The Group of Eight (G8) comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Russia, United Kingdom and the United States.
In 1975, the French President invited the leaders of Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy to an informal gathering near Paris to discuss then-current world issues. Following the success of the Rambouillet Summit, these meetings became an annual event.
Canada joined the group at the 1976 Summit. In 1997 Russia, who had attended the meetings as an observer throughout the 1990s, was invited to formalise this relationship. The first G8 Summit subsequently took place in 1998.
Since then, the G8 Summit has evolved from a forum dealing essentially with macro-economic issues to an annual meeting that addresses a wide range of international economic, political, and social issues.
The UK is holding the Presidency of the G8 this year. Summits are held every year, hosted by the country that holds the Presidency.
The Summit meeting is being held at the Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, in Scotland.
The leader of the country holding the Presidency of the European Council and the President of the European Commission also attend the Summit to represent the European Union.
(Courtesy: perthshireg8.com)