While Panama's banks held their lead as the biggest banks in Central America, Nicaragua steamed ahead in terms of return on capital and return on assets. 

Acquisitions by both private and state-owned banks in Russia are gradually concentrating the top end of the banking sector, but the long tail of closely held and regional banks remains.

The brand value of US banks has reached a new high, while emerging economies such as Brazil and China also stand out in this year’s Top 500 Banking Brands ranking. 

South Africa’s banks still dwarf those in the rest of Africa, but other countries are slowly gaining on their peer.

Arab banks offset the turmoil of the Arab Spring and offered a robust performance in 2011 with impressive growth across the key financial indicators. And with minimal exposure to the eurozone crisis, the region's banks are expected to continue their recovery from the global financial crisis.

Growing public debt, falling GDP rates and rising unemployment are casting a shadow over the Caribbean region. Banks are responding by raising capital and many are still delivering good returns.

While The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks ranking published every July gives an insightful and unique snapshot of the state of the global banking market, our ranking of those banks featuring just below the ranking gives an excellent indication of the way in which the market is heading, and which countries and regions are on the rise.