In 2001 the world began talking about the Bric countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - as potential powerhouses of the world economy. The term was coined by economist Jim O'Neill, who has now identified the "Mint" countries - Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey - as emerging economic giants. Here he explains why.
There are many factors that play into these countries' potential to be major players in the world economy. For instance, throughout the next two decades, the MINT nations will see an increasing percentage of their population being eligible to work, compared to their non-working population. Moreover, the geographical locations of all of the MINT countries enhances their abilities to trade internationally with access to both land and sea trading routes. It is also possible that the creation of the "MINT" acronym could have a positive affect, particularly on Nigeria, by pushing them to join the G20. However, this same acronym could have a negative affect on Mexico by increasing expectations and creating potential for disappointment for global investors.
To read more about the MINT countries, and their potential to become major world economic players, read the original article here on the BBC website.