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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 - (190) includes all UN member countries except Dominica, Liechtenstein, and Tuvalu (189 total); plus Cook Islands

International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH)

established 17 December 1999 to promote respect for human rights; members included Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US; closed 2001

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

established - 17 February 1863 aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime members - (15-25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

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note - also known as the World Court established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice aim - primary judicial organ of the UN members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council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 Court (ICCt)

established - 11 April 2002 aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice members (countries that have ratified the treaty) - (108) Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)

established - September 1923 set up as the International CriminalPolice Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present nameadopted aim - to promote international cooperation among policeauthorities in fighting crime members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania,Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, BurkinaFaso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Coted'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, EquatorialGuinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, TheGambia, 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, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, SouthAfrica, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo,Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,Zambia, Zimbabwe subbureaus - (11) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda,British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau,Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands

International Development Association (IDA)

established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960 aim - toprovide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agencyand IBRD affiliate members - (168) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, 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, EU, 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, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome andPrincipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, SriLanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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 - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, 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 Red Crescent Societies(LORCS) established - 5 May 1919 aim - to organize, coordinate, anddirect international relief actions; to promote humanitarianactivities; to represent and encourage the development of NationalSocieties; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, anddisplaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people throughdevelopment programs members - (185 plus the Palestine LiberationOrganization) 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,Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, CookIslands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic,Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, 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, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated Statesof Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, SaintKitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, SolomonIslands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, PalestineLiberation Organization observers - (2) Eritrea and Tuvalu

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 - (181) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Suriname, Tuvalu

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

established - November 1974 aim - to promote agricultural development;a UN specialized agency members - (165) List A - (23 industrializedaid contributors) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg,Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USList B - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,UAE, Venezuela List C - (130 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania,Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosniaand Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic ofthe Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia,Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Oman, Pakistan,Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda,Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia (suspended since 1992),Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, SriLanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970 established - June 1919; effective - 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 - (80) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (suspended), Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic (suspended), Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname (suspended), Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

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 - (181) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies: Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

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 - (167) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niger, Palau, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO)

established - 15 April 1999 aim - acts as watchdog over Inmarsat(International Maritime Satellite Organization), a private company, tomake sure it follows ICAO standards and recommended practices; plays anactive role in the development of international telecommunicationspolicies members - (92) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan,Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia,Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro,Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga,Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Venezuela, Vietnam

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 - (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

established - 23 June 1894 aim - to promote the Olympic ideals andadminister the Olympic games: 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,Canada; 2012 Summer Olympics in London, UK; 2014 Winter Olympics inSochi, Russia National Olympic Committees - (204 and the PalestineLiberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa,Andorra, Angola, 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, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, 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, 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, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent andthe Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad andTobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, VirginIslands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

note - established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for theMovement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committeefor European Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamedIntergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980;current name adopted 14 November 1989 established - 5 December 1951aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigrationmembers - (122) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republicof the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, SierraLeone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam,Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe observers - (16) Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Cuba,Ethiopia, Guyana, Holy See, Indonesia, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia,Papua New Guinea, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,Turkmenistan

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

established - February 1947 aim - to promote the development ofinternational standards with a view to facilitating internationalexchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in thesphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activitymembers - (105 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, CostaRica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela,Vietnam, Zimbabwe correspondent members - (41 plus the PalestineLiberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Benin, Bhutan,Bolivia, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, ElSalvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Gabon, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, HongKong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova,Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan,Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Organization subscribermembers - (10) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica,Guyana, Honduras, Laos, Lesotho, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,Suriname

International Organization of the French-speaking World (OIF)

note - name changed from Agency of Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) in 1997; also known as Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie established - 20 March 1970 aim - founded around a common language to promote and spread the cultures of its members and to reinforce cultural and technical cooperation between them members - (53) Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canada - New Brunswick, Canada - Quebec, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam associates - (3) Armenia, Cyprus, Ghana observers - (14) Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Ukraine

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)

established - 1928 aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid throughthe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, andInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRCS; formerly League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies orLORCS) in peacetime National Societies - (185 countries and thePalestine Liberation Organization); note - same as membership forInternational 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 - (191) includes all UN member countries except Palau, Timor-Leste (190 total); plus Holy See

International Telecommunications Satellites Organization (ITSO)

established - August 1964 aim - to act as a watchdog over Intelsat,Ltd., a private company, to make sure it provides on a global and non-discriminatory basis public telecommunication services members - (148)Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin,Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, 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, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, the FederatedStates of Micronesia, Monaco, 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, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK,US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

note - its predecessors were the Confederation of Free Trade Unions(ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labor (WCL) established - 3November 2006 aim - to promote the trade union movement members -(311 affiliated organizations in the following 154 countries and thePalestine Liberation Organization as of December 2007) Albania,Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina, Australia,Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium,Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,Central African Republic, Comoros, 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, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, TheGambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, SaintVincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, SouthAfrica, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe, and the Palestine Liberation Organization

Islamic Development Bank (IDB)

established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12August 1974 aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and socialdevelopment members - (55 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin,Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, 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

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 - (27) Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Secretaria General Iberoamericana (SEGIB), 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 - topromote freer regional trade members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia,Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru,Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (26) China, Corporacion Andina deFomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala,Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute forCooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin AmericaEconomic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama,Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain,Switzerland, Ukraine, United Nations Development Program, UnitedNations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS)

note - also known as Arab League (AL) established - 22 March 1945 aim - aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (3) Eritrea, India, Venezuela

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), formerUSSR/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 anumber of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advancedtechnology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developingcountries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), leastdeveloped countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-incomecountries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, ThirdWorld, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCsare: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, BritishVirgin 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, DominicanRepublic, 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, Isle of Man,Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, 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, PitcairnIslands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kittsand Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent andthe Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, SriLanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand,Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and CaicosIslands, 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, SouthAfrica, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statisticsAmerican Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, CaymanIslands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea,Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip,Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man,Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, NewCaledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau,Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre andMiquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, VirginIslands, 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)

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

established - 12 April 1988 aim - encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical assistance; a UN specialized agency members - (173) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Kiribati, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu

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 the 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 andmilitary cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocsmembers - (117 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei,Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republicof the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti,Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran,Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa,Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda,UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (15) Armenia,Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia,El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Serbia, Ukraine,Uruguay guests - (24) Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Italy,Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

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 - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, 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 American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

established - 17 December 1992 aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

established - 4 April 1949 aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation members - (28) Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, 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 - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group established - 1974; effective - 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 - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, 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 Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)

note-acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova; formerly known as GUUAM before Uzbekistan withdrew in 5 May 2005 established - 7 June 2001 aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states members - (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

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) EC accession states - (5) Chile, Estonia, Israel, Russia, Slovenia

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 - (56) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan partners for cooperation - (11) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

established - 29 April 1997 aim - to enforce the Convention on theProhibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use ofChemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum forconsultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Conventionmembers (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (184)Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, 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, Dominica, Djibouti,Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, HolySee, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, SouthKorea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts andNevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, SanMarino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, SolomonIslands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo,Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe signatory states (countries that havesigned, but not ratified, the Convention) - (5) The Bahamas, Burma,Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Israel

Organization of African Unity (OAU)

see African Union

Organization of American States (OAS)

established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of AmericanRepublics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13December 1951 aim - to promote regional peace and security as well aseconomic and social development members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada,Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participationsince 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 - (63) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria,Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China,Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, HolySee, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco,Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,Ukraine, UK, Vanuatu, Yemen

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 (suspended), UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981 aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation members - (9) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

established - 14 September 1960 aim - to coordinate petroleum policies members - (13) Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, 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 solidarityin economic, social, cultural, and political affairs members - (56plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania,Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso,Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, TheGambia, 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 - (14)AU, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, IslamicConference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, LAS, Moro NationalLiberation Front, NAM, OAU, Parliamentary Union of the OIC MemberStates, Russia, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community (SPC)

local name of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)

note - formerly known as 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 associate members - (2) French Polynesia, New Caledonia partners - (13) Canada, China, EU, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, UK, US observers - (5) Asia Development Bank, The Commonwealth, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna

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) Australia, Austria, 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 - (22) Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

established - 29 July 1899 aim - to facilitate the settlement ofinternational disputes members - (108) Argentina, Australia, Austria,Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, 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, ElSalvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway,Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG)

note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group established - 1988 aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues members - (21) Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Schengen Convention

established - signed June 1990; effective March 1995 aim - to allow free movement within an area without internal border controls members - (25) Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland; note - UK and Ireland have not joined; Liechtenstein and Cyprus will probably join in 2009; Bulgaria and Romania are still not fully implemented

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

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

established - 6 February 1947; effective 29 July 1948 aim - to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research support; to build planning and management capability members - (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

established - 15 June 2001 aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan observers - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan guests - (6) Afghanistan, ASEAN, CIS, EurAsEC, Turkmenistan, UN

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 American Community of Nations (CSN)

established - 9 December 2004 aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP)

established - January 1983 aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region members - (8) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

established - 8 December 1985 aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation members - (8) Afghanistan. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka observers - (9) Australia, Burma, China, EU, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, US

South Pacific Forum (SPF)

note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement(Sparteca)

established - 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

Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)

established - 6 December 1996 aim - to encourage cooperation among participating states and to facilitate their integration into European structures members - (13) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey observers - (18) Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

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, Madagascar, 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 members - (5) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

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)

Union Latina

established - 15 May 1954; became functional 1983 aim - to project,protect, and promote the common heritage and unifying identities of theLatin, and Latin-influenced, world members - (37) Andorra, Angola,Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, CostaRica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France,Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Moldova,Monaco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Spain,Timor-Leste, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (3) Argentina, Holy See,Order of Malta

Union of South American Nations (UNASUR - Spanish; UNASUL - Portuguese)

formerly South American Community of Nations which terminated on 16 April 2007 established - 23 May 2008 aim - to model a community after the European Union which will include a common currency, parliament, passport, and defense policy members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

United Nations (UN)

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - tomaintain international peace and security and to promote cooperationinvolving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problemsconstituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organsand numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows: 1)Secretariat 2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program onHIV/AIDS (UN-AIDS), International Research and Training Institute forthe Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Organization for the Prohibitionof Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Preparation Committee for the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), United Nations Center for HumanSettlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UnitedNations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), United Nations Development Program(UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United NationsEnvironment Program (UNEP),United Nations Fund for InternationalPartnerships (UNFIP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR),United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), UnitedNations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI),United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office ofProject Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency forPalestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations ResearchInstitute for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System StaffCollege (UNSSC), United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program(WFP) 3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for theFormer Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda(ICTR), United Nations Compensation Commission, United NationsDisengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), African Union/United NationsHybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), United Nations Integrated Missionin Timor-Leste (UNMIT), United Nations Interim Administration Missionin Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations MilitaryObserver Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United NationsOperation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission for theReferendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in theCentral African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), United Nations Mission inthe Sudan (UNMIS), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of theCongo (MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), and UnitedNations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) 4) Economic and SocialCouncil (ECOSOC): Commission for Social Development, Commission onCrime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on Narcotics Drugs,Commission on Population and Development, Commission on Science andTechnology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development,Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission forAsia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission forWestern Asia (ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), EconomicCommission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America andthe Caribbean (ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the UnitedNations (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), InternationalBank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Centerfor Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International CivilAviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund forAgricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), StatisticalCommission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and CulturalOrganization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United NationsIndustrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual PropertyOrganization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO), and World Trade Organization (WTO) 5)Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time) 6)International Court of Justice (ICJ)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund established - 11 December 1946 aim - to help establish child health and welfare services members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

established - 30 December 1964 aim - to promote international trade members - (193) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

established - 22 November 1965 aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)

established - 31 May 1974 aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (6) Austria, Canada, Croatia, India, Japan, Poland

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization(UNESCO)

established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946 aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture members - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)

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