BRICS is made up of China, Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa. The first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in 2006 among China, Brazil, Russia, and India on the margins of the general debate of the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly
In 2009, the first BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Since then, the Summit has become an annual event. To date, 8 Summits have been held.
In December 2010, China, as the Chair, invited South Africa to join BRIC and attend the Summit in Sanya, China. BRIC officially enlarged to include 5 countries and the acronym changed into BRICS.
BRICS has grown into an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries. BRICS countries come from Asia, Africa, Europe and America and are all members of the G20.
The BRICS countries account for 26.46% of the World Land area, 42.58% of the World Population and 13.24% of World Bank voting power and 14.91% of IMF quota shares
Together, they account for 26.46% of world land area, 42.58% of world population, 13.24% of World Bank voting power and 14.91% of IMF quota shares.
IMF’s estimates that the BRICS countries make 22.53% of the World GDP and contributed more than 50% of the World economic growth, in the last 10 years.