Diplomatic bloc
G20
Group of Twenty
Premier forum for international economic cooperation, ~85% of global GDP.
Members
19
Founded
1999
Headquarters
No fixed seat
What is the G20?
The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, bringing together 19 major economies plus the European Union and the African Union. Together its members account for around 85% of global GDP, three-quarters of world trade, and about two-thirds of the world's population.
Key facts
- Full name
- Group of Twenty
- Founded
- 1999 · Leaders' summits began in 2008; the African Union joined in 2023
- Headquarters
- No permanent secretariat
- Member states
- 19
- Share of global GDP
- ~85%
- Format
- Rotating presidency, annual leaders' summit
G20 member states
19 countries
Why the G20 matters
Created at finance-minister level after the financial crises of the late 1990s and elevated to leaders' summits during the 2008 crash, the G20 is where advanced and emerging economies negotiate on growth, debt, taxation, and financial regulation. It bridges the rich-country G7 and the developing world.
Related blocs & alliances
G7
7Industrialised democracies that coordinate global economic and security policy.
BRICS+
9Emerging-economy bloc; expanded in 2024 with new members from Africa and the Gulf.
OECD
38Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development — 38 high-income democracies.
P5
5The five permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power.
Frequently asked questions about the G20
Quick answers to the most common questions about the G20.
Which countries are in the G20?
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States — plus the European Union and, since 2023, the African Union.
How much of the world economy does the G20 represent?
G20 members account for roughly 85% of global GDP, about 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the global population.
When was the G20 founded?
It was created in 1999 as a forum for finance ministers and central bank governors, and was upgraded to annual leaders' summits in 2008 during the global financial crisis.
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