note-also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
address-Calle Cebollati 1461, Casilla de Correo 577, 11000 Montevideo,
Uruguay
telephone-[598] (2) 40 11 21, 49 59 15
FAX-[598] (2) 49 06 49
established-12 August 1980
effective-18 March 1981
aim-to promote freer regional trade
members-(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers-(20) China, Commission of the European Communities, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Inter-American Development Bank, Italy, Nicaragua, Organization of
American States, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain,
Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
_________________________________________________________________
League of Arab States (LAS)
see Arab League (AL)
_________________________________________________________________
League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS)
see International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)
_________________________________________________________________
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, and
Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa,
Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas
Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands,
French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland,
Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle
of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue,
Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands,
Puerto Rico, 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)
_________________________________________________________________
London Suppliers Group
see Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
_________________________________________________________________
Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
see Southern Cone Common Market
_________________________________________________________________
middle-income countries
another term for those less developed countries with above-average per
capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
_________________________________________________________________
Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
established-16 April 1987
aim-to arrest the proliferation of missiles (unmanned delivery
vehicles of mass destruction) by controlling the export of key missile
technologies and equipment
members-(28) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
_________________________________________________________________
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
_________________________________________________________________
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)
address-Permanent Rep of Colombia to the United Nations, New York, NY
10017, US
telephone-[1] (212) 963 1234
FAX-[1] (212) 758 2718
established-1-6 September 1961
aim-to establish political and military cooperation apart from the
traditional East or West blocs
members-(112 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, 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,
Republic of 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 New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint
Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, 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-(20) Afro-Asian Solidarity Organization, Antigua and
Barbuda, Arab League, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Dominica, El Salvador, Kanaka Socialist National Liberation
Front (New Caledonia), Mexico, Mongolia, Organization of African
Unity, Organization of the Islamic Conference, Socialist Party of
Puerto Rico, UN, Uruguay
guests-(22) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Canada, Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
_________________________________________________________________
Nordic Council (NC)
address-Store Strandstraede 18, PB 3043, DK-1021 Kobenhavn K, Denmark
telephone-[45] 33 96 04 00
FAX-[45] 33 11 18 70
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)
address-Fabianinkatu 34, P.O. Box 249, FIN-00171 Helsinki, Finland
telephone-[358] (0) 18001
FAX-[358] (0) 1800210
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 Cooperation Council (NACC)
note-see Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)
_________________________________________________________________
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
address-B-1110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone-[32] (2) 707 4111
FAX-[32] (2) 707 4579
established-17 September 1949
aim-to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members-(16) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Turkey, UK, US
_________________________________________________________________
Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
address-AEN/NEA, Le Seine St. Germain, 12 bd des Iles, F-92130
Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
telephone-[33] (1) 45 24 10 10
FAX-[33] (1) 45 24 11 10
established-NA 1958
aim-to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with
OECD
members-(23) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK,
US
_________________________________________________________________
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
note-also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
address-c/o Permanent Mission of Japan in Vienna, Prinz-Eugen Strasse
8-10, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
telephone-[43] (1) 505 5467
FAX-[43] (1) 505 6167
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-(34) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US
observer-(1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)
_________________________________________________________________
Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America
Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)
see Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and
the Caribbean (OPANAL)
_________________________________________________________________
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
address-2 rue Andre Pascal, F-75775 Paris CEDEX 16, France
telephone-[33] (1) 45 24 82 00
FAX-[33] (1) 45 24 85 00, 45 24 81 76
established-14 December 1960
effective-30 September 1961
aim-to promote economic cooperation and development
members-(29) 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, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special members-(1) EU
_________________________________________________________________
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
note-formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe
(CSCE)
address-Karntner Ring 5-7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria
telephone-[43] (1) 514 36-190
FAX-[43] (1) 514 36-96
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,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic 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 (suspended)
partners for cooperation-(7) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, South
Korea, Morocco, Tunisia
_________________________________________________________________
Organization of African Unity (OAU)
address-P. O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
telephone-[251] (1) 517700
FAX-[251] (1) 512622
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,
Democratic Republic 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)
address-corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20006, US
telephone-[1] (202) 458 3000
FAX-[1] (202) 458 3967
established-30 April 1948
effective-13 December 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-(31) Algeria, Angola, Austria, Belgium, Central American
Parliament, Commission of the European Communities, Cyprus, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See,
Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Morocco,
Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia
_________________________________________________________________
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
address-P.O. Box 20501, Safat 13066, Kuwait
telephone-[965] 4844500
FAX-[965] 4815747
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)
address-OECS, P.O. Box 179, The Morne, Castries, St. Lucia
telephone-[1] (809) 45 22537, 45 22538, 45 36401
FAX-[1] (809) 45 31628
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)
address-Obere Donaustrasse 93, A-1020 Vienna, Austria
telephone-[43] (1) 21 11 20
FAX-[43] (1) 216 43 20
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)
address-6 km Makkah Al-Mukarramah Road, P.O. Box 178, Jeddah 21411,
Saudi Arabia
telephone-[966] (2) 680-0800
FAX-[966] (2) 687-6568
established-22-25 September 1969
aim-to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and
political affairs
members-(53 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, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers-(6) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic,
Guyana, Moro National Liberation Front (Philippines), Togo, "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus"
_________________________________________________________________
Paris Club
see Group of 10
_________________________________________________________________
Partnership for Peace (PFP)
address-NATO Office of Information and Press, B-1110 Brussels, Belgium
telephone-[32] (2) 728 44 15
FAX-[32] (2) 728 45 79
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-(27) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, 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)
address-Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, NL-2517 KJ The Hague,
Netherlands
telephone-[31] (70) 302 42 42
FAX-[31] (70) 302 41 67
established-29 July 1899
aim-to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members-(83) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile,
China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta,
Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda,
Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________
Population Commission
see Commission on Population and Development
_________________________________________________________________
Rio Group (RG)
note-formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986
established-NA 1988
aim-to consult on regional Latin American issues
members-(12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
_________________________________________________________________