FACTBOX-What is the G20?

March 30 (Reuters) - Leaders of the G20 major economies are due to meet in London on Thursday to review progress in tackling the biggest economic crisis since the 1930s. Following are some details of the group's origins and achievements so far.

GROUP OF TWENTY (G20):

-- The Group of Twenty first met in Berlin in December 1999. It was created as a response to the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, which exposed the need to bring emerging market nations into the core of global economic discussion and governance.

-- Its 19 members are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

-- The European Union is also a member, represented by the rotating Council presidency and the European Central Bank. G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet annually.

-- The Group of Twenty represents around 90 per cent of global gross national product, 80 per cent of world trade (including EU intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world's population.

* WHAT HAS THE G20 DONE?

-- A 2004 meeting in Berlin agreed the G20 Accord for Sustained Growth (the Accord) and the G20 Reform Agenda.

-- The Accord laid out guidelines that members' experience suggested could foster sustainable economic growth and development, both nationally and globally.

-- The Reform Agenda set out the steps taken by each country to implement the Accord. It also has committed itself to higher standards of transparency and exchange of information on tax in order to combat abuses of the financial system and tax evasion.

* WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR? -- The Group met in Washington on Nov. 15 and agreed a plan to try to restore global growth and bring order to a financial system reeling from the worldwide credit crisis.

-- The leaders pledged to "work together to restore global growth" but stopped short of any coordinated new fiscal measures, saying spending policies should be used to stimulate domestic demand rapidly, as appropriate for each nation.

They backed:

- Fiscal measures to boost demand rapidly

- Monetary policy steps as appropriate

- More funds for the IMF to support emerging economies

- Strive for breakthrough this year (2008) in the Doha round of trade talks

- Reform of Bretton Woods institutions to give emerging economies more of a voice in line with their changing economic weight

- College of supervisors to review major global banks

- Review of accountancy standards, CEO pay, bankruptcy rules, credit rating agencies and moving credit default swaps to exchange trading

G20 finance ministers were instructed to work on specifics by March 31, 2009, ahead of the next summit. [ID:nN15469487]

Sources: Reuters/www.G20.com

For other G20 coverage please click on [ID:nLA715782]

(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)