SCO Summit: A look at the Eurasian organization

World
Europe

02:21

Let's now take a look at what we need to know about SCO member countries.

As leaders of the SCO member countries gather in Qingdao, all eyes are on the world's largest regional organization.

The SCO counts eight members -- China, Russia, India, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

There are also four observer states -- Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia and six dialogue partners -- Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The world's largest country, Russia, has a rich and influential culture. There are 160 ethnic groups that speak around 100 different languages. The cold climate is reflected in its cuisine, particularly borscht and vodka.

Uzbekistan is a landlocked Central Asian Sovereign state. It has the fourth-largest gold deposits in the world, as well as significant reserves of oil and gas.

Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country. It generates 60% of the region's GDP, mainly through its oil industry. It also has vast mineral resources.

Made up of valleys and basins, Kyrgyzstan is referred to as "the Switzerland of Central Asia". Its mountainous region covers over 80% of its land. It is also rich in metals including gold and rare earth metals.

Pakistan is a multi-ethnic and multilingual state. This is the first time Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain is attending the meeting as an SCO full member.

With over 81 million inhabitants, Iran is the second largest country in the Middle East. It is ranked as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank.

Belarus is an observer state. Over 40 percent of land in Belarus is forested. Its major economic sectors are the service industry and manufacturing. Development of the China-Belarus industrial park is seeing bilateral ties rise to a new high.

In 2017, the eight SCO members accounted for about half of the world's population, a quarter of the world's GDP, and about 80 percent of Eurasia's landmass.

And the organization is continuing to expand its influence.