Conflicts - war and terrorism - ranked third, with 50%, followed by hunger, 49%, and climate change with 44%.
BBC World asked 1,500 viewers of its news and international channel for the biggest problems in the world with 52% saying the US and globalisation.
We were a little surprised that global superpowers and corruption were ranked top but we will track whether they are gaining from topical interest or are of greater long-term significance
BBC World Respondents from Europe, Asia, North and South America, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia, ranked the power of the US and large corporations as the biggest worry (52.3%).
BBC World's head of research and planning Jeremy Nye said: "We were a little surprised that global superpowers and corruption were ranked top but we will track whether they are gaining from topical interest or are of greater long-term significance."
Wars and terrorism were ranked as the top concerns in Europe and the Middle East despite ranking third overall.
Illiteracy was ranked sixth overall with 38% followed by nuclear proliferation, also 38%, and the persecution of minorities with 36%.
Lack of drinking water and basic sanitation was ranked 12th, with 20%, while 16% rated migration as the most important problem.
Published: 2004/04/09 03:20:52 GMT
© BBC MMIV
Note: Story from BBC NEWS:

Sometimes when there are more than one anonymous I wonder if it's the same person with a personality disorder? Like "Sybil". It's hard for me to respect someone's opinions when they won't even stand up for them.
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Dave Ruston
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If we are standing still we are moving backwards.
There were many Germans who defended Germany, even though they wondered to themselves if Hitler was a bit off the wall, but because they weren't hearing the truth they felt their homeland was being attacked and not that the enemy was living within their homeland! Remember or reread history, Hitler did not say exactly what he was doing, he didn't spell out the agenda to take over the world, or rid it of all the people he thought unacceptable, he promised jobs, a better life for all(survivors). The U.S. hasn't declared it's complete agenda, as some might chose to believe, the war was to rid the world of WMD, then a very bad man, then to give people hope and democracy. So far none of that has been true.
Sometimes it is difficult to see what is right in front of you, I don't think it is easy for us to look at what some Canadian politicians have done and know its wrong,it isn't easy but we are doing it; but if another country's citizens were saying 'oh Canada has a bunch of corrupt politicians', or 'their country is full of whimps who won't stand up for themselves', we might be very upset... so I emphathize with anon, but I don't agree.
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If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?
All the Germans were not Nazis. All Americans don't act like Nazis either. But some do and they are in power and now is not the time to be quiet about it.
The good Americans know what their government is doing in their name and they are fighting in every non-violent way they can think of to stop it. I don't agree with Anonymous and I do not sympathize with his ignorant elitist views on what the US is doing. Don't forget it is the USA that is invading countries, over throwing governments and violating all international laws and standards of conduct. This is not a game, it is reality.