The Group of Eight (G8) is a coalition of eight highly industrialized nations that convenes for an annual summit. This summit brings together leaders from some of the world's most influential countries to discuss and seek consensus on pressing global issues such as economic growth, crisis management, global security, energy, and terrorism.

Each year, the leaders meet in a different member country. The G8 includes the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It consists of six founding members, with Canada joining in 1976 and Russia becoming a full participant by 1998. The European Union serves as a "nonenumerated" ninth member, represented by the presidents of the European Council and European Commission, participating as an equal.

While there are no formal criteria for membership, it is expected that member states are democracies with highly developed economies. Unlike the United Nations, the G8 is not a formal institution and lacks a charter or secretariat. The presidency, responsible for organizing ministerial meetings and the annual summit, rotates among the member states.

The origins of the G8 date back to the early 1970s when the United States held informal meetings with financial officials from the United Kingdom, West Germany, Japan, and France to address economic challenges faced by advanced industrial economies. The group was established in response to significant global financial issues during that time, leading the U.S. to create a "library group" of senior financial officials from Europe, Japan, and the U.S.

In 1975, heads of government began participating, agreeing to meet annually. French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing hosted the first summit in Rambouillet, France, to discuss the oil crisis and economic recovery, resulting in a fifteen-point declaration and the decision to hold annual summits with a rotating presidency.

The following year, Canada was invited to join, leading to the formation of the Group of Seven (G7) during a summit in Puerto Rico under U.S. presidency. In 1977, the President of the European Commission was invited, and now the President of the European Council also regularly attends. Russia began engaging with G7 leaders in 1994 and officially joined in 1997, invited by U.S. President Bill Clinton and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, thus transforming the group into the Group of Eight (G8).

The G8 summit features a packed agenda of meetings, statements, and press photo opportunities. On the second day, leaders participate in informal discussions without many officials or media present. Past discussions have included topics such as peace in the Middle East, aid for developing nations, and strategies to combat terrorism.

While G8 members can agree on plans and set objectives, they do not have the authority to compel agreement from others. Nevertheless, the influence and resources of G8 nations often lead to their perspectives being taken seriously by other countries.

The G8 summit typically lasts for two days, maintaining a structured agenda as much as possible.