dublin, Ohio-headquartered firm makes healthcare products and delivers services to hospitals, and its revenues last year totalled a whopping $145.5 billion (£109.3bn).

Another energy giant to make it into the top 50, American oil and gas company Chevron was founded in 1879 as one of the successor companies of Standard Oil. Active in more than 180 countries across the world, the firm turned over $146.5 billion (£110bn) last year, although its stock price is currently only around two-thirds of what it was at the beginning of the year.

Known colloquially as AgBank, the Agricultural Bank of China is one of the four biggest banks in China with more than 23,000 branches across the country, according to its 2019 annual report. The company comes in 35th place on the rankings with revenues of $147.3 billion (£110.7bn) last year.

The third largest insurance company in the world by revenue, AXA has 108 million clients in 57 countries. Despite the fact it reaches 34th place on the rankings with $149 billion (£112bn) revenues for last year, things haven't been so rosy lately. The company had to withdraw some of its financial targets and cancel plans for a special dividend after it had to pay out €1.5 billion ($1.78bn/£1.3bn) in claims relating to COVID-19. 

Costco is known for its membership-oriented wholesale model, and it's the third largest retailer in the world, despite having just 788 stores. The American multinational company turned over a massive $152.7 billion (£114.9bn) last year, up 7.9% on 2018.

Health insurance firm Cigna has seen its share price increase by more than 36% since March, from around $130 (£97.81) to around $177 (£133.17) per share at the end of August. But even before the pandemic, Cigna was experiencing great success, reporting revenues of $153.6 billion (£115.6bn) in 2019.

Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, Ford Motor was the first company to use assembly lines to improve efficiency and quickly rose to success, becoming an internationally recognisable brand. Fast-forward to today and Ford is the fourth largest car company in the world by revenue, with annual revenues of $155.9 billion (£117.3bn) last year.

Just making it into the top 30, China Construction Bank is one of the country's 'Big Four' banks. The bank has more than 13,000 domestic branches as well as branches in Europe, North America, Australasia and other parts of Asia, and in 2019 posted revenues of $158.9 billion (£120.7bn).

Google's search engine has conquered the world and has become so popular and central to our lives, we use the brand name as a verb. The Google name is now attached to a range of products and services, from cloud storage to social media, that generate serious money. Google's parent company Alphabet Inc, which also owns YouTube and Jigsaw (previously known as Google Ideas), saw revenues of $161.9 billion (£121.7bn) last year.

The Netherlands-headquartered EXOR Group is run by two families: the Italian Agnelli family and Dutch Elkann family. Acting as a holding company for their investments in Fiat Chrysler, The Economist, Ferrari and other big companies, the group turned over a massive $162.8 billion (£123.4bn) last year. 

Turning to the energy and metal industries, Trafigura Group is a Singaporean company which specialises in trading a range of commodities, including oil, biodiesel, metals, coal, and iron ore. Despite turning over $171.5 billion (£130bn) last year, it's slipped down five places in the Fortune Global 500 and revenues dropped by 5.1% compared to 2018.

Hon Hai Precision Industry, also known as Foxconn, saw revenues of $172.8 billion (£131.2bn) in 2019 but had a difficult first quarter of 2020 due to the US-China trade war and the impacts of the pandemic on manufacturing. However, it looks like the company is over the worst of it. Its production facilities in Asia, Europe and North America are all operating at normal levels again and the company posted a net profit of $778.55 million (£590.3m) for the second quarter of this year, up 34% compared to the same period last year. 

French energy company Total is one of the country's largest enterprises and among the world's 'supermajor' oil and gas companies. The Paris-based firm has a large network of service stations in scores of countries around the world, and large-scale operations in the chemicals and low-carbon industries. Last year, Total turned over a hefty $176.2 billion (£132.5bn).

One of China's Big Four banks, the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) comes in at 24th place on the list with revenues of $177.1 billion (£134.3bn). In fact, it's not just the largest bank in China but the largest bank in the world by assets, with $4.3 trillion (£3.3tn) total assets as of 31 December 2019, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Healthcare distribution company AmerisourceBergen provides medication to healthcare systems, pharmacies, veterinary practices and farms. The Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania-headquartered company comes in 23rd place, with revenues of $179.6 billion (£136.2bn) last year.

The largest telecoms company in the world with $181.2 billion (£137.4bn) revenues last year, AT&T is a multinational telephone services provider, as well as being the parent company of media giant WarnerMedia. The firm, which stands for American Telephone & Telegraph Company, started life back in 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, creating Southwestern Bell Corp. which would eventually become AT&T.

Financial services provider Ping An Insurance is a fast-growing company, having jumped eight places in the rankings with revenues increasing to $184.3 billion (£139.7bn), 12.6% higher than those in 2018.

Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, is in charge of the most powerful auto brand in the world and its reputation is second to none. The German marque dates back to the 19th century and its three-pointed star logo is iconic. Last year, Daimler AG earned revenues of $193.3 billion (£145.4bn).

Is there anything Samsung doesn't do? The South Korean conglomerate manufactures electronics, ships and cars. The group also operates theme parks, offers insurance and even has its very own ad agency. No wonder the Samsung brand is so recognised worldwide and has a healthy bank balance: the group posted mammoth revenues of $197.7 billion (£148.7bn) in 2019.

China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) is another firm to rise up the ranks, going from 21st to 18th place, with revenues increasing by 13.4% to $205.8 billion (£156bn). The Beijing-based firm is one of the largest construction companies in the world and does business in more than 100 countries and regions.

Glencore comes in 17th place with revenues of $215.1 billion (£163bn), although things haven't been so rosy for the mining company of late. On 18 February, Glencore announced an overall loss of $404 million (£306.3m) for 2019, its first net annual loss in five years, with changing tax rules and production disruptions at its African copper mines denting the firm's finances.

Medical supplies and pharmaceuticals company McKesson is among the largest in the world, turning over $231.1 billion (£175.2bn) last year. The firm, which is headquartered in Irving, Texas, is also the seventh highest revenue-generating company in the US.

Another pharmaceutical company to make it into the top 50, UnitedHealth Group is the second largest healthcare company in the world by revenue, beaten only by CVS Health. The firm, which was founded in 1977 in Minnetonka, Minnesota, serves more than 142 million people across the world and turned over $242.2 billion (£182.2bn) last year.

Berkshire Hathaway, the multinational holding company which owns well-known brands including Dairy Queen, GEICO, Duracell, Fruit of the Loom and Helzberg Diamonds, is the 14th largest company in the world with revenues of $254.6 billion (£191.6bn). The Omaha, Nebraska-headquartered firm has famous investor Warren Buffet as its CEO, who is currently the world's sixth richest man according to Forbes. 

Unsurprisingly, business is booming for CVS Health, earning the company 13th place on the rankings with revenues of $256.8 billion (£193.2bn) last year. The American pharmacy chain was founded in 1963 and today it has more than 9,900 retail stores across the US.

Apple is one of the most recognisable brands in the world and, on 2 August 2018, it became the first US company to reach a valuation of $1 trillion (£752bn). Two years later it became the first US company to reach a $2 trillion (£1.5trn) valuation. The US tech company that brought us the Mac, iPhone and iPad turned over $260.2 billion (£195.6bn) last year.

Energy company ExxonMobil takes 11th place in the rankings with a $264.9 billion (£199.3bn) turnover last year, although it's slipped three places and profits have fallen by 31.2%, showing the impacts of increased strain on the global oil industry. The oil giant, which is headquartered in Irving, Texas, was kicked out of the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday 24 August, after holding its place for more than a century.

The world's largest automotive manufacturer by revenue, Toyota sold just under nine million units in the 2019 financial year according to its annual reports, and its vehicles are everywhere. The Japanese company is also the leading hybrid vehicle producer and manufacturer of vehicle components. Revenues last year hit $275.3 billion (£207bn).

Transforming the way we shop, online retailer Amazon has enjoyed spectacular growth over the last couple of decades and now ships to more than 100 countries worldwide. During the pandemic, Amazon's stock price soared and CEO Jeff Bezos has made more than $90 billion (£67.7bn) since the start of this year, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index (correct at time of writing). Last year, the Seattle-based firm turned over $280.5 billion (£210.9bn).

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As oil and gas companies go, BP is up there with the world's biggest players, the so-called 'supermajor' energy firms. With revenue totalling $282.6 billion (£211.4bn) a year, the London-based company operates in a total of 79 countries and pumps out around 3.8 million barrels of oil a day. Its service stations number some 18,000 and are a familiar sight around the world. 

Automaker Volkswagen has courted controversy after controversy over the years, from its Nazi origins in 1930s Germany to the recent emissions scandal, which has seen it pay $34.69 billion (£26bn) in fines to date. Yet the company has always managed to bounce back and its brand remains rock-solid: last year it reported bumper annual revenues of $282.8 billion (£212.7bn).

Oil giant Saudi Aramco turned over a massive $329.8 billion (£248.1bn) last year, although it has been hit hard by the oil price crash with profits plunging 73% in the second quarter of this year. The energy company, which is owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is nonetheless pushing ahead with a $75 billion (£56.4bn) dividend payout to its shareholders, the largest of which is the Saudi Arabian government.

Shell is one of the big players in the oil and gas industry with operations in over 70 countries and its simple scallop logo is recognised around the globe. The British-Dutch oil and gas company is one of the largest firms in the world by revenue – last year, the business had a turnover of $352.1 billion (£264.8bn).

China National Petroleum Company, also known as CNPC, is the parent company of PetroChina, the country's second largest oil producer. With oil and gas assets and in over 30 countries across the globe, CNPC one of the most powerful oil and gas companies out there and last year it turned over $379.1 billion (£285.2bn), putting it in 4th place in the rankings. 

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Chinese state-owned power company State Grid has been climbing up the rankings in the past 20 years, peaking at second place from 2015-2018, before dropping back down slightly in 2019. The company supplies power to a whopping 1.1 billion people, covering 88% of China's land, as well as operating a number of assets overseas, so it's no wonder it's doing so well. Its revenues were $383.9 billion (£288.8bn) last year.

China's largest energy company Sinopec, a state-owned enterprise engaged in the exploration, development and refinery of crude oil and natural gas, comes in second place with $407 billion (£306.2bn) in revenues in 2019. In March the company announced that it expected lower refinery runs in 2020 because of coronavirus and lower demand, but as the world has come out of lockdown only time will tell if that's the case.

The world's largest company by revenue, Walmart turned over an astonishing $524 billion (£394bn) in 2019. The planet's biggest retailer operates under the Walmart brand in the US, Canada and Mexico, and brands such as Asda elsewhere, but the Walmart name is widely recognised throughout the world.

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