Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974
aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency
oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers;
established by the OECD
members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (LORCS)
established - 5 May 1919
aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions;
to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the
development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed
conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability
of people through development programs
members - (182) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (5 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Comoros,
East Timor, Eritrea, Israel, Tuvalu, Palestine Liberation Organization
International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955;
effective - 24 July 1956
aim - to support private enterprise in international economic
development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate
members - (177) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madgascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sebia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established -
November 1974
aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency
members - (163)
Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
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 - (128 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South
Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed
from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970
established - June 1919; effective - June 1921
aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to
achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart
displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to
develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used
for descriptive oceanograrphy
members - (74) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and
Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela
membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar
International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set
up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14
December 1946 affiliated with the UN
aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency
members - (177) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Bhutan, Brunei, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Marshall Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and
Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies: Netherlands
(Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)
International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from
Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May
1982
established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization; effective - 17 Mar 1958
aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized
agency
members - (164) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan,
Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Central African Republic, Chad, East Timor, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niger,
Palau, Rwanda, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau
International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944;
effective - 27 December 1945
aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a
UN specialized agency
members - (184) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba,
North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note - includes the
following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong
and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)
International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894
aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games:
2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,
China; 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada
National Olympic Committees - (201 and the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,
Angola (suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto
Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation
Organization
International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - 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) in Novem
established - 5 December 1951
aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration
members - (109) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South
Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (25) Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi,
China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See, India, Indonesia,
Jamaica, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea,
Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain,
Turkmenistan, Vietnam
International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established -
February 1947
aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view
to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to
developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific,
technological and economic activity
members - (99 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bahrain,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and
Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
correspondent members - (36 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Albania, Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Brunei, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Guatemala, Guinea, Hong
Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar,
Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Operation
subscriber members - (11) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho,
Niger, Tajikistan
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established
- 1928
aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly
League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime
National Societies - (182 countries); note - same as membership for
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865
set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted
present name; effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15
November 1947
aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized
agency
members - (189) includes all UN member countries except East Timor,
Palau, St. Kitts and Nevis (188 total); plus Holy See
Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by
declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974
aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development
members - (54 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d?Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema
Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)
established - 17 October 1975
aim - to promote economic and social development through regional
cooperation
members - (27) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,
Uruguay, Venezuela
Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981
aim - to promote freer regional trade
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba,
Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (25) China, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica,
Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-
American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on
Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America Economic System,
Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Pan-American Health
Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United
Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for
Latin America and the Caribbean
League of Arab States (LAS): note - also known as Arab League (AL)
established - 22 March 1945
aim - aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military
cooperation
members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was
formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966
aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market
members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA): established - 12
April 1988
aim - encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member
countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and
negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical
assistance; a UN specialized agency
members - (164) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti,
Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kirabati, North Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu
Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of
the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow
has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan
Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961
aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the
traditional East or West blocs
members - (114 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (13) Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Dominica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay
guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12
February 1953
aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental
cooperation
members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland
(including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway,
and Sweden
Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective
- 1 June 1976
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia,
Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway,
Sweden
North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally
located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the
counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): established - 17 December
1992
aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase
investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property
rights, and create procedures to settle disputes
members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949
aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US
Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy
Agency
established - 1 February 1958
aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with
OECD
members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London
Suppliers Group or the London Group
established - 1974; effective - 1975
aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials,
processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information
to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and
instability
members - (44) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,
UK, US
observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD):
established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special member - (1) EU
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note -
formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
established 3 July 1975
established - 1 January 1995
aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental
freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of
early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve
as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building
measures
members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Russia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan
partners for cooperation - (10) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan,
South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW):
established - 29 April 1997
aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their
Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among
the signatories of the Convention
members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (167)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, East Timor,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the
Convention) - (16) The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Central
African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic
of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Liberia
Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union
Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as
the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted
present charter; effective - 13 December 1951
aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and
social development
members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba
(excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (59) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU,
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary,
India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC):
established - 9 January 1968
aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, 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 - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14
September 1960
aim - to coordinate petroleum policies
members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25
September 1969
aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and
political affairs
members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (10) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO,
LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Thailand, Turkish Muslim
Community of Kibris, UN
Pacific Community: note - formerly known as the 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,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): note - formerly known as South Pacific
Forum (SPF)
established - 5 August 1971
aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters
members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
observers - (3) East Timor, French Polynesia, New Caledonia
Paris Club: established - 1956
aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling
of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official
agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and
project finance to debtor countries
members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994
aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation
throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and
build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation
and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program
under the auspices of NATO
members - (22) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia,
Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a
member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (103) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia,
Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda,
Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho,
established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the
Lima Group
established - 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist
states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments
and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading
from use; see centrally planned economies
Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 1901
aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard
regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative
security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic,
scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields
members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan
observer - (1) Mongolia
South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries
generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of
the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)
South American Community of Nations (CSN): established - 9 December
2004
aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral
organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate
the merger of CAN and Mercosur
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela
South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP): established -
January 1983
aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of
environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and
social development; to support conservation and management of natural
resources of the region
members - (8) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established
- 8 December 1985
aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka
South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
(Sparteca): established - 1981
aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New
Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region
members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969
aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters
members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland
Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the
Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
established - 17 August 1992
aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South
Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note
- also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
established - 26 March 1991
aim - to increase regional economic cooperation
members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
associate members - (6) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,
Venezuela
Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term
is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)
United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945
aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote
cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian
problems
constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs
and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:
1) Secretariat
2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN
AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Center for Human
Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program
(UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for
Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training
and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice
Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), and United
Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)
3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),
United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement
Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission
in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Mission of
Support in East Timor (UNMISET), United Nations Military Observer Group
in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in
Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission
(UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United
Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social
Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,
Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission
on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for
Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the
Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for
Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association
(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization
(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International
Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical
Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union
(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World
Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTO)
5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)
6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from
the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency
Fund
established - 11 December 1946
aim - to help establish child health and welfare services
members - (37) 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 - (192) all UN members plus Holy See
United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November
1965
aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social
development
members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all
regions
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31
May 1974
aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the
UN Security Council
members - (6) Austria, Canada, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Slovakia
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 - (190) includes all UN member countries except Brunei,
Liechtenstein, and Singapore (188 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue
associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,
Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau
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 General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective
- 24 October 1945
aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN
members - (191) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3
December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951
aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find
permanent solutions to refugee problems
members (executive committee) - (66) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark,
Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea,
Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya,
South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia
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 - (171) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland,
Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon
Islands, Tuvalu, US
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR):
established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing
the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965
aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and
research
members (Board of Trustees) - (21) Austria, Brazil, China, Czech
Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco,
Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to
30 members
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK):
established - 10 June 1999
aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-
government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative
functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and
humanitarian and disaster relief
members - (50) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19
March 1978
aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in
reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by
the UN Security Council
members - (7) France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP):
established - 24 January 1949
aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the
UN Security Council
members - (9) Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South
Korea, Sweden, Uruguay
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO):
established - 29 April 1991
aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western
Sahara; established by the UN Security Council
members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Croatia, Egypt, El
Slavador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE): established -
31 July 2000
aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities
members - (41) Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Iran,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway,
Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL): established - 19 September
2003
aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN
facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in
national security reform
members - (48) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland,
Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Moldova, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
South Africa, Sweden, Togo, Ukraine, UK, US, Zambia
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established - 22
October 1999
aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other
parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement;
to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to
monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of
the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for
international humanitarian law
members - (31) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea,
Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand,
Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia
United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET): established
- 17 May 2002
aim - to provide assistance to structures critical to political
stability; to provide law enforcement and public security and to assist
in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to
external security
members - (16) Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji,
Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines,
Portugal, Russia, Sweden
United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission
(UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission
for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)
established - December 1999
aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction and the capacity to produce them
commissioners - (15) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany,
India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US; note -
the organization's mandate has been extended up to early 2006
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24
August 1993
aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor
weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for
Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council
members - (23) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South
Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,
UK, US, Uruguay
United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB): established - 21 May 2004
aim - to support and help implement the efforts undertaken by
Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national
reconciliation
members - (44) Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad,
China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea,
India, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique,
Nambia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia
United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI): established - 27
February 2004
aim - to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the
peace agreement signed by them in January 2003
members - (41) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad,
China, Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland,
Jordan, Kenya, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia
United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999
aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire
agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and
disengagement of forces
members - (47) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan,
Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,
Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia
United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established -
4 March 1964
aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and
Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council
(10) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland,
Slovakia, UK, Uruguay
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from
predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities
established - July 1967
aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with
their population problems
members (executive board ) - (36) 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 (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan,
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD):
established - 1963
aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development
during different phases of economic growth
members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a
chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 10 individual
members
United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945
aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a
Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General
Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council
members - the UN Secretary General and staff
United Nations Security Council (UNSC): established - 26 June 1945;
effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to maintain international peace and security
permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US
nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN
General Assembly; Algeria (2004-05), Argentina (2005-06), Benin (2004-
05), Brazil (2004-05), Denmark (2005-06), Greece (2005-06), Japan
(2005-06), Philippines (2004-05), Romania (2004-05), Tanzania (2005-06)
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH): established
- 30 April 2004
aim - to stabilize Haiti in many areas for at least six months
members - (20) Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile,
Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Nepal, Morocco, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, US, Uruguay
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established -
June 1948
aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports
timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in
the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council
members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,
China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,
Switzerland, US
United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945,
effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11
UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it
formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Trusteeship Council was not dissolved
United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973
aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival
and to train scholars
members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by
the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of
UNESCO)
Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated
with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948
aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized
agency
members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (187
total); plus Holy See; note - includes the following dependencies or
areas of special interest: Australia (Norfolk Island), China (Hong
Kong, Macau), Denmark (Faroe Islands, Greenland), France (French
Guiana, French Polynesia, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion,
St. Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna), Netherlands (Aruba,
Netherlands Antilles), NZ (Cook Island, Niue, Tokelau), UK (Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman
Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint
Helena, Turks and Caicos), US (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico,
Virgin Islands)
Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense;
members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the
time of dissolution were: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland,
Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania
West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque
Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of
WAEMU
established - 14 November 1973
aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin,
Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank,
Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany
West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as
Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
established - 1 August 1994
aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to
create a common market
members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali,
Niger, Senegal, Togo
Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective
- 6 May 1955
aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political
unification
members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK;
affiliate members - (8) Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland. Slovakia, Slovenia
associate members - (3) Iceland, Norway, Turkey;
affiliate associate members - (2) Bulgaria, Romania
observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden;
affiliate observers - (2) Cyprus, Malta
World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA),
International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment
Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the
International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4
October 1
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (102 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French
Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Malta,
Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the Customs
Cooperation Council (CCC)
established - 15 December 1950
aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters
members - (164) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d?Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana,
Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961
aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or
disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization
members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective
- 7 April 1948
aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency
members - (192) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein
(190 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July
1967; effective - 26 April 1970
aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific
works; a UN specialized agency
members - (181) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan,
Comoros, East Timor, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (180 total);
plus Holy See
World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October
1947; effective - 4 April 1951
aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency
members - (187) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, East
Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands,
Nauru, Palau, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, San
Marino, Tuvalu (179 total); plus British Caribbean Territories, Cook
Islands, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, New
Caledonia, and Niue
World Tourism Organization (WToO): established - 2 January 1975
aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic
development, international understanding, and peace
members - (144) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,
Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira
Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico
observers - (2) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization
World Trade Organization (WTO): note - succeeded General Agreement on
Tariff and Trade (GATT)
established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995
aim - to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and
to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or
eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers
members - (148) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, 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, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (31) Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Libya, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen; note - must start accession negotiations
within five years of becoming observers
Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s
aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the
Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)
members - (35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey Ukraine, UK,
US
advanced developing countries: another term for those less developed
countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see
newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
advanced economies: a term used by the International Monetary FUND
(IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the
following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note -
this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller
countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein,
Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive
group of "developed countries"
centrally planned economies: a term applied mainly to the
traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for
leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market-
oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as as the
Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania,
Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North
Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, USSR,
Vietnam
countries in transition: a term used by the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics
include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group
traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except
for the addition of Mongolia
developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed
countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less
developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of
the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and
the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income
countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita
GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa
have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries
have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ,
Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund
(IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea,
Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey
developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics
include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,
Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would
presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are
traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less
developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands,
Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza
Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey,
Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte,
Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint
Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western
Sahara
former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a
group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of
15 countries consists of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the
hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe
(former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries
are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped
differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group
"countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia
high income countries: another term for the industrialized countries
with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)
industrial countries: another term for the developed countries; see
developed countries (DCs)
least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed
countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in
1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally
less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped
countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan,
Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos,
Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger,
Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen
less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of
developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE),
and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent
areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per
capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500;
however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per
capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of
growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing
countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries
(LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly
industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World,
underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are:
Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin
Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape
Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe,
Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey,
Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia,
Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands
Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk
Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico,
Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE,
Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis
and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note -
similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing
countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits
in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British
Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana,
French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada,
Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man,
Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk
Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico,
Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks
and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West
Bank, Western Sahara
low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries
with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
middle-income countries: another term for those less developed
countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed
countries (LDCs)
new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all the countries of
the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly
industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less
developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid
industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly
industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing
countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea,
Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil
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
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)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements
Air Pollution
see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at least 30%
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
Antarctic - Environmental Protocol
see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
Antarctic Treaty
opened for signature - 1 December 1959
entered into force - 23 June 1961
objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes
only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to
defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and
not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for
management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60
degrees South latitude
parties - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal
note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes
opened for signature - 22 March 1989
entered into force - 5 May 1992
objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the
Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and
efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and
toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound
management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to
assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and
other wastes they generate
parties - (149) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan,
Haiti, US
Biodiversity
see Convention on Biological Diversity
Climate Change
see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals
opened for signature - 1 June 1972
entered into force - 11 March 1978
objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study,
and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory
balance within the ecological system of Antarctica
parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa,
UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ
Convention on Biological Diversity
note - abbreviated as Biodiversity
opened for signature - 5 June 1992
entered into force - 29 December 1993
objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity
parties - (182) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Afghanistan,
Kuwait, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, Tuvalu, US
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas
note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation
opened for signature - 29 April 1958
entered into force - 20 March 1966
objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems
involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas,
considering that because of the development of modern technology some
of these resources are in danger of being overexploited
parties - (37) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina
Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland,
France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US,
Venezuela
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan,
Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution
opened for signature - 13 November 1979
entered into force - 16 March 1983
objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and
to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range
transboundary air pollution
parties - (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova,
Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia
and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San
Marino
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)
note - abbreviated as Wetlands
opened for signature - 2 February 1971
entered into force - 21 December 1975
objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of
wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological
functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and
recreational value
parties - (125) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
opened for signature - 5 May 1980
entered into force - 7 April 1982
objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of
the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve
Antarctic marine living resources
parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)
note - abbreviated as Endangered Species
opened for signature - 3 March 1973
entered into force - 1 July 1975
objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation
by means of a system of import/export permits
parties - (156) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Ireland, Kuwait,
Lesotho
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter (London Convention)
note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping
opened for signature - 29 December 1972
entered into force - 30 August 1975
objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage
regional agreements supplementary to the Convention
parties - (78) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia,
Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde,
Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt,
Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras,
Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya,
Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques
note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification
opened for signature - 10 December 1976
entered into force - 5 October 1978
objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of
environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace
and trust among nations
parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ,
Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam,
Yemen
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Bolivia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran,
Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal,
Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda
Desertification
see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those
Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification,
Particularly in Africa
Endangered Species
see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Environmental Modification
see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use
of Environmental Modification Techniques
Hazardous Wastes
see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
note - abbreviated as Whaling
opened for signature - 2 December 1946
entered into force - 10 November 1948
objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to
establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries
to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to
safeguard for future generations the great natural resources
represented by whale stocks
parties - (42) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France,
Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South
Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Panama,
Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83
opened for signature - 18 November 1983
entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force
objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between
tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the
development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and
conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources
parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia,
Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94
opened for signature - 26 January 1994
entered into force - 1 January 1997
objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber
originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to
assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary
to reach this objective
parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal,
Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Ireland
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change
note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
opened for signature - 16 March 1998
entered into force - 23 February 2005
objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the
national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by
establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries
parties - (144) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook
Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Australia,
Croatia, Kazakhstan, Monaco, US, Zambia
Law of the Sea
see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
Marine Dumping
see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes
and Other Matter (London Convention)
Marine Life Conservation
see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the
High Seas
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
< I>note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection
opened for signature - 16 September 1987
entered into force - 1 January 1989
objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of
substances that deplete it
parties - (183) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Nuclear Test Ban
see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer
Space, and Under Water
Ozone Layer Protection
see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution
opened for signature - 17 February 1978
entered into force - 2 October 1983
objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete
elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the
minimization of accidental discharge of such substances
parties - (119) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
opened for signature - 4 October 1991
entered into force - 14 January 1998
objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic
environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the
area covered by the Antarctic Treaty
consultative parties - (27) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland,
Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Uruguay
non consultative parties - (16) Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New
Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
opened for signature - 31 October 1988
entered into force - 14 February 1991
objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides
and their transboundary fluxes
parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
opened for signature - 18 November 1991
entered into force - 29 September 1997
objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of
volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary
fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse
effects
parties - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU,
Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
opened for signature - 14 June 1994
entered into force - 5 August 1998
objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or
transboundary fluxes
parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria,
Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
opened for signature - 24 June 1998
entered into force - 23 October 2003
objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of
persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary
fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse
effects
parties - (22) Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania,
Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (14) Armenia,
Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal,
Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at Least 30%
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
opened for signature - 8 July 1985
entered into force - 2 September 1987
objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or
transboundary fluxes by 1993
parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia,
Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
Ship Pollution
see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space,
and Under Water
note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban