The initials of the English names of Brazil, Russia, India, and China form abbreviations. Due to the similarity in spelling and pronunciation between "BRICs" and the English word "bricks", Chinese media and scholars have translated it as a BRICS country. In 2011, South Africa officially joined the BRICS countries and was named BRICS in English.

In 2006, BRICS foreign ministers held their first meeting, marking the beginning of BRICS cooperation. In June 2009, BRICS leaders held their first meeting in Yekaterinburg, Russia. In November 2011, BRICS leaders held their first informal meeting on the eve of the G20 Summit in Cannes, France. BRICS leaders have held a total of 15 meetings and 9 informal meetings to date.

Since the establishment of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, the foundation of cooperation has been increasingly consolidated and the fields have gradually expanded. A multi-level structure has been formed, led by leaders' meetings and supported by ministerial meetings such as the High Representative Meeting on Security Affairs and the Foreign Ministers' Meeting, to carry out practical cooperation in dozens of fields such as economy and trade, finance, technology, agriculture, culture, education, health, think tanks, and sister cities. The impact of BRICS cooperation has transcended the scope of the five countries and become a constructive force in promoting world economic growth, improving global governance, and promoting the democratization of international relations.

The BRICS countries account for 26.46% of the world's total territorial area and 41.93% of the world's population. It is estimated that in 2021, the total economic output of the five countries accounted for approximately 25.24% of the world, and the total trade volume accounted for 17.9% of the world. In 2022, the voting rights of the five countries in the World Bank were 14.06%, and their total share in the International Monetary Fund was 14.15%.