The 2010 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) opens on Wednesday. The following is a brief introduction to this year's gathering of world elites in terms of figures.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

During the five-day meeting, scheduled to run through Sunday, over 2,500 leaders from business, government, civil society, academia and the cultural community will gather to address pressing challenges and future risks under the theme of "Improve the State of the World: Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild."

The forum's Network of Global Agenda Councils will take the lead in pushing for rethinking. More than 1,000 experts active in 70 councils created to advance solutions to the most critical issues facing the world will play a major role in this regard.

Redesign discussions will use the forum's unprecedented multi-stakeholder dialogue focusing on adapting systems and structures of international cooperation to the challenges of the 21st century.

The effort to rebuild trust and confidence in the post-crisis world will also be on the agenda.

A total of 227 working sessions will be held, focusing on six areas:

-- how to create a values framework

-- how to strengthen economic and social welfare

-- how to mitigate global risks and address systemic failures

-- how to ensure sustainability

-- how to enhance security

-- how to build effective institutions

Among the 2,500 or so participants from over 90 countries, more than half come from the business sector.

Over 1,400 top level executives from the world's leading companies are attending this year's gathering. Other participants include over 250 public figures: over 30 heads of state or government, over 60 ministers, over 12 central bank chiefs, over 50 heads or senior officials of international organizations.

Also attending the annual meeting are more than 500 representatives from civil society and other sectors. Those participants include nearly 50 heads of non-governmental organizations, at least 12 labor leaders, over 200 media leaders, over 200 academic leaders and over 12 faith leaders.

Women represent 15 percent of the participants.