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Countries With The Oldest Forbes 2000 Companies

Key Points

Among the world’s 2,000 largest public companies, the average firm is 67.6 years old.
In some countries, however, the average large firm is much older, reflecting regional differences in economic development and market maturity.
In four countries, the average Forbes 2000 company is more than 100 years old.
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By Evan Comen Published Sep 3, 2025 at 7:02 AM EDT

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Countries With The Oldest Forbes 2000 Companies — © StockByM / iStock via Getty Images

The Forbes Global 2000 is an annual ranking of the world’s largest public companies, collectively representing over $51 trillion in revenue. While the average firm in the Forbes 2000 is 67.6 years old, the average age of large firms varies around the world, reflecting regional differences in economic development, industrialization timelines, and market maturity.

Large companies in Europe and North America are older, often founded in the early to mid-20th century, while many of the largest firms in Asia emerged more recently, the product of rapid economic growth and state-led industrial expansion. While the United States skews older — the average Forbes 2000 country is 78.5 years old — there are four countries where the average Forbes 2000 country is over 100 years old. A closer look at the data reveals the countries with the oldest Forbes 2000 companies.

To determine the countries with the oldest Forbes 2000 companies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on firm age from the Forbes 2000. Countries were ranked based on the average age of Fortune 2000 headquartered within their borders. Only countries with at least five Forbes 2000 companies were considered.

25. Turkey

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 70.5 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 10 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $223.0 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Isbank (founded 1924), Halkbank (founded 1933), Turkish Airlines (founded 1933), Akbank (founded 1948), Ag Anadolu Grubu Holding Anonim Sirketi (founded 1950), VakifBank (founded 1954), Ford Otosan (founded 1959), Koç Holding (founded 1963), Sabanci Holding (founded 1967), BIM Birlesik Magazalar (founded 1995)

24. Malaysia

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 74.2 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 9 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $59.6 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Sime Darby (founded 1910), CIMB Group Holdings (founded 1924), Tenaga Nasional (founded 1949), Maybank (founded 1960), Hong Leong Financial (founded 1963), Public Bank (founded 1966), AmBank Group (founded 1994), RHB Bank (founded 2005), IHH Healthcare (founded 2010)

23. India

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 74.8 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 70 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $1.3 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Life Insurance Corp. of India (founded 1818), Punjab National Bank (founded 1895), Bank of India (founded 1906), Canara Bank (founded 1906), Indian Bank (founded 1907), Tata Steel (founded 1907), Bank of Baroda (founded 1908), ITC (founded 1910), Central Bank of India (founded 1911), Tata Power Company (founded 1919)

22. Norway

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 78.1 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 8 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $179.5 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: DNB Bank (founded 1822), Telenor (founded 1855), Schibsted ASA (founded 1885), Norsk Hydro (founded 1905), Var Energi ASA (founded 1965), Equinor (founded 1972), Storebrand (founded 1982), Yara International (founded 2003)

21. United States

#conservationlands15 Social Me... by Bureau of Land Management

#conservationlands15 Social Me... (CC BY 2.0) by Bureau of Land Management

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 78.5 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 621 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $18.7 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Jones Lang LaSalle (founded 1783), Molson Coors Brewing (founded 1786), State Street (founded 1792), Colgate-Palmolive (founded 1806), Hartford Financial Services (founded 1810), Bunge (founded 1818), Consolidated Edison (founded 1823), CSX (founded 1827), Citizens Financial Group (founded 1828), FMC (founded 1833)

20. Japan

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 80.9 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 181 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $4.3 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Takeda Pharmaceutical (founded 1781), Shimizu (founded 1804), Kajima (founded 1840), Marubeni (founded 1858), Itochu (founded 1858), Japan Post Holdings (founded 1871), Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (founded 1873), Dai Nippon Printing (founded 1876), Juroku Financial Group (founded 1877), Hyakugo Bank (founded 1878)

19. Brazil

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 82.6 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 26 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $669.3 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Banco do Brasil (founded 1808), B3 (founded 1890), Metalurgica Gerdau (founded 1901), Gerdau (Cosigua) (founded 1901), CPFL Energia (founded 1912), Suzano (founded 1924), Cosan (founded 1936), Ultrapar Participacoes (founded 1937), Vale (founded 1942), Banco Bradesco (founded 1943)

18. Saudi Arabia

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 82.7 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 16 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $608.0 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) (founded 1933), Arab National Bank (founded 1949), The Saudi National Bank (founded 1953), Riyad Bank (founded 1957), Al Rajhi Bank (founded 1957), Saudi Investment Bank (founded 1977), Banque Saudi Fransi (founded 1977), Almarai (founded 1977), Saudi British Bank (founded 1978), Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services Group (founded 1993)

17. Mexico

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 82.7 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 14 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $256.6 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: El Puerto de Liverpool (founded 1847), Femsa (founded 1890), Banorte (founded 1899), Cemex (founded 1906), Grupo Comercial Chedraui SAB de CV Class B (founded 1920), Grupo Bimbo (founded 1945), Grupo Elektra (founded 1950), ALFA (founded 1974), Grupo Mexico (founded 1978), Grupo Carso (founded 1980)

16. United Kingdom

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 82.8 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 65 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $2.0 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: InterContinental Hotels (founded 1777), Johnson Matthey (founded 1817), Reckitt Benckiser Group (founded 1823), WTW (founded 1828), BT Group (founded 1846), Prudential (founded 1848), Bunzl (founded 1854), Phoenix Group Holdings (founded 1857), Amcor (founded 1860), Next (founded 1864)

15. Finland

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 84.4 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 9 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $138.0 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Nokia (founded 1865), Sampo (founded 1909), Kone (founded 1910), Kesko (founded 1940), Neste (founded 1948), Nordea Bank (founded 1974), UPM-Kymmene (founded 1978), Stora Enso (founded 1988), Fortum (founded 1998)

14. Colombia

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 84.5 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 7 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $82.8 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Grupo Bolivar (founded 1896), Ecopetrol (founded 1921), Grupo De Inversiones Suramericana (founded 1945), Bancolombia (founded 1945), BAC Holding International (founded 1972), Banco Davivienda (founded 1972), Grupo Aval (founded 1994)

13. Germany

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 84.9 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 50 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $2.3 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany and its affiliates (founded 1668), Siemens (founded 1847), Diebold Nixdorf (founded 1859), Bayer (founded 1863), BASF (founded 1865), Aurubis (founded 1866), Siemens Energy (founded 1866), Commerzbank (founded 1870), Deutsche Bank (founded 1870), Continental (founded 1871)

12. Greece

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THASSOS TOWN HARBOUR ENTRANCE. THASSOS. GREECE. (BY-SA 2.0) by ronsaunders47

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 85.0 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 8 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $63.2 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: National Bank of Greece (founded 1841), Alpha Bank (founded 1879), Piraeus Financial Holdings (founded 1916), Eurobank Ergasias (founded 1924), Bank of Greece (founded 1927), Public Power (founded 1950), Motor Oil (founded 1970), Hellenic Petroleum (founded 1971)

11. Sweden

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 86.5 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 27 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $350.0 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Sandvik (founded 1862), Svenska Handelsbanken (founded 1871), Epiroc (founded 1873), Atlas Copco (founded 1873), Ericsson (founded 1876), Alfa Laval (founded 1883), Skanska (founded 1887), Trelleborg Group (founded 1905), SKF Group (founded 1907), Investor AB (founded 1916)

10. Austria

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 86.9 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 9 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $153.0 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Vienna Insurance Group (founded 1824), STRABAG (founded 1835), Bawag Group (founded 1883), Uniqa (founded 1922), Voestalpine (founded 1938), Verbund (founded 1947), OMV Group (founded 1956), Erste Group Bank (founded 2008), Raiffeisen Bank International (founded 2010)

9. Italy

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 89.3 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 28 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $543.2 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Banca MPS (founded 1472), Generali Group (founded 1831), BPER Banca (founded 1867), UniCredit (founded 1870), Banca Popolare di Sondrio (founded 1871), Buzzi Unicem (founded 1907), Credito Emiliano (founded 1910), Prada (founded 1913), Poste Italiane (founded 1925), Nexi S.p.A. (founded 1939)

8. Bermuda

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 90.9 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 8 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $97.1 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Jardine Matheson (founded 1832), Signet Jewelers (founded 1949), RenaissanceRe Holdings (founded 1993), Arch Capital Group (founded 1995), Everest Re Group (founded 1999), Enstar Group (founded 2001), Axis Capital Holdings (founded 2001), Brookfield Reinsurance (founded 2020)

7. Australia

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 91.3 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 32 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $555.2 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: ANZ Group Holdings (founded 1835), Bendigo & Adelaide Bank (founded 1858), Bank of Queensland (founded 1874), Brambles (founded 1875), BHP Group (founded 1885), QBE Insurance Group (founded 1886), Ampol (founded 1900), Commonwealth Bank (founded 1911), Coles Group (founded 1914), Wesfarmers (founded 1914)

6. Israel

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 95.3 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 12 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $81.9 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Phoenix Holdings (founded 1782), Bank Leumi (founded 1902), Bank Hapoalim (founded 1921), Mizrahi Tefahot Bank (founded 1923), Israel Discount Bank (founded 1935), Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services (founded 1935), Teva Pharmaceutical (founded 1944), FIBI Holdings (founded 1972), Migdal Insurance (founded 1974), Clal Insurance Enterprises (founded 1987)

5. France

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 96.3 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 50 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $2.1 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Saint-Gobain (founded 1665), Bureau Veritas (founded 1828), Schneider Electric (founded 1836), Hermès International (founded 1837), BNP Paribas (founded 1848), Vivendi (founded 1853), Veolia Environnement (founded 1853), Scor (founded 1855), Legrand (founded 1860), Société Générale (founded 1864)

4. Spain

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 100.0 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 20 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $608.8 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Naturgy Energy Group (founded 1843), BBVA-Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (founded 1857), Santander (founded 1857), Banco de Sabadell (founded 1881), Puig Brands (founded 1914), Telefónica (founded 1924), Mapfre (founded 1935), FCC (founded 1944), Bankinter (founded 1965), CaixaBank (founded 1980)

3. Denmark

Waste energy plant, Amager bakke, Copenhill in Copenhagen, Denmark, makes environmentally friendly energy and electricity from garbage by Dabuch

Waste energy plant, Amager bakke, Copenhill in Copenhagen, Denmark, makes environmentally friendly energy and electricity from garbage (Shutterstock.com) by Dabuch

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 100.7 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 13 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $191.7 million
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Carlsberg (founded 1847), Danske Bank (founded 1871), Møller-Maersk (founded 1904), Novo Nordisk (founded 1923), Vestas Wind Systems (founded 1945), Coloplast (founded 1957), Jyske Bank (founded 1967), Orsted (founded 1972), DSV (founded 1976), Pandora (founded 1982)

2. Canada

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 103.1 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 59 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $1.3 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: Intact Financial (founded 1809), Bank of Montreal (founded 1817), Canadian National Railway (founded 1832), Bank of Nova Scotia (founded 1832), TD Bank Group (founded 1855), RBC (founded 1864), Sun Life Financial (founded 1865), Canadian Imperial Bank (founded 1867), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (founded 1881), George Weston (founded 1882)

1. Switzerland

Average age of Forbes 2000 firms, weighted for revenue: 112.7 years
Number of Forbes 2000 companies: 46 firms
Total revenue of Forbes 2000 companies: $1.1 billion
Oldest Forbes 2000 companies: BEKB-BCBE (founded 1834), Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (founded 1845), Lindt & Sprungli (founded 1845), Luzerner Kantonalbank (founded 1850), Swiss Life Holding (founded 1857), Helvetia Holding (founded 1858), Swiss Re (founded 1863), Bâloise Group (founded 1864), Avolta (founded 1865), Nestlé (founded 1866)