EXPLAINER: G7 provides forum for like-minded democracies

ELMAU, Germany (AP) — In 1975, leaders of the world’s wealthy democracies gathered to deal with an energy crisis sparked by a war and rampant inflation. Those same sore points are bedeviling their successors representing 46% of the global economy at this week's Group of Seven summit, with high consumer and energy prices threatening to trigger recessions in the U.S. and Europe.

Here are key facts about the Group of Seven:

WHAT IS THE GROUP OF SEVEN?

It's a group of wealthy democracies with large, advanced economies and high standards of living. Annual summits give leaders a chance to hash out common approaches on pretty much anything they want to talk about.

The first summits in the 1970s were convened to deal with the first post-World War II recession, and focused on fiscal stimulus and exchange rates. Economic policy still tends to be front and center. Energy, terrorism, the Cold War and the environment have been major themes across the group's history.

The members are: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. European Union officials also attend.

WHO STARTED THIS?

In 1975, French President Valery Giscard D’Estaing formally convened what was then a Group of Six outside Paris. The purpose: to deal with a recession accompanied by high unemployment and inflation in the wake of the Arab oil embargo against the U.S. and other countries for supporting Israel during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Canada was invited the next year.

HOW DO THE G-7 GET THINGS DONE?

Their annual meetings offer leaders a chance to size each other up and negotiate face to face on a broad spectrum of issues involving all their Cabinet departments - the big picture.

The G-7 doesn't have a bureaucracy to carry out its decisions or a permanent headquarters. The...