The first formal BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China - later to include South Africa) summit only took place in 2009, but the grouping has already sparked widespread discussion and debate. In 2011 they represented 40 percent of the world's population, with nearly a quarter of the world's economic output.
As well as providing a major economic force, the BRICS are increasingly demonstrating a development impact. They are increasingly providing overseas development aid and are building other forms of cooperation with low-income countries, notably technical and financial support. At the same time, some BRICS – such as China, Brazil, and India – are considered to have achieved considerable social development gains, in areas like health and social policy. These have led researchers, practitioners and policy-makers to look for ways of learning from these countries' experiences.
