A. A. ARKHANGELSKAYA Candidate of Historical Sciences BRICS - a group of five fast-growing countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. The abbreviation BRIC was first proposed by analysts of Goldman Sachs Bank in November 2001 in an analytical note of this organization. According to the bank's experts, by 2050 the total volume of the economies of these countries will exceed the total volume of the economies of the "Big Seven" states - the richest countries in the world1. In April 2011, South Africa joined the BRIC and the association was transformed into BRICS. Today, BRICS unites 3 billion people (43% of the world's population) on an area of 39.7 million square kilometers (more than a quarter of the earth's land surface), producing almost $13 trillion of gross domestic product (GDP) per year (21% of world production). Each of the five BRICS countries located on three continents has a significant influence both in their region and in the world, and together they have large reserves of natural resources that are important for the global economy. It should be noted that Goldman Sachs analysts did not expect the BRIC countries to coordinate their economic policies. Moreover, they were not supposed to form an economic bloc. Over time, however, there have been signs that the four BRIC countries are seeking to form a political "club" and thus transform their growing economic power into greater geopolitical influence. The first meeting of the four states was held in 2008 in Yekaterinburg, the second in 2009, and the third in 2010 in Brasilia. SOUTH AFRICA IS A BRICS MEMBER The Republic of South Africa is one of the leading countries on the continent. On November 12, 2010, at the G20 summit in Seoul, South Africa expressed its desire to join the BRIC. Even earlier, President Jacob Zuma paid official visits to all 4 BRIC member countries, voicing this proposal. On December 24, 2010, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-M ... Read more