What are the countries that are part of the G8?

The G8, or Group of Eight, is an intergovernmental political forum consisting of eight of the world's leading economies. The G8 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The group was founded in 1975 as the G6, and Canada joined the following year, forming the G7. Russia joined in 1997, forming the G8. The G8 serves as a forum for the discussion of global issues such as economic growth, trade, and security, and its member countries account for more than 60% of the world's net wealth.