BRICS remains a vital global grouping of key emerging economies from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Originally established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS has evolved into an expanded multi-polar grouping, fuelling an agenda on global economics, development and politics. This set of 50 essential MCQs on BRICS, will equip students, exam and research candidates with an understanding of BRICS, including its historical context, membership, expansion, purpose, and global significance. Each MCQ is based on the 2025 update with comprehensive answers and short explanatory details. Find below the 50 key MCQs about BRICS.
Key Fact Sheet about BRICS
| Key Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2009 (as BRIC), 2011 (BRICS after adding South Africa) |
| Original Members | Brazil, Russia, India, China |
| Current Members (2024–2025) | Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE |
| Headquarters | No permanent HQ |
| New Development Bank (NDB) | Founded in 2014; HQ: Shanghai |
| Primary Goal | Promote multi-polarity & economic cooperation |
| 2024 Chair | Russia |
| 2025 Chair | Brazil |
| Major Focus Areas | Economy, global south cooperation, trade, development |
| Last Summit | BRICS 2024 Summit (Russia) |
50 Important MCQs about BRICS
1. When was BRICS originally formed as BRIC?
A. 2005
B. 2009
C. 2010
D. 2012
Details: BRIC was formed in 2009.
2. Which country joined BRIC to form BRICS in 2011?
A. Iran
B. UAE
C. South Africa
D. Egypt
Details: South Africa joined in 2011, expanding BRIC to BRICS.
3. How many member countries does BRICS have in 2025?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 9
D. 10
Details: BRICS expanded to nine members by 2024.
4. Which country hosted the BRICS Summit 2024?
A. India
B. Brazil
C. Russia
D. China
Details: Russia hosted the 2024 BRICS Summit under its chairship.
5. Which country will chair BRICS in 2025?
A. China
B. India
C. Brazil
D. Egypt
Details: Brazil will hold the BRICS presidency in 2025.
6. Where is the New Development Bank (NDB) headquartered?
A. Beijing
B. Mumbai
C. São Paulo
D. Shanghai
Details: The New Development Bank HQ is located in Shanghai, China.
7. When was the New Development Bank established?
A. 2012
B. 2014
C. 2016
D. 2018
Details: NDB was established in 2014 to support BRICS development.
8. Which of these is NOT an original BRIC member?
A. India
B. China
C. Russia
D. South Africa
Details: South Africa joined later in 2011.
9. Which new member country of BRICS is located in Africa?
A. UAE
B. Ethiopia
C. Iran
D. Russia
Details: Ethiopia joined BRICS during the 2024 expansion.
10. Which new BRICS member is a major Middle Eastern economy?
A. Iran
B. Turkey
C. Qatar
D. Jordan
Details: Iran joined BRICS in the 2024 expansion round.
11. What is the main objective of BRICS?
A. Military alliance
B. Promote Western dominance
C. Support multipolarity & development
D. Control global oil prices
Details: BRICS aims to enhance multipolar global governance.
12. Which BRICS country has the largest economy?
A. India
B. Russia
C. China
D. Brazil
Details: China is the biggest economy in BRICS.
13. What is the currency cooperation proposal of BRICS called?
A. BRICS Coin
B. BRICSPay
C. Unified BRICS Currency
D. Global South Currency
Details: BRICSPay aims to enable cross-border digital payments.
14. Which country hosted the BRICS Summit in 2023?
A. India
B. UAE
C. South Africa
D. Russia
Details: South Africa hosted the 2023 BRICS Summit.
15. Which of the following is a founding principle of BRICS?
A. Political interference
B. Equality and mutual respect
C. Trade sanctions
D. Military partnership
Details: BRICS promotes equality among member states.
16. Which BRICS member has the largest population?
A. China
B. India
C. Russia
D. Brazil
Details: India is the most populous BRICS nation.
17. How many continents are represented in BRICS?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
Details: BRICS includes members from Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.
18. Which BRICS member is a leading oil exporter?
A. India
B. Iran
C. Brazil
D. Ethiopia
Details: Iran is among the world’s largest oil producers.
19. Which country proposed the expansion of BRICS to include new members?
A. China
B. Russia
C. India
D. Brazil
Details: China strongly supported the expansion of BRICS.
20. How many countries were invited to join BRICS in 2024?
A. 3
B. 5
C. 6
D. 7
Details: Six new members were added in the 2024 expansion.
21. Which new BRICS member is located in the Gulf region?
A. Ethiopia
B. Egypt
C. UAE
D. Iran
Details: UAE joined BRICS in the 2024 expansion.
22. Which major bank is operated by BRICS?
A. AIIB
B. World Bank
C. NDB
D. IMF
Details: NDB is the official BRICS development bank.
23. What percentage of the global population is represented by BRICS?
A. 10%
B. 25%
C. 33%
D. 40%+
Details: BRICS nations represent over 40% of world population.
24. Which of these BRICS members is not located in Asia?
A. Brazil
B. China
C. India
D. Iran
Details: Brazil is located in South America.
25. Which BRICS country proposed an alternative global payment system?
A. India
B. Russia
C. Brazil
D. Ethiopia
Details: Russia supports BRICS alternatives to SWIFT.
26. BRICS Summit 2016 was hosted by?
A. China
B. India
C. Russia
D. Brazil
Details: India hosted the BRICS Summit in Goa in 2016.
27. Which BRICS country is the largest wheat producer?
A. Brazil
B. China
C. Russia
D. Egypt
Details: Russia is one of the top global wheat producers.
28. Which BRICS country has the strongest manufacturing base?
A. Russia
B. China
C. India
D. UAE
Details: China leads BRICS in manufacturing capacity.
29. The idea of BRIC was first introduced by?
A. Goldman Sachs
B. IMF
C. World Bank
D. UNDP
Details: Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs coined BRIC in 2001.
30. Which country did NOT join BRICS expansion in 2024?
A. Argentina
B. UAE
C. Egypt
D. Iran
Details: Argentina withdrew from joining BRICS.
31. What percentage of global GDP is represented by BRICS?
A. 10%
B. 18%
C. 27%
D. 32%+
Details: BRICS nations contribute over 32% to the global GDP.
32. What is the BRICS primary annual event?
A. BRICS Forum
B. BRICS Leaders’ Summit
C. Global South Conclave
D. Development Expo
Details: The annual summit is the most important BRICS meeting.
33. Which BRICS member has the smallest economy?
A. Ethiopia
B. Egypt
C. South Africa
D. UAE
Details: Ethiopia is the smallest economy among BRICS nations.
34. What is the BRICS partnership with Africa called?
A. BRICS-Africa Fusion
B. BRICS-Africa Dialogue
C. Africa Integration Plan
D. Africa BRICS Alliance
Details: This mechanism boosts BRICS-Africa relations.
35. Which BRICS member is a major gold producer?
A. Brazil
B. India
C. Russia
D. South Africa
Details: South Africa has vast gold reserves.
36. Which BRICS country has the highest GDP per capita?
A. India
B. China
C. UAE
D. Brazil
Details: UAE is the wealthiest member per capita.
37. Which country is known as the “energy hub” of BRICS?
A. India
B. Brazil
C. Russia
D. Ethiopia
Details: Russia leads BRICS in energy resources.
38. Which BRICS summit was held virtually due to COVID-19?
A. 2019
B. 2020
C. 2021
D. 2022
Details: The 2020 BRICS Summit was held virtually.
39. Which sector is most discussed among BRICS nations?
A. Space exploration
B. Economic development
C. Sports
D. Tourism
Details: Economic cooperation is the core BRICS priority.
40. Which BRICS member has the largest land area?
A. China
B. India
C. Brazil
D. Russia
Details: Russia is the world’s largest country by area.
41. Which BRICS member is the largest democracy?
A. Egypt
B. India
C. Brazil
D. Ethiopia
Details: India is the world’s largest democratic nation.
42. What is the official BRICS bank abbreviation?
A. BRICS Bank
B. NDB
C. BDB
D. BRICS Funding Group
Details: NDB stands for New Development Bank.
43. Who chaired the BRICS Summit in 2023?
A. Lula da Silva
B. Vladimir Putin
C. Cyril Ramaphosa
D. Xi Jinping
Details: South Africa chaired BRICS in 2023.
44. Which BRICS member is not a nuclear power?
A. Brazil
B. China
C. Russia
D. India
Details: Brazil does not possess nuclear weapons.
45. BRICS is often seen as an alternative to?
A. G20
B. NATO
C. IMF & World Bank
D. OPEC
Details: BRICS seeks to reduce dependency on Western financial institutions.
46. Which BRICS country is the largest coffee producer?
A. India
B. Ethiopia
C. China
D. Brazil
Details: Brazil is the world’s top coffee producer.
47. Which BRICS member is known for high oil exports to Asia?
A. Egypt
B. UAE
C. Ethiopia
D. India
Details: UAE is a major global oil exporter.
48. Which BRICS member is home to the Suez Canal?
A. Iran
B. Ethiopia
C. Egypt
D. Russia
Details: Egypt controls the globally important Suez Canal.
49. BRICS expansion mainly focuses on which region?
A. Europe
B. Global South
C. North America
D. Oceania
Details: BRICS prioritizes Global South countries.
50. What is the long-term vision of BRICS for 2030?
A. Single military alliance
B. Global governance reform & multipolar world
C. Regional isolation
D. Digital entertainment industry
Details: BRICS aims for a balanced multipolar world order.
The BRICS group has established itself as a major economic and geopolitical force. In the global context of connections among countries representing rising economies and increasing the voice of the Global South, we’ve assembled this set of 50 MCQs about BRICS which offers a comprehensive understanding of the continuing expansion of membership, accompanying missions, and global significance of this group. This set of BRICS-themed MCQs is relevant for anyone preparing for competitive examinations, research purposes, or just enhancing one’s own knowledge base. Remember to stay informed about the happenings of the world, as it always helps you to build your knowledge base, especially when it comes to international affairs.