Muskoka 2010 G8 June 25, 26 and 27

The Group of Six is a forum, created by France in 1975, for governments of the than six richest countries in the world: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1976, Canada joined the group (thus creating the G7). In becoming the G8, the group added Russia in 1997. In addition, the European Union is represented within the G8, but cannot host or chair.

Each calendar year, the responsibility of hosting the G8 rotates through the member states in the following order: France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada. The holder of the presidency sets the agenda, hosts the summit for that year, and determines which ministerial meetings will take place.

The 36th G8 summit is to be held in Canada in June 25-27, 2010. The meeting will take place in Huntsville, Ontario, at the Deerhurst Resort. The G8 Summit has evolved beyond being a gathering of world political leaders. The event has become an occasion for a wide variety of non-governmental organizations, activists and civic groups to congregate and discuss a multitude of issues.

G8 Members

	Prime Minister Stephen Harper Population: 33,847,000 GDP: $1.300 trillion			President Nicolas Sarkozy Population: 65,073,482 GDP: $2.130 trillion
	Chancellor Angela Merkel Population: 82,060,000 GDP: $2.918 trillion			Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Population: 60,157,214 GDP: $1.817 trillion
	Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama Population: 127,590,000 GDP: $4.356 trillion			President Dmitry Medvedev Population: 142,008,838 GDP: $2.264 trillion
	Prime Minister Gordon Brown Population: 61,113,205 GDP: $2.228 trillion			President Barak Obama Population: 307,958,000 GDP: $14.441 trillion
	President José Manuel Barroso Population: 499,794,855 GDP: $15.247 trillion

Information courtesy of Wikipedia
Photos courtesy of: Federal Government of Germany/REGIERUNGonline/Maro & Federal Government of Germany/REGIERUNGonline/Gebhardt