Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank,
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Latin
America Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States,
Panama, Panamerican Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Spain, Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
** 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)
** 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 - (7) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe
** 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
** new independent states (NIS) **
a term referring to all those 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
** Nonaligned Movement (NAM) **
established - 1-6 September 1961
aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the
traditional East or West blocs
members - (113 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, Ecuador, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (16) Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil,
China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,
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 - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland
(including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
** North **
a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located
in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of
the South; see developed countries (DCs)
** North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) **
established - 4 April 1949
aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members - (19) Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, 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 - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
** Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) **
note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975
aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing
equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries
of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability
members - (39) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia,
Luxembourg, 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, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia partners for cooperation - (9) Algeria, Egypt,
Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, 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 - (145) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, 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 Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
signatory states - (29) Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Kyrgyzstan,
Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Thailand; note -
states have signed but not ratified the convention
** Organization of African Unity (OAU) **
established - 25 May 1963
aim - to promote unity and cooperation among African states
members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria,
Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** Organization of American States (OAS) **
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 - (51) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Finland, France, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway,
Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
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 - (10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE
** Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) **
established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981
aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation
members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
associate members - (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 - (3) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Thailand
** 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 Island Forum **
note - used to the 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
observer - (1) 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 - (29) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
** Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) **
established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (96) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
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, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
** Rio Group (RG) **
note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986;
composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group
established - NA 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, 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
** socialist countries **
in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of
the major factors of production;
note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for communist
countries
** South **
a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally
located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North;
see less developed countries (LDCs)
** South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) **
established - 8 December 1985
aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka
** South Pacific Forum (SPF) **
note - see Pacific Island Forum
** South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement **
(Sparteca)
established - NA 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) **