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)
D
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
E
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 -
(16) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia,
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
F
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
G
G-20
established - created 1999; inaugerated 15-16 December 1999 aim - to
promote open and constructive discussion between industrial and
emerging-market countries on any issues related to global economic
stability; helps to support growth and development across the globe
members - (19) Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US
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 10 (G-10)
note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of
the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the
informal steering committee; name persists despite increased membership
established - October 1962 aim - to coordinate credit policy members
- (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US observers - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD
Group of 11 (G-11)
note - also known as the Cartagena Group established in 21-22 June
1984, in Cartagena, Colombia, aim was to provide a forum for largest
debtor nations in Latin America; members were: Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru,
Uruguay, Venezuela
Group of 15 (G-15)
note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement; name persists despite
increased membership established - September 1989 aim - to promote
economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main
political organ for the Nonaligned Movement members - (18) Algeria,
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica,
Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela,
Zimbabwe
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 20 (G-20)
established - created 1999; inaugurated 15-16 December 1999 aim - to
promote open and constructive discussion between industrial and
emerging-market countries on any issues related to global economic
stability; helps to support growth and development across the globe
members - (19) Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US
Group of 24 (G-24)
established - 1 August 1989 aim - to promote the interests of
developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF
members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,
Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago,
Venezuela observers - (1) China
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 77 (G-77)
established - 15 June1964; October 1967 first ministerial meeting aim
- to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name
persists in spite of increased membership members - (129 plus the
Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, 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, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, 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, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, 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, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
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
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the
Gulf established - 25 May 1981 aim - to promote regional cooperation
in economic, social, political, and military affairs members - (6)
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
H
high income countries
another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita
GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)
I
Indian Ocean Commission (InOC)
established - 21 December 1982 aim - to organize and promote regional
cooperation in all sectors, especially economic members - (5) Comoros,
France (for Reunion and Mayotte), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles
industrial countries
another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)