G8

The Group of Eight (G8, and formerly the G6 or Group of Six and also the G7 or Group of Seven) is a forum, created by France in 1975, for governments of the six richest countries in the world: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In 1976, Canada joined the group (thus creating the G7). In becoming the G8, the group added Russia in 1997.

In addition, the European Union is represented within the G8, but cannot host or chair.

Each calendar year, the responsibility of hosting the G8 rotates through the member states in the following order: France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada.


Lately, both France and the United Kingdom have expressed a desire to expand the group to include five developing countries, referred to as the Outreach Five (O5) or the Plus Five: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa. These countries have participated as guests in previous meetings, which are sometimes called G8+5.


Group of Eight

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 Canada

Prime Minister Stephen Harper

 France

President Nicolas Sarkozy

 Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel

 Italy

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi President of the G8 for 2009

 Japan

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama

 Russia

President Dmitry Medvedev

 United Kingdom

Prime Minister Gordon Brown

 United States

President Barack Obama

Also represented

 European Union

Commission President José Manuel Barroso

European Council President Fredrik Reinfeldt