Many countries work together.
They meet to help each other. They share many things. This helps the whole world. It is a big team. Do you like working in a team?
Many lands work together as a big team.
At first, there were four lands. They were Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
Later, South Africa joined the group. Now, ten lands are in the team. They meet to talk and help each other. They even have their own bank to help with money.
This group helps many people in the world.
BRICS is a group of ten countries. These nations work together on many things. The group started with four members. They were Brazil, Russia, India, and China. They first met for a big summit in 2009.
In 2010, South Africa joined the group. This changed the name from BRIC to BRICS. More countries joined later. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined in 2024. Indonesia joined in early 2025.
The group helps its members in many ways. They made the New Development Bank. This bank is based in Shanghai, China.
It helps countries with money for big projects. The bank's logo shows its identity.
BRICS members also work on science and space. They plan to share data from satellites. They even talk about building a research station in space. Together, these countries represent nearly half of all people on Earth. They also make up more than a quarter of the world economy.
BRICS is a large group of ten different countries. These nations work together to talk about world issues. Together, they represent nearly half of all people on Earth. They also make up more than a quarter of the global economy. This group is a major political force in the world today. Some people see them as an alternative to the G7 group.
The group works by holding summits and creating special institutions. They use these tools to help their members grow. For example, they created the New Development Bank. This bank is based in Shanghai, China. It helps member countries with money for big projects. They also share data through a joint statistical publication.
The history of the group began with just four countries. These were Brazil, Russia, India, and China. A British economist named Jim O'Neill first used the term BRIC in 2001. The first official summit happened in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. Leaders met there to talk about the global economy. They wanted to help developing countries get more involved in world affairs.
The group has grown much larger since those first meetings. South Africa joined in December 2010. This addition changed the name to BRICS. In 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined too. Indonesia became a member in early 2025. This made Indonesia the first Southeast Asian member of the group.
BRICS members do many things beyond just talking about money. They work together on science and technology. For instance, they plan to share data from a group of satellites. They have even talked about building a research station in space. The group also has many smaller groups like the BRICS Business Council. These connections help the ten nations stay linked together.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organization made up of ten different nations. These countries include Brazil, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
This group acts as a major political force in the global international order. Together, these members represent nearly half of the world's total population. They also account for more than a quarter of the global economy.
Some observers view the group as a potential alternative to the G7. Others argue the group is a collection of very different countries with shared goals.
The organization functions through high-level summits and the creation of shared institutions. Member governments meet annually at formal summits to coordinate multilateral policies. Over its first 15 years, BRICS established almost 60 different intra-group institutions. These include various think tanks, business councils, and academic forums.
One major goal is to reform the global financial system. The group works toward de-dollarization, which means reducing the use of the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency. They use tools like BRICS PAY and the BRICS Joint Statistical Publication to help members work together.
A central part of this cooperation is the New Development Bank, or NDB. The NDB is the premier institution of the BRICS group. It is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
The bank was created to help member states with economic development. In 2013, members agreed to create this institution to work alongside the IMF and World Bank. During the planning stages, China committed $41 billion to the fund. Brazil, India, and Russia each committed $18 billion. South Africa contributed $5 billion.
The NDB has plans to provide $15 billion to help member states with struggling economies.
The history of the group began with a focus on economic concepts. In 1998, Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov articulated the idea of a multipolar group. This idea was supported by earlier informal forums like RIC and IBSA. In 2001, British economist Jim O'Neill coined the term "BRIC." He used the term to describe emerging markets in a publication for Goldman Sachs.
The first official summit for the BRIC group occurred in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, and China met to discuss the Great Recession. They wanted to improve the global economic situation and reform financial institutions.
Membership has expanded significantly since those first four countries met. South Africa joined the group in December 2010. This addition changed the acronym from BRIC to BRICS. In 2024, the group grew again when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates attended their first summit as members. Indonesia officially joined in early 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian member.
Because of this growth, the term "BRICS Plus" is often used to describe the larger group.
Beyond finance, the members collaborate on many scientific and technological projects. In 2021, the group agreed to build a satellite constellation together. This system will allow them to share remote sensing satellite data. They also use six existing satellites from China, Russia, and India for this purpose. Russia has even proposed that members build a joint research station on its space station.
In Kazan, the group announced new projects like a Digital Ecosystem Cooperation Network. They also plan to work on a Deep-Sea Resources International Research Center.
BRICS is connected to many other global systems and debates. All five original members and Indonesia are also members of the G20. The group often discusses major international conflicts and humanitarian crises. This includes discussions regarding Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. For example, in 2024, BRICS foreign ministers released a joint statement regarding attacks in Gaza. While the group has many supporters, it also faces criticism. Some experts, including Jim O'Neill, have questioned if the group can act as a unified global force. Despite these debates, the group remains a significant part of modern international relations.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (15)
+ 3 more
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.