** 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 - (80 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada,Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico,Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia,Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
** International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) **
established - 7 December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947
aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency
members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, CapeVerde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino,Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) **
established - 17 February 1863
aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime
members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals
** International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) **
established - NA December 1949
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (225 affiliated organizations in the following 148 countries)Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin,Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada,Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea,Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon,The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania,Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique,Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena,Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,Zimbabwe
** International Court of Justice (ICJ) **
note - also known as the World Court
established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice
aim - primary judicial organ of the UN
members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems
** International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) **
established - NA September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted
aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime
members - (179) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central AfricanRepublic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea,Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, SaudiArabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidadand Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British VirginIslands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat,Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands,Virgin Islands
** 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 - (163)
** International Energy Agency (IEA) **
established - 15 November 1974
aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD
members - (26) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
** International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent **
Societies (IFRCS) note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and RedCrescent Societies (LORCS)
established - 5 May 1919
aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs
members - (179) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia,Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tomeand Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, SriLanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (7 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Comoros, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Israel, Kazakhstan, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, Palestine Liberation Organization
** International Finance Corporation (IFC) **
established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956
aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate
members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua andBarbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, SaintLucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain,Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) **
established - NA November 1974
aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency
members - (162)
Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,UAE, Venezuela
Category III - (127 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,Lesotho, Liberia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincentand the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen,Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) **
note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970
established - NA June 1919; effective - NA June 1921
aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanography
members - (70) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau),Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland,France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Monaco,Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,Venezuela, Yugoslavia
membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar
** International Labor Organization (ILO) **
established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN
aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency
members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua andBarbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad andTobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,Zimbabwe
** International Maritime Organization (IMO) **
note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982
established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental
Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958
aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency
members - (161) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republicof the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, TheFormer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, SierraLeone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, SouthAfrica, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,Yemen, Yugoslavia
associate members - (2) Hong Kong, Macau
** International Monetary Fund (IMF) **
established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945
aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency
members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua andBarbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, SaoTome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** International Olympic Committee (IOC) **
established - 23 June 1894
aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States; 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy
National Olympic Committees - (199 and the Palestine LiberationOrganization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,Angola (suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei,Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, CapeVerde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of theCongo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands,Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, SaintKitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands,Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
** International Organization for Migration (IOM) **
note - established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for theMovement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee forEuropean Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed IntergovernmentalCommittee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14November 1989
established - 5 December 1951
aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration
members - (91) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran,Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands,Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, SouthAfrica, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen,Yugoslavia, Zambia
observers - (36) Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
** International Organization for Standardization (ISO) **
established - NA February 1947
aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity
members - (93 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco,Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
correspondent members - (36) Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bolivia,Brunei, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, ElSalvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon,Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia,Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda,Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Turkmenistan, Uganda
subscriber members - (13 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Comoros, Dominica,Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Mali,Saint Lucia, Palestine Liberation Organization
** International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM) **
established - NA 1928
aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime
National Societies - (176 countries);
note - same as membership for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)
** International Telecommunication Union (ITU) **
established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name
effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947
aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency
members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, CostaRica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary,Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States ofMicronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, SaintVincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** Islamic Development Bank (IDB) **
established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of
intent; effective - 12 August 1974
aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development
members - (52 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco,Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, SierraLeone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
** Latin American Economic System (LAES) **
note - also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)
established - 17 October 1975
aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation
members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,Uruguay, Venezuela
** Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) **
note - also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981
aim - to promote freer regional trade
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (23) China, Commission of the European Communities,Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank,Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, LatinAmerica Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States,Panama, Panamerican Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia,Spain, Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United NationsEconomic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
** least developed countries (LLDCs) **
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 GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen
** less developed countries (LDCs) **
the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; 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 172 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 Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, 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, 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, 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, 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, Samoa, 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, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term"developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, andTurkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa,Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, ChristmasIsland, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands,French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland,Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isleof Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue,Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, PuertoRico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga,Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna,West Bank, Western Sahara
** low-income countries **
another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
** middle-income countries **
another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
** Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) **
note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966
aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market
members - (7) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe
** Near Abroad **
Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
** new independent states (NIS) **
a term referring to all those countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
** newly industrializing countries (NICs) **
former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
** newly industrializing economies (NIEs) **
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), and Brazil
** Nonaligned Movement (NAM) **
established - 1-6 September 1961
aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs
members - (113 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republicof the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, 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, Papua NewGuinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome andPrincipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (16) Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay
guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
** Nordic Council (NC) **
established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12 February 1953
aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation
members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden
** Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) **
established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
** North **
a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)
** North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) **
established - 4 April 1949
aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members - (19) Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US
** Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) **
note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
established - 1 February 1958
aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD
members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
** Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) **
note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975
aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability
members - (39) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia,Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,Ukraine, UK, US
observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)
** Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) **
established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special member - (1) EU
** Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) **
note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975
established - 1 January 1995
aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures
members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway,Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia partners for cooperation - (9) Algeria, Egypt,Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia
** Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) **
established - 29 April 1997
aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention
members - (145) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary,Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua NewGuinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,Russia, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,Zambia, Zimbabwe
signatory states - (29) Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Thailand; note - states have signed but not ratified the convention
** Organization of African Unity (OAU) **
established - 25 May 1963
aim - to promote unity and cooperation among African states
members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria,Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland,Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** Organization of American States (OAS) **
established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American
Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13December 1951
aim - to promote regional 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, Costa Rica, 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, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (51) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Finland, France, Germany,Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway,Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine,UK, Yemen
** Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) **
established - 9 January 1968
aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members - (10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE
** Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) **
established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981
aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation
members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
associate members - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands
** Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) **
established - 14 September 1960
aim - to coordinate petroleum policies
members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
** Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) **
established - 22-25 September 1969
aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, BurkinaFaso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon,The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives,Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (3) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Thailand
** Pacific Community **
note - formerly known as the 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 ofMicronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands,Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna
** Pacific Island Forum **
note - used to the South Pacific Forum (SPF)
established - 5 August 1971
aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters
members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
observer - (1) New Caledonia
** Paris Club **
established - 1956
aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries
members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
** Partnership for Peace (PFP) **
established - 10-11 January 1994
aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO
members - (29) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
** Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) **
established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (96) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands,NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** Rio Group (RG) **
note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group
established - NA 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
** Second World **
another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies
** socialist countries **
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
** South **
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)
** 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
** South Pacific Forum (SPF) **
note - see Pacific Island Forum
** South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement **
(Sparteca)
established - NA 1981
aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region
members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
** Southern African Customs Union (SACU) **
established - 11 December 1969
aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters
members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland
** Southern African Development Community (SADC) **
note - evolved from the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
established - 17 August 1992
aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market **
note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
established - 26 March 1991
aim - to increase regional economic cooperation
members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
associate member - (2) Bolivia, Chile
** Third World **
another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)
** underdeveloped countries **
refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)
** undeveloped countries **
refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)