1951 commenced full operations
aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the
Pacific
members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Fiji,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA): note -
formerly known as Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern
Africa (PTA)
established - 5 November 1993
aim - recognizing, promoting and protecting fundamental human rights,
commitment to the principles of liberty and rule of law, maintaining
peace and stability through the promotion and strengthening of good
neighborliness, commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes among
member states
members - (19) Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
Commonwealth (C): note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations
established - 31 December 1931
aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a
voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire
members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica,
Fiji (suspended), The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica,
Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (reinstated 2004),
Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December
2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): established - 8 December
1991; effective - 21 December 1991
aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a
mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR
members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan
Communist countries: traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with
authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet
model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer
Communist; see centrally planned economies
Comuinidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLP): established - 1996
aim - to establish a forum for friendship among Portuguese-speaking
nations where Portuguese is an official language
members - (8) Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique,
Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste
associate observers - (3) Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Senegal
Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM): established in 1949
to control the export of strategic products and technical data from
member countries to proscribed destinations; members were: Australia,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US;
abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization,
the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996
that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East-
West control of advanced technology
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA): note - also known as
CMEA or Comecon
established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist
economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan
(observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR),
Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer),
GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer),
Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer),
Yugoslavia (associate)
Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU): established - 3 June 1957;
effective - 30 May 1964
aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations
members - (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq,
Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen,
Palestine Liberation Organization
Council of Europe (CE): established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August
1949
aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe
members - (47) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK
observers - (5) Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, US
Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): established - 6 March 1992
aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas
of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development,
humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and
education, and transportation and communication
members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden
observers - (7) France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Ukraine, UK, US
Council of the Entente (Entente): established - 29 May 1959
aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination
members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo
countries in transition: a term used by the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics
include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania,
Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally
referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition
of Mongolia
Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): note - see World Customs
Organization (WCO)
developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed
countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less
developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of
the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and
the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income
countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita
GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa
have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries
have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ,
Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund
(IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea,
Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey
developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics
include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,
Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would
presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are
traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less
developed countries": 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, Isle
of Man, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, 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
Developing Eight (D-8): established - 15 June 1997
aim - to improve developing countries' positions in the world economy,
diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance
participation in decision-making at the international level, provide
better standards of living
member - (8) Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Turkey
East African Community (EAC): note - originally established in 1967,
it was disbanded in 1977
established - January 2001
aim - to establish a political and economic union among the countries
members - (5) Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
East African Development Bank (EADB): established - 6 June 1967;
effective - 1 December 1967
aim - to promote economic development
members - (4) Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
East Asia Summit (EAS): established - 14 December 2005
aim - to promote cooperation in political and security issues; to
promote development, financial stability, energy security, economic
integration and growth; to eradicate poverty and narrow the development
gap in East Asia, and to promote deeper cultural understanding
members - (16) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, NZ, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Economic and Monetary 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 - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): note - an integral part of the
European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union
established - 1-2 December 1969 (proposed at summit conference of heads
of government; 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed)
aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the
euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1
January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using
euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002
local currencies no longer accepted
members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal,
Slovenia, Spain
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): established - 26 June 1945;
effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes
five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic
Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional
commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human
Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of
Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical
Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development,
Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice)
members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL): note -
acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs
established - 20 September 1976
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration
members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda; note -
organization collapsed because of fighting in 1998; reactivated in 2006
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): established - 28
May 1975
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation
members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,
Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): established - 27-29 January
1985
aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation,
communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development
members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC or EurasEC): note - merged with
Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) in 2005
established - May 2001
aim - to create a common economic and energy policy
members - (6) Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan
observers - (3) Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): note - began as the North
Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO
established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991
aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues
members - (50) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): established -
8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated)
aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies
in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing
60% of its loans to privatization
members - (63) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EC, European Investment Bank
(EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
UK, US, Uzbekistan
European Community (or European Communities, EC): established 8 April
1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the
European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic
Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely
integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged
into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the
time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK
European Free Trade Association (EFTA): established - 4 January 1960;
effective - 3 May 1960
aim - to promote expansion of free trade
members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
European Investment Bank (EIB): established - 25 March 1957; effective
- 1 January 1958
aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors,
the EEC and the EC
members - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): note - acronym
retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la
Recherche Nucleaire
established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954
aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only
members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
observers - (8) EC, India, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United
Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US
European Space Agency (ESA): established - 31 May 1975
aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology
members - (17) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
cooperating states - (5) Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,
Romania
European Union (EU): note - see European Union entry at the end of the
"country" listings
First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized
economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945
aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of
agricultural products; a UN specialized agency
members - (192) includes all UN member countries except Brunei,
Liechtenstein, and Singapore (189 total); plus Cook Islands, EC, Faroe
Islands, and Niue
former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a
group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of
15 countries consists of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the
hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe
(former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries
are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped
differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group
"countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia
Four Dragons: the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs)
that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as
the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea,
Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced
economies" group
Franc Zone (FZ): note - also known as Conference des Ministres des
Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc
established - 1964
aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies were
linked to the French franc
members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic,
Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea,
France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
Front Line States (FLS): established to achieve black majority rule in
South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola,
Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): see the World Trade
Organization (WTO)
General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU): established - 16 April
1992
aim - to consolidate trade union actions to protect citizens' social
and labor rights and interests, to help secure trade unions' rights and
guarantees, and to strengthen international trade union solidarity
members - (11) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Group of 2 (G-2): informal term that came into use about 1986; to
facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful
economic giants; members were Japan, US
Group of 3 (G-3): established - September 1990
aim - mechanism for policy coordination
members - (2) Colombia, Mexico; note - Panama shows interest in joining
Group of 5 (G-5): established - 22 September 1985
aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist
economic powers
members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US
Group of 6 (G-6): also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement (not
to be confused with the Big Six) was established in 22 May 1984 with
the aim of achieving nuclear disarmament; its members were Argentina,
Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania
Group of 7 (G-7): note - membership is the same as the Big Seven
established - 22 September 1985
aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major
noncommunist economic powers
members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada
and Italy
Group of 8 (G-8): established - October 1975
aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries
(DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic
Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between December 1975 and
3 June 1977
members - (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US
Group of 9 (G-9): established - NA
aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis
members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary,
Romania, Serbia, Sweden