-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_advanced developing countries--another term for those less
developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial
development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries (ACP)
established--1 April 1976;
aim--members have a preferential economic and aid relationship with
the EC;
members--(66) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,
Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa,
Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_African Development Bank (AfDB), also known as Banque Africaine de
Developpement (BAD);
established--4 August 1963;
aim--to promote economic and social development;
regional members--(50) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina,
Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco,
Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
nonregional members--(25) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique (ACCT)--see Agency
for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT)--acronym
from Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique;
established--21 March 1970;
aim--to promote cultural and technical cooperation among
French-speaking countries;
members--(30) Belgium, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Canada,
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica,
France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mali,
Mauritius, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Tunisia,
Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zaire;
associate members--(7) Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Laos,
Mauritania, Morocco, Saint Lucia;
participating governments--(2) New Brunswick (Canada),
Quebec (Canada)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean (OPANAL)--acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de
las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL);
established--14 February 1967;
aim--to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit
nuclear weapons;
members--(25) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,
Uruguay, Venezuela;
_@_observer--(1) Cuba
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Andean Group (AG)
established--26 May 1969, effective 16 October 1969;
aim--to promote harmonious development through economic
integration;
members--(5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela;
associate member--(1) Panama;
observers--(26) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India,
Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US, Uruguay, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA), also known as
Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA);
established--18 February 1974, effective 16 September 1974;
aim--to promote economic development;
members--(17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania,
Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE,
Palestine Liberation Organization; note--these are all the members of the
Arab League except Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Arab Cooperation Council (ACC)
established--16 February 1989;
aim--to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly
leading to an Arab Common Market;
members--(4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
established--16 May 1968;
aim--to promote economic and social development;
members--(20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt (suspended from 1979 to 1988), Iraq, Jordan,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation
Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Arab League (AL), also known as League of Arab States (LAS);
established--22 March 1945;
aim--to promote economic, social, political, and military
cooperation;
members--(20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria,
Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
established--17 February 1989;
aim--to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states
of northern Africa;
members--(5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)
established--27 April 1976, effective 2 February 1977;
aim--to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in
monetary and economic affairs;
members--(19 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania,
Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE,
Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
established--NA November 1989;
aim--to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin;
members--(12) all ASEAN members (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) plus Australia, Canada, Japan,
South Korea, NZ, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Asian Development Bank (AsDB)
established--19 December 1966;
aim--to promote regional economic cooperation;
regional members--(34) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
Japan, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal,
NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western
Samoa;
nonregional members--(15) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)--see
Latin American Integration Association (LAIA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
established--9 August 1967;
aim--regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the
non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia;
members--(6) Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand;
observer--(1) Papua New Guinea
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
established--1 September 1951, effective 29 April 1952;
aim--trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US
suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986;
members--(3) Australia, NZ, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico (BCIE)--see
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Banco Interamericano de Desarvollo (BID)--see Inter-American
Development Bank (IADB)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
established--20 January 1930, effective 17 March 1930;
aim--to promote cooperation among central banks in international
financial settlements;
members--(29) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada,
Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US,
Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)--see African Development
Bank (AfDB)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)--see
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale
(BDEAC)--see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD)--see West African
Development Bank (WADB)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Benelux Economic Union (Benelux)--acronym from Belgium,
Netherlands, and Luxembourg;
established--3 February 1958, effective 1 November 1960;
aim--to develop closer economic cooperation and integration;
members--(3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Big Seven--membership is the same as the Group of 7;
established--NA;
aim--to discuss and coordinate major economic policies;
members--(7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK)
plus the US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Big Six--not to be confused with the Group of 6;
established--NA;
aim--economic cooperation;
members--(6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
established--4 July 1973, effective 1 August 1973;
aim--to promote economic integration and development, especially
among the less developed countries;
members--(13) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago;
observers--(7) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands,
Dominican Republic, Haiti, Netherlands Antilles, Suriname
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
established--18 October 1969, effective 26 January 1970;
aim--to promote economic development and cooperation;
regional members--(20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela;
nonregional members--(3) Canada, France, UK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Cartagena Group--see Group of 11
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)--acronym from
Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale;
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, Congo,
Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)--acronym from
Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale;
established--3 December 1975;
aim--to provide loans for economic development;
members--(9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo,
Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)--acronym from
Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico;
established--13 December 1960;
aim--to promote economic integration and development;
members--(5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Central American Common Market (CACM)
established--13 December 1960, effective 3 June 1961;
aim--to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market;
members--(5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_centrally planned economies--a term applied mainly to the
traditionally Communist states that looked to the USSR for leadership;
many are now evolving toward more democratic and market-oriented systems;
also known formerly as the Second World or as the Communist countries;
through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia,
China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia,
Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Colombo Plan (CP)
established--1 July 1951;
aim--to promote economic and social development in Asia and
the Pacific;
members--(26) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma,
Cambodia, Canada, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos,
Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Commission for Social Development
established--21 June 1946 as the Social Commission, renamed
29 July 1966;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with social development programs;
members--(32) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Commission on Human Rights
established--18 February 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with human rights;
members--(43) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Commission on Narcotic Drugs
established--16 February 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with illicit drugs;
members--(40) selected on a rotating basis from all regions with
emphasis on producing and processing countries
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Commission on the Status of Women
established--21 June 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with women's rights;
members--(32) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Commonwealth (C)
established--31 December 1931;
aim--voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire and
that seeks to foster multinational cooperation and assistance;
members--(48) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica,
The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,
Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, NZ,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
special members--(2) Nauru, Tuvalu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEAO)--see
West African Economic Community (CEAO)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale
(CEEAC)--see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL)--see
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Communist countries--traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with
authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet
model; see centrally planned economies
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
established--NA November 1972;
aim--discusses issues of mutual concern and reviews implementation
of the Helsinki Agreement;
members--(35) Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus,
Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, USSR, Vatican City, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire (CERN)--see
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Contadora Group (CG) was established 5 January 1983 (on the
Panamanian island of Contadora) to reduce tensions and conflicts in
Central America but evolved into the Rio Group (RG); members included
Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf--see
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM)
established--NA 1949;
aim--compiles strategic embargo list of goods not to be sold by the
West to Eastern bloc countries;
members--(15) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA), also known as
CMEA or Comecon, was established 25 January 1949 to promote the
development of socialist economies and was 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--(11) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Council of Europe (CE)
established--5 May 1949, effective 3 August 1949;
aim--to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe;
members--(24) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Council of the Entente (Entente)
established--29 May 1959;
aim--to promote economic, social, and political coordination;
members--(5) Benin, Burkina, Ivory Coast, Niger, Togo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)
established--15 December 1950;
aim--to promote international cooperation in customs matters;
members--(104) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burundi,
Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Congo, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_developed countries (DCs)--the top group in the comprehensive but
mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries (DCs),
USSR/Eastern Europe (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 GNP/GDP in excess of $10,000
although some OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under
$10,000 and three of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of $10,000
or more;
the 34 DCs are--Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda,
Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta,
Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Vatican City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_developing countries--an imprecise term for the less developed
countries with growing economies; see less developed countries (LDCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_East African Development Bank (EADB)
established--6 June 1967, effective 1 December 1967;
aim--to promote economic development;
members--(3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
established--28 March 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and
the Far East (ECAFE);
aim--to promote economic development as a regional commission for
the UN's ECOSOC;
members--(38) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei,
Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan,
South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, USSR,
Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa;
associate members--(9) Cook Islands, Guam, Hong Kong, Kiribati,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue,
Northern Mariana Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
established--9 August 1973 as Economic Commission for Western Asia
(ECWA);
aim--to promote economic development as a regional commission for
the UN's ECOSOC;
members--(12) Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_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 (see 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 six functional
commissions (see Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human
Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women,
Population Commission, and Statistical Commission);
members--(54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
established--29 April 1958;
aim--to promote economic development as a regional commission of
the UN's ECOSOC;
members--(51) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique,
Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
associate members--(3) France, Namibia, UK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE)--see
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
established--28 March 1947;
aim--to promote economic development as a regional commission of
the UN's ECOSOC;
members--(33) Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussian
Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic,
US, USSR, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)--see Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
established--25 February 1948 as Economic Commission for
Latin America (ECLA);
aim--to promote economic development as a regional commission of
the UN's ECOSOC;
members--(41) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,
Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Spain, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela;
associate members--(5) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat,
Netherlands Antilles, Virgin Islands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA)--see Economic and
Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)--acronym from
Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale;
established--18 October 1983;
aim--to promote regional economic cooperation and establish a
Central African Common Market;
members--(10) Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad,
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Zaire;
observer--(1) Angola
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)--acronym
from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs;
established--26 September 1976;
aim--to promote regional economic cooperation and integration;
members--(3) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
established--28 May 1975;
aim--to promote regional economic cooperation;
members--(16) Benin, Burkina, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger,
Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
established--15 April 1991;
aim--to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned
economies in Europe (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
USSR, and Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its
loans to privatization;
members--(34) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark,
European Community (EC), Egypt, European Investment Bank (EIB),
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Morocco,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
UK, US; note--includes all 12 members of the EC as individual countries
and the EC itself as an institution
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_European Community (EC)
established--8 April 1965, effective 1 July 1967;
aim--a fusing of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom),
the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), and the European Economic
Community (EEC or Common Market); the EC plans to establish a completely
integrated common market in 1992 and an eventual federation of Europe;
members--(12) 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--(7) Austria, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway,
Sweden, Switzerland
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_European Investment Bank (EIB)
established--25 March 1957, effective 1 January 1958;
aim--to promote economic development of the EC;
members--(12) Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)--acronym retained
from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche
Nucleaire;
established--1 July 1953, effective 29 September 1954;
aim--to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only;
members--(14) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK;
observers--(3) Poland (scheduled to become a member 1 July 1991),
Turkey, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_European Space Agency (ESA)
established--31 July 1973, effective 1 May 1975;
aim--to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and
technology;
members--(13) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland,
Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK;
associate member--(1) Finland
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_First World--another term for countries with advanced,
industrialized economies; see developed countries (DCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
established--16 October 1945;
aim--UN specialized agency to raise living standards and increase
availability of agricultural products;
members--(157) all UN members except Brunei, Byelorussian Soviet
Socialist Republic, Liechtenstein, Singapore, South Africa, Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR; other members are Cook Islands,
North Korea, South Korea, Switzerland, Tonga
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_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 includes Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore,
Taiwan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Four Tigers--another term for the Four Dragons; see Four Dragons
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Franc Zone (FZ)
established--NA;
aim--monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to
the French franc;
members--(15) Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic,
Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Ivory Coast,
Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note--France includes metropolitan France,
the four overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe,
Martinique, Reunion), the two territorial collectivities of France
(Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), and the three overseas territories
of France (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Front Line States (FLS)
established--NA;
aim--to achieve black majority rule in South Africa;
members--(7) Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
established--30 October 1947, effective 1 January 1948;
aim--to promote the expansion of international trade on a
nondiscriminatory basis;
members--(101) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 2 (G-2)
established--informal term that came into use about 1986;
aim--bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful
economic giants;
members--(2) Japan, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 3 (G-3)
established--NA October 1990;
aim--mechanism for policy coordination;
members--(3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 5 (G-5)
established--22 September 1985;
aim--the five major non-Communist economic powers;
members--(5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 6 (G-6)--not to be confused with the Big Six;
established--22 May 1984;
aim--seeks to achieve nuclear disarmament;
members--(6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 7 (G-7)--membership is the same as the Big Seven;
established--22 September 1985;
aim--the seven major non-Communist economic powers;
members--(7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus
Canada and Italy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 8 (G-8)
established--NA October 1975;
aim--the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the
Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several
sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977;
members--(8) Australia, Canada, EC (as one member), Japan, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 9 (G-9)
established--NA;
aim--informal group that meets occasionally on matters of mutual
interest;
members--(9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary,
Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 10 (G-10), also known as the Paris Club;
established--NA October 1962;
aim--wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money
to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in
spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984;
members--(11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 11 (G-11), also known as the Cartagena Group;
established--22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia;
aim--forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America;
members--(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 19 (G-19)
established--NA October 1975;
aim--the less developed countries (LDCs) that participated in the
Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC) held in several
sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977;
members--(19) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Egypt, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru,
Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 24 (G-24)
established--NA January 1972;
aim--to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa,
Asia, and Latin America within the IMF;
members--(24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Lebanon,
Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria,
Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 30 (G-30)
established--NA 1979;
aim--to discuss and propose solutions to the world's economic
problems;
members--(30) informal group of 30 leading international bankers,
economists, financial experts, and businessmen organized by Johannes
Witteveen (former managing director of the IMF)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 33 (G-33)
established--NA 1987;
aim--to promote solutions to international economic problems;
members--(33) leading economists from 13 countries
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Group of 77 (G-77)
established--NA October 1967;
aim--to promote economic cooperation among developing countries;
name persists in spite of increased membership;
members--(123 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape
Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo,
Costa Rica, Cuba, 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, Ivory Coast, Jamaica,
Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine
Liberation Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), also known as the Cooperation
Council for the Arab States of the Gulf;
established--25-26 May 1981;
aim--to promote regional cooperation in economic, social,
political, and military affairs;
members--(6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Habitat--see United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_high-income countries--another term for the industrialized
countries with high per capita GNPs/GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_industrial countries--another term for the developed countries; see
developed countries (DCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), also known as
Banco Interamericano de Desarollo (BID);
established--8 April 1959; effective 30 December 1959;
aim--to promote economic and social development in Latin America;
members--(44) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany,
Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal,
Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)
established--NA January 1986;
aim--to promote cooperation on drought-related matters;
members--(6) Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
established--26 October 1956, effective 29 July 1957;
aim--to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy;
members--(111) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia,
Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UAE, UK,
US, USSR, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zaire,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC)
established--22 October 1963;
aim--to promote economic cooperation and development;
members--(9) Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Mongolia,
Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), also
known as the World Bank;
established--22 July 1944, effective 27 December 1945;
aim--UN specialized agency that initially promoted economic
rebuilding after World War II and now provides economic development
loans;
members--(152) all UN members except Albania, Angola, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cuba, Czechoslovakia,
Liechtenstein, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR; other members
are Kiribati, South Korea, Tonga
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
established--NA 1919;
aim--to promote free trade, private enterprise, and represent
business interests at national and international levels;
members--(60 national councils) Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark,
Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan,
South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco,
Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Yugoslavia, Zaire
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
established--7 December 1944, effective 4 April 1947;
aim--UN specialized agency to promote international cooperation in
civil aviation;
members--(161) all UN members except Albania, Belize, Byelorussian
Soviet Socialist Republic, Dominica, Liechtenstein, Namibia, Saint Kitts
and Nevis, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Western Samoa; other
members are Cook Islands, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru,
San Marino, Switzerland, Tonga
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
established--NA 1863;
aim--to provide humanitarian aid in wartime;
members--(25 individuals) all Swiss nationals
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
established--NA December 1949;
aim--to promote the trade union movement;
members--(142 national organizations in the following 95 areas)
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, South Korea, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Montserrat, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US,
USSR, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Western Samoa
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the
World Court;
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--primary judicial organ of the UN;
members--(15 judges) elected by the General Assembly and Security
Council to represent all principal legal systems
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
established--13 June 1956;
aim--to promote international cooperation between criminal police
authorities;
members--(151) Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco,
Morocco, Mozambique, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Development Association (IDA)
established--26 January 1960, effective 24 September 1960;
aim--UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that provides
economic loans for low income countries;
members--(136);
Part I--(22 more economically advanced countries) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, South Africa,
Sweden, UAE, UK, US;
Part II--(114 less developed nations) Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina,
Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Energy Agency (IEA)
established--15 November 1974;
aim--established by the OECD to promote cooperation on energy
matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil
consumers and oil producers;
members--(21) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ,
Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Finance Corporation (IFC)
established--25 May 1955, effective 20 July 1956;
aim--UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that helps private
enterprise sector in economic development;
members--(133) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati,
South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa,
Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
established--NA November 1974;
aim--UN specialized agency that promotes agricultural development;
members--(144);
Category I--(21 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US;
Category II--(12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE,
Venezuela;
Category III--(111 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Ivory Coast,
Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam,
Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Investment Bank (IIB)
established--7 July 1970;
aim--to promote economic development;
members--(9) Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Mongolia,
Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Labor Organization (ILO)
established--11 April 1919 (affiliated with the UN
14 December 1946);
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world labor issues;
members--(148) all UN members except Albania, Bhutan, Brunei,
The Gambia, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Oman, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Vanuatu, Vietnam,
Western Samoa; other members are San Marino, Switzerland
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Maritime Organization (IMO)--name changed from
Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on
22 May 1982;
established--17 March 1958;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world maritime affairs;
members--(132) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia,
Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire;
associate member--(1) Hong Kong
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT)
established--3 September 1976, effective 26 July 1979;
aim--to provide worldwide communications for maritime and other
applications;
members--(55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Chile,
China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon,
Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia,
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UAE, UK, US, USSR
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Monetary Fund (IMF)
established--22 July 1944, effective 27 December 1945;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world monetary stability
and economic development;
members--(154) all UN members except Albania, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cuba, Liechtenstein, Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR; other members are Kiribati, South Korea,
Tonga
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Olympic Committee (IOC)
established--23 June 1894;
aim--to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic
games:
1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France (8-23 February);
1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain (25 July-9 August);
1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway (12-27 February);
1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States (20 July-4 August):
1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan (date NA);
members--(165) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa,
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia,
Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin
Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma, Cameroon, Canada,
Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar,
Romania, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Western Samoa, Yemen,
Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Organization for Migration (IOM)--established as
Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants
from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration
(ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for
Migration (ICM) on NA November 1980; current name adopted
14 November 1989;
established--5 December 1951;
aim--to facilitate orderly international emigration and
immigration;
members--(35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel,
Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Switzerland, Thailand, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela;
observers--(22) Belize, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Egypt, Finland,
France, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Mexico, NZ, San Marino, Somalia,
Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK,
Vatican City, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
established--NA February 1947;
aim--to promote the development of international standards;
members--(72 national standards organizations) Albania, Algeria,
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark,
Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica,
Japan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia,
Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, USSR,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia;
correspondent members--(14) Bahrain, Barbados, Brunei, Guinea,
Hong Kong, Iceland, Jordan, Kuwait, Malawi, Mauritius, Oman, Senegal,
UAE, Uruguay
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
established--NA 1928;
aim--to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and League
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS) in peacetime;
members--(9) 2 representatives from ICRC, 2 from LORCS, and 5 from
national societies elected by the international conference of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
established--9 December 1932, effective 1 January 1934, affiliated
with the UN 15 November 1947;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world telecommunications;
members--(164) all UN members except Dominica, Saint Kitts
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Seychelles; other members are Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Monaco, Nauru, San Marino, Switzerland,
Tonga, Vatican City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT)
established--20 August 1971, effective 12 February 1973;
aim--to develop and operate a global commercial telecommunications
satellite system;
members--(118) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia,
Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar,
Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
established--15 December 1973;
aim--to promote Islamic economic aid and social development;
members--(43 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina,
Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Latin American Economic System (LAES), also known as
Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA);
established--17 October 1975;
aim--to promote economic and social development through regional
cooperation;
members--(26) Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Latin American Integration Association (LAIA), also known as
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI);
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--(13) Andean Group, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic,
Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Organization of
American States, Panama, Portugal, Spain, UN Development Program,
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)
established--5 May 1919;
aim--to provide humanitarian aid in peacetime;
members--(147) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba,
Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy,
Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
associate members--(2) Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_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
GNPs/GDPs normally less than $500, and low literacy rates; also known
as the undeveloped countries;
the 41 LLDCs are--Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana,
Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali,
Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe,
Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu,
Western Samoa, Yemen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_less developed countries (LDCs)--the bottom group in the
comprehensive but mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries
(DCs), USSR/Eastern Europe (USSR/EE), and less developed countries
(LDCs); mainly countries with low levels of output, living standards,
and technology; per capita GNPs/GDPs are generally below $5,000 and
often less than $1,000; 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 173 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, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo,
Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, 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, Ivory Coast, 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, Mexico,
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, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (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,
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, Western Samoa, Yemen,
Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_low-income countries--another term for the less developed
countries with below-average per capita GNPs/GDPs; see less developed
countries (LDCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_middle-income countries--another term for the less developed
countries with above-average per capita GNPs/GDPs; see less developed
countries (LDCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_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) plus Brazil and Mexico
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
established--1-6 September 1961;
aim--political and military cooperation apart from the traditional
East or West blocs;
members--(102 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast,
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, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda,
Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UAE,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Palestine Liberation Organization;
observers--(9) Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica,
El Salvador, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Uruguay;
guests--(11) Australia, Austria, Dominican Republic, Finland,
Greece, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, 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, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden;
note--Denmark includes Faroe Islands and Greenland
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Nordic Investment Bank (NIB)
established--4 December 1975, effective 1 June 1976;
aim--to promote economic cooperation and development;
members--(5) Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_North--a popular term for the rich industrialized countries
generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the
counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
established--17 September 1949;
aim--mutual defense and cooperation in other areas;
members--(16) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey,
UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
established--NA 1958;
aim--associated with OECD, seeks to promote the peaceful uses of
nuclear energy;
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_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)
established--14 December 1960, effective 30 September 1961;
aim--to promote economic cooperation and development;
members--(24) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US;
special member--(1) Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Organization of African Unity (OAU)
established--25 May 1963;
aim--to promote unity and cooperation among African states;
members--(51) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, 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, Sudan, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Organization of American States (OAS)
established--30 April 1948, effective 13 December 1951;
aim--to promote 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--(22) Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, EC, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia,
Spain, Switzerland, Vatican City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
established--9 January 1968;
aim--to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry;
members--(10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
established--18 June 1981, effective 4 July 1981;
aim--to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation;
members--(7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
associate member--(1) British Virgin Islands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
established--14 September 1960;
aim--to coordinate petroleum policies;
members--(13) Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
established--22-25 September 1969;
aim--to promote Islamic solidarity and cooperation in economic,
social, cultural, and political affairs;
members--(44 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina,
Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation
Organization; note--Afghanistan was suspended in January 1980, but in
March 1989 the self-proclaimed Afghan Interim Government based in
Pakistan was given membership;
observer--(1) Turkish-Cypriot administered area of Cyprus
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Paris Club--see Group of 10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
established--NA 1899;
aim--to facilitate the settlement of international disputes;
members--(75) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Lebanon,
Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist
Republic, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Population Commission
established--3 October 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with population matters;
members--(27) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Rio Group (RG)
established--NA 1988;
aim--a consultation mechanism on regional Latin American issues;
members--(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela; note--Panama was expelled
in 1988
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Second World--another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist
states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the
Soviet model; see centrally planned economies
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_socialist countries--in general, countries in which the government
owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note--the
term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_South--a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries
generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of
the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
established--8 December 1985;
aim--to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation;
members--(7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_South Pacific Commission (SPC)
established--6 February 1947, effective 29 July 1948;
aim--to promote regional cooperation in economic and social
matters;
members--(27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji,
France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue,
Northern Mariana Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau),
Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga,
Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, Western Samoa
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_South Pacific Forum (SPF)
established--5 August 1971;
aim--to promote regional cooperation in political matters;
members--(15) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue,
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa;
observer--(1) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
established--11 December 1969;
aim--to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters;
members--(9) Bophuthatswana, Botswana, Ciskei, Lesotho, Namibia,
South Africa, Swaziland, Transkei, Venda
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
established--1 April 1980;
aim--to promote regional economic development and reduce
dependence on South Africa;
members--(10) Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Statistical Commission
established--21 June 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with development and
standardization of national statistics;
members--(24) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Third World--another term for the less developed countries;
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 Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale
(UDEAC)--see Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations (UN)
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--to maintain international peace and security as well as
promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian
problems;
members--(159) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet
Socialist Republic, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North
Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire,
Zambia, Zimbabwe;
note--all UN members are represented in the General Assembly;
observers--(4) Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM)
established--20 December 1988;
aim--established by the UN Security Council to verify the
withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola;
members--(10) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Congo, Czechoslovakia,
India, Jordan, Norway, Spain, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS or Habitat)
established--12 October 1978;
aim--to assist in solving human settlement problems;
members--(88) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)--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--(41) 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--(166) all UN members plus North Korea, South Korea,
Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Tonga, Vatican City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
established--22 November 1965;
aim--to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and
social development;
members--(48) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)
established--31 May 1974;
aim--established by the UN Security Council to observe the 1973
Arab-Israeli ceasefire;
members--(4) Austria, Canada, Finland, 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--(159) all UN members except Brunei, Liechtenstein,
Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, UK, US, Vanuatu; other members
are Cook Islands, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Monaco, San Marino,
Switzerland, Tonga;
associate members--(3) Aruba, British Virgin Islands,
Netherlands Antilles
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_#_United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
established--15 December 1972;
aim--to promote international cooperation on all environmental
matters;
members--(58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)
established--4 March 1964;
aim--established by the UN Security Council to serve as a
peacekeeping force beween Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus;
members--(8) Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland,
Sweden, UK
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_#_United Nations General Assembly
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--primary deliberative organ in the UN;
members--(159) all UN members are represented in the General
Assembly
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
established--17 November 1966, effective 1 January 1967;
aim--UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development
especially among the members;
members--(150) all UN members except Antigua and Barbuda,
Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Chad, Djibouti, Iceland, Liberia,
Liechtenstein, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Western Samoa;
other members are North Korea, South Korea, Switzerland, Tonga
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_#_United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
established--19 March 1978;
aim--established by the UN Security Council to confirm the
withdrawal of Israeli forces, restore peace, and reestablish Lebanese
authority in southern Lebanon;
members--(9) Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,
Norway, Sweden
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG)
established--9 August 1988;
aim--established by the UN Security Council to observe the 1988
Iran-Iraq ceasefire;
members--(26) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada,
Denmark, Finland, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,
Kenya, Malaysia, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Senegal, Sweden,
Turkey, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Zambia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
(UNMOGIP)
established--13 August 1948;
aim--established by the UN Security Council to observe the 1949
India-Pakistan ceasefire;
members--(8) Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway,
Sweden, Uruguay
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_#_United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
established--3 December 1949, effective 1 January 1951;
aim--to try to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and
find permanent solutions to refugee problems;
members--(43) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar,
Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Somalia, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, UK, US, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)--acronym retained from
predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities;
established--NA July 1967;
aim--to promote assistance in dealing with population problems;
members--(48) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA)
established--8 December 1949;
aim--to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees;
members--(10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon,
Syria, Turkey, UK, US
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Secretariat
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--primary administrative organ of the UN;
members--Secretary General appointed for a five-year term by the
General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Security Council
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--to maintain international peace and security;
permanent members--(5) China, France, UK, US, USSR;
nonpermanent members--(10) elected for two year terms by the
UN General Assembly; Austria (1991-92), Belgium (1991-92),
Cuba (1990-91), Ecuador (1991-92), India (1991-92),
Ivory Coast (1990-91), Romania (1990-91), Yemen (1990-91),
Zaire (1990-91), Zimbabwe (1991-92)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
established--NA May 1948;
aim--initially established by the UN Security Council to supervise
the 1948 Arab-Israeli ceasefire and subsequently extended to work
in the Sinai, Lebanon, Jordan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan;
members--(16) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile,
Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Sweden, US, USSR
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_United Nations Trusteeship Council
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--to supervise the administration of the UN trust territories;
only one of the original 11 trusteeships remains--the Trust Territory of
the Pacific Islands (Palau);
members--(5) China, France, UK, US, USSR
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Universal Postal Union (UPU)
established--9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN
15 November 1947, effective 1 July 1948;
aim--UN specialized agency that promotes international postal
cooperation;
members--(168) all UN members except Antigua and Barbuda, Namibia,
South Africa; other members are Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands Antilles, San Marino, Switzerland, Tonga,
Tuvalu, UK Overseas Territories, Vatican City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_USSR/Eastern Europe (USSR/EE)--the middle group in the
comprehensive but mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries
(DCs), USSR/Eastern Europe (USSR/EE), and less developed countries
(LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition; this
group includes Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland,
Romania, USSR, Yugoslavia
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Warsaw Pact (WP)--was established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual
defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance;
member states--Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and
the USSR--are now in the process of ratifying this agreement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_West African Development Bank (WADB), also known as Banque
Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD);
established--14 November 1973;
aim--to promote economic development and integration;
members--(7) Benin, Burkina, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal,
Togo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_West African Economic Community (CEAO)--acronym from Communaute
Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest;
established--3 June 1972;
aim--to promote regional economic development;
members--(7) Benin, Burkina, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger,
Senegal;
observers--(2) Guinea, Togo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_Western European Union (WEU)
established--23 October 1954, effective 6 May 1955;
aim--mutual defense and progressive political unification;
members--(9) Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Bank--see International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Confederation of Labor (WCL)
established--19 June 1920 as the International Federation of
Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4 October 1968;
aim--to promote the trade union movement;
members--(93 national organizations) Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Cuba, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France,
French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadaloupe, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy,
Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico,
Montserrat, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Suriname, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, UK, US, Uruguay,
Vietnam, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Court--see International Court of Justice (ICJ)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
established--NA 1945;
aim--to promote the trade union movement;
members--(74 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina, Cambodia, China, Congo, Costa Rica,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Germany, Guadaloupe,
Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos,
Lebanon, Madagascar, Martinique, Mauritius, Mongolia, Namibia, New
Caledonia, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, USSR, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Food Council (WFC)
established--17 December 1974;
aim--ECOSOC organization that studies world food problems and
recommends solutions;
members--(36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Food Program (WFP)
established--24 November 1961;
aim--ECOSOC organization that provides food aid to assist in
development or disaster relief;
members--(30) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Health Organization (WHO)
established--22 July 1946, effective 7 April 1948;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with health matters;
members--(165) all UN members except Belize, Liechtenstein;
other members are Cook Islands, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Tonga
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
established--14 July 1967, effective 26 April 1970;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with the protection of
literary, artistic, and scientific works;
members--(124) Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt,
El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay,
Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
established--11 October 1947, effective 4 April 1951;
aim--specialized UN agency concerned with meteorological
cooperation;
members--(159) all UN members except Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea,
Grenada, Liechtenstein, Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Western Samoa; South Africa is included although
WMO membership is suspended; other members are British Caribbean
Territories, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, North Korea, South Korea,
Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Switzerland
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_#_World Tourism Organization (WTO)
established--2 January 1975;
aim--promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic
development, international understanding, and peace;
members--(104) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guinea, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,
Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea,
South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco,
Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, US, USSR, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
associate members--(4) Aruba, Macau, Netherlands Antilles,
Puerto Rico;
permanent observer--(1) Vatican City
=========================================================================