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Four Dragons
Note - the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group includes Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan
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Four Tigers
Note - another term for the Four Dragons; see Four Dragons
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Franc Zone (FZ)
established - NA
aim - monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc
members - (15) Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note - France includes metropolitan France, the four overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion), the two territorial collectivities of France (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), and the three overseas territories of France (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)
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Front Line States (FLS)
established - NA
aim - to achieve black majority rule in South Africa
members - (7) Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
established - 30 October 1947
effective - 1 January 1948
aim - to promote the expansion of international trade on a nondiscriminatory basis
members - (98) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia,Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Botswana,Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus,Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland,France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, SouthKorea, Kuwait, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco,Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal,Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidadand Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Uruguay, Yugoslavia,Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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Group of 2 (G-2)
established - informal term that came into use about 1986
aim - bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants
members - (2) Japan, US
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Group of 3 (G-3)
established - NA October 1990
aim - mechanism for policy coordination
members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela
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Group of 5 (G-5)
established - 22 September 1985
aim - the five major non-Communist economic powers
members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US
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Group of 6 (G-6)
Note - not to be confused with the Big Six
established - 22 May 1984
aim - seeks to achieve nuclear disarmament
members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania
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Group of 7 (G-7)
Note - membership is the same as the Big Seven
established - 22 September 1985
aim - the seven major non-Communist economic powers
members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy
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Group of 8 (G-8)
established - NA October 1975
aim - the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977
members - (8) Australia, Canada, EC (as one member), Japan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, US
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Group of 9 (G-9)
established - NA
aim - informal group that meets occasionally on matters of mutual interest
members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia
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Group of 10 (G-10)
Note - also known as the Paris Club
established - NA October 1962
aim - wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984
members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
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Group of 11 (G-11)
Note - also known as the Cartagena Group
established - 22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia
aim - forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America
members - (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
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Group of 15 (G-15)
Note - byproduct of the Non-Aligned Movement
established - 1989
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Non-Aligned Movement
members - (15) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
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Group of 19 (G-19)
established - NA October 1975
aim - the less developed countries (LDCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC) held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977
members - (19) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia
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Group of 24 (G-24)
established - NA January 1972
aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF
members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt,Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Ivory Coast,Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka,Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire
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Group of 30 (G-30)
established - NA 1979
aim - to discuss and propose solutions to the world's economic problems
members - (30) informal group of 30 leading international bankers, economists, financial experts, and businessmen organized by Johannes Witteveen (former managing director of the IMF)
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Group of 33 (G-33)
established - NA 1987
aim - to promote solutions to international economic problems
members - (33) leading economists from 13 countries
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Group of 77 (G-77)
established - NA October 1967
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership
members - (127 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina, Burma, Burundi,Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia,Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica,Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, SaintVincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands,Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UAE,Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen,Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine LiberationOrganization
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Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
established - 25-26 May 1981
aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs
members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
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Habitat
Note - see United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS)
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Hexagonal Group
Note - HG - the old Pentagonal Group plus one)
established - July 1991
aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas
members - (6) Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Yugoslavia
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high-income countries
Note - another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GNPs/GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)
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industrial countries
Note - another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)
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Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
Note - also known as Banco Interamericano de Desarvollo (BID)
established - 8 April 1959
effective - 30 December 1959
aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America
members - (44) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados,Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland,France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel,Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway,Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden,Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela,Yugoslavia
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Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)
established - NA January 1986
aim - to promote cooperation on drought-related matters
members - (6) Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
established - 26 October 1956
effective - 29 July 1957
aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy
members - (115) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina,Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia,Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile,China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia,Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan,Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon,Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar,Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone,Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam,Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC)
Note - established in 22 October 1963; aim was to promoteeconomic cooperation and development - members were Bulgaria,Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland,Romania, USSR, Vietnam; now a Russian bank with a new charter
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International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
Note - also known as the World Bank
established - 22 July 1944
effective - 27 December 1945
aim - UN specialized agency that initially promoted economic rebuilding after World War II and now provides economic development loans
members - (156) all UN members except Armenia, Azerbaijan,Brunei, Cuba, Estonia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan,Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, FederatedStates of Micronesia, Moldova, San Marino, Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; other members are Kiribati,Tonga
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International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
established - NA 1919
aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels
members - (58 national councils) Argentina, Australia, Austria,Belgium, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus,Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece,Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, IvoryCoast, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Lebanon, Luxembourg,Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway,Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, SouthAfrica, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia,Zaire
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International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
established - 7 December 1944
effective - 4 April 1947
aim - UN specialized agency to promote international cooperation in civil aviation
members - (164) all UN members except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Dominica, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Western Samoa; other members are Cook Islands, Kiribati, Monaco, Nauru, Switzerland, Tonga
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International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
established - NA 1863
aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime
members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals
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International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
established - NA December 1949
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (144 national organizations in the following 103 areas)Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas,Bangladesh, Barbados, Basque Country, Belgium, Bermuda, Botswana,Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Canada, Central African Republic,Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Cyprus,Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,El Salvador, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France,French Polynesia, The Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada,Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India,Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, South Korea,Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat, Morocco,Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan,Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,Puerto Rico, Russia, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles,Sierra Leone, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad andTobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Vatican City, Venezuela,Western Samoa
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International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Note - also known as the World Court
established - 26 June 1945
effective - 24 October 1945
aim - primary judicial organ of the UN
members - (15 judges) elected by the General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems
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International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
established - 13 June 1956
aim - to promote international cooperation between criminal police authorities
members - (152) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua andBarbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt,Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, TheGambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Israel, Italy, IvoryCoast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique,Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua,Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia,Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Development Association (IDA)
established - 26 January 1960
effective - 24 September 1960
aim - UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that provides economic loans for low income countries
members - (136) Part I - (22 more economically advanced countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, UAE, UK, US
members - Part II - (114 less developed nations) Afghanistan,Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica,Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, EquatorialGuinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, IvoryCoast, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon,Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua NewGuinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kittsand Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, SaoTome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, SolomonIslands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria,Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen,Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Energy Agency (IEA)
established - 15 November 1974
aim - established by the OECD to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers
members - (21) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
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International Finance Corporation (IFC)
established - 25 May 1955
effective - 20 July 1956
aim - UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that helps private enterprise sector in economic development
members - (133) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma,Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, CostaRica, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, IvoryCoast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, SaintLucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, SriLanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US,Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen,Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
established - NA November 1974
aim - UN specialized agency that promotes agricultural development
members - (144) Category I - (21 industrialized aid contributors)Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands,NZ, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
members - Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
members - Category III - (111 aid recipients) Afghanistan,Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma,Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana,Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, India, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome andPrincipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia,Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Investment Bank (IIB)
Note - established on 7 July 1970; to promote economicdevelopment; members were Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, EastGermany, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam; now aRussian bank with a new charter
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International Labor Organization (ILO)
established - 11 April 1919 (affiliated with the UN 14 December 1946)
aim - UN specialized agency concerned with world labor issues
members - (150) all UN members except Armenia, Azerbaijan,Bhutan, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Brunei, Croatia, Estonia, TheGambia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federation of Micronesia, Moldova,Oman, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa; other member isSwitzerland
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International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime ConsultativeOrganization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982
established - 17 March 1958
aim - UN specialized agency concerned with world maritime affairs
members - (135) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma,Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia,Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco,Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria,Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidadand Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu,Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire
associate members - (2) Hong Kong, Macao
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International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT)
established - 3 September 1976
effective - 26 July 1979
aim - to provide worldwide communications for maritime and other applications
members - (63) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belarus,Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China,Colombia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France,Gabon, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia,Monaco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,Yugoslavia
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International Monetary Fund (IMF)
established - 22 July 1944
effective - 27 December 1945
aim - UN specialized agency concerned with world monetary stability and economic development
members - (156) all UN members except Armenia, Azerbaijan,Belarus, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Brunei, Croatia, Cuba, Estonia,Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein,Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia,Moldova, Russia, San Marino, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,Ukraine, Uzbekistan; other members are Kiribati and Tonga
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International Olympic Committee (IOC)
established - 23 June 1894
aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France (8-23 February); 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain (25 July-9 August); 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer; Norway (12-27 February); 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States (20 July-4 August); 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan (date NA)
members - (167) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa,Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba,Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria,Burkina, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central AfricanRepublic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Cook Islands,Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti,Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, EquatorialGuinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan,Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania,Russia, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino,Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela,Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire,Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Organization for Migration (IOM) - established asProvisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement ofMigrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee forEuropean Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamedIntergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980;current name adopted 14 November 1989
established - 5 December 1951
aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration
members - (39) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh,Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus,Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany,Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Kenya, South Korea,Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay,Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,Thailand, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (25) Belize, Brazil, Cape Verde, Egypt, Finland,France, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, NZ,Pakistan, San Marino, Somalia, Sovereign Military Order of Malta,Spain, Turkey, Uganda, UK, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yugoslavia,Zambia, Zimbabwe
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International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
established - NA February 1947
aim - to promote the development of international standards
members - (72 national standards organizations) Albania, Algeria,Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil,Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus,Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France,Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, NorthKorea, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco,Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia,Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia
correspondent members - (14) Bahrain, Barbados, Brunei, Guinea, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jordan, Kuwait, Malawi, Mauritius, Oman, Senegal, UAE, Uruguay
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International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
established - NA 1928
aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS) in peacetime
members - (9) 2 representatives from ICRC, 2 from LORCS, and 5 from national societies elected by the international conference of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
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International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
established - 9 December 1932
effective - 1 January 1934
affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947
aim - UN specialized agency concerned with world telecommunications
members - (164) all UN members except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Dominica, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Federation of Micronesia, Moldova, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; other members are Kiribati, Monaco, Nauru, Switzerland, Tonga, Vatican City
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International Telecommunications Satellite Organization(INTELSAT)
established - 20 August 1971
effective - 12 February 1973
aim - to develop and operate a global commercial telecommunications satellite system
members - (118) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Canada, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, CostaRica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon,Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique,Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore,Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidadand Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire,Zambia, Zimbabwe
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Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
established - 15 December 1973
aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development
members - (43 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, TheGambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan,Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania,Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
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Latin American Economic System (LAES) - , also known as SistemaEconomico Latinoamericana (SELA)
established - 17 October 1975
aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation
members - (26) Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, ElSalvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad andTobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
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Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) - , also known asAsociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
established - 12 August 1980
effective - 18 March 1981
aim - to promote freer regional trade
members - (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
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League of Arab States (LAS)
Note - see Arab League (AL)
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League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS)
established - 5 May 1919
aim - to provide humanitarian aid in peacetime
members - (147) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo,Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji,Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy,Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, SouthKorea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, SaoTome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone,Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa,Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (2) Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
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least developed countries (LLDCs)
Note - that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GNPs/GDPs normally less than $500, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries. The 41 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Yemen
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less developed countries (LDCs)
Note - the bottom group in the comprehensive but mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GNPs/GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,000; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries. The 173 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Western Samoa, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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low-income countries
Note - another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GNPs/GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
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middle-income countries
Note - another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GNPs/GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
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Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
established - April 1987
aim - to arrest missile proliferation by controlling the export of key missile technologies and equipment
members - (20) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
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newly industrializing countries (NICs)
Note - former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
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newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
Note - that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan) plus Brazil and Mexico
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Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
established - 1-6 September 1961
aim - political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs
members - (101 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana,Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central AfricanRepublic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia,Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea,Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, SaintLucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Uganda, UAE, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (9) Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Uruguay
guests - (11) Australia, Austria, Dominican Republic, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
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Nordic Council (NC)
established - 16 March 1952
effective - 12 February 1953
aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation
members - (5) Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden; note - Denmark includes Faroe Islands and Greenland
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Nordic Investment Bank (NIB)
established - 4 December 1975
effective - 1 June 1976
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (5) Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
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North
Note - a popular term for the rich industrialized countriesgenerally located in the northern portion of the NorthernHemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries(DCs)
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North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) - an extension of NATO
established - 8 November 1991
effective - 20 December 1991
aim - to form a forum to discuss cooperation concerning mutual political and security issues
members - (35) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria,Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany,Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
established - 17 September 1949
aim - mutual defense and cooperation in other areas
members - (16) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US
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Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
established - NA 1958
aim - associated with OECD, seeks to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy
members - (23) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
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Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
Note - also known as the London Suppliers Group
established - 1974
aim - to establish guidelines on exports of enrichment and processing plant assistance and nuclear exports to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability
members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada,Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,UK, US
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Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en laAmerica Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)
Note - see Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean (OPANAL)
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Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
established - 14 December 1960, effective 30 September 1961
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (24) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special member - (1) Yugoslavia
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Organization of African Unity (OAU)
established - 25 May 1963
aim - to promote unity and cooperation among African states
members - (50) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina,Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia,Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast,Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda,Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania,Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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Organization of American States (OAS)
established - 30 April 1948
effective - 13 December 1951
aim - to promote peace and security as well as economic and social development
members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas,Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, CostaRica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962),Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada,Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua,Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, SaintVincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US,Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (25) Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Cyprus, EC,Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,Guyana, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, Netherlands,Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, VaticanCity
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Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
established - 9 January 1968
aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE
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Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
established - 18 June 1981
effective - 4 July 1981
aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation
members - (8) Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
established - 14 September 1960
aim - to coordinate petroleum policies
members - (13) Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
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Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
established - 22-25 September 1969
aim - to promote Islamic solidarity and cooperation in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members - (47 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan (suspended), Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros,Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon,Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger,Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, SierraLeone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE,Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observer - (1) Turkish-Cypriot administered area of Cyprus
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Paris Club
Note - see Group of 10
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Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
established - NA 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (75) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Lebanon,Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda,Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zimbabwe
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Population Commission
established - 3 October 1946
aim - ECOSOC organization dealing with population matters
members - (27) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
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Rio Group (RG)
established - NA 1988
aim - a consultation mechanism on regional Latin American issues
members - (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela; note - Panama was expelled in 1988
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Second World
Note - another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies
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socialist countries
Note - in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries
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South
Note - a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)
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South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
established - 8 December 1985
aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
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South Pacific Commission (SPC)
established - 6 February 1947
effective - 29 July 1948
aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters
members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji,France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue,Northern Mariana Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands(Palau), Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Solomon Islands,Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna,Western Samoa
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South Pacific Forum (SPF)
established - 5 August 1971
aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters
members - (15) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, MarshallIslands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, PapuaNew Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, WesternSamoa
observer - (1) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau)
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Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
established - 11 December 1969
aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters
members - (9) Bophuthatswana, Botswana, Ciskei, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Transkei, Venda
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Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
established - 1 April 1980
aim - to promote regional economic development and reduce dependence on South Africa
members - (10) Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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Southern Cone Common Market
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established - 26 March 1991
aim - regional economic cooperation
members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
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