Zimbabwe (part 1)

@Zimbabwe:Introduction

Background: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence.

@Zimbabwe:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
March)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 23% other: 57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked

@Zimbabwe:People

Population: 11,342,521 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.64% (male 2,274,128; female 2,222,277) 15-64 years: 56.82% (male 3,251,860; female 3,192,888) 65 years and over: 3.54% (male 204,028; female 197,340) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.26% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 25 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 22.43 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 62.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 37.78 years male: 39.18 years female: 36.34 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.34 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%

Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.)

@Zimbabwe:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Data code: ZI

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Harare

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial
status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central,
Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North,
Matabeleland South, Midlands

Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution: 21 December 1979

Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: president nominated by the House of Assembly for a six-year term (if more than one nomination, an electoral college consisting of members of the House of Assembly elects the president); election last held 16-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors) elections: last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held 24-25 June 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 117, ZANU-NDONGA 2, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [Emmanuel
MAGOCHE]; Forum Party of Zimbabwe ; Movement for
Democratic Change or MOC ; Popular Democratic
Front or PDF ; United Parties ;
Zimbabwe African National Union-NDONGA or ZANU-NDONGA [Ndabaningi
SITHOLE]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF
; Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Constitutional
Assembly or NCA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU,
OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 332-7100 FAX: (202) 483-9326

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas McDONALD embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: (4) 794521 FAX: (4) 796488

Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle

@Zimbabwe:Economy

Economy - overview: The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier progress in developing a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF suffers delays in part because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999. The economy is being steadily weakened by AIDS; Zimbabwe has the highest rate of infection in the world. Per capita GDP, which is twice the average of the poorer sub-Saharan nations, will increase little if any in the near-term, and Zimbabwe will suffer continued frustrations in developing its agricultural and mineral resources.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 32% services: 40% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 46.9% (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 59% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 5 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 50% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $279 million (FY96/97 est.)

Industries: mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 6.97 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.19% hydro: 21.81% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Electricity - consumption: 8.403 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports: 1.921 billion kWh (1998)

Agriculture - products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: tobacco 23%, gold 14%, ferroalloys 7%, cotton 6% (1997 est.)

Exports - partners: South Africa 12%, UK 11%, Germany 8%, Japan 6%, US 6% (1997 est.)

Imports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 39%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 15%, fuels 10% (1997 est.)

Imports - partners: South Africa 37%, UK 7%, US 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5% (1997 est.)

Debt - external: $5 billion (1998)

Economic aid - recipient: $437.6 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 - 38.1679 (January 2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997), 9.9206 (1996), 8.6580 (1995)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Zimbabwe:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 212,000 (in addition there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 70,000 (1999)

Telephone system: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.14 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 16 (1997)

Televisions: 370,000 (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (1999)

@Zimbabwe:Transportation

Railways: total: 2,759 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)

Highways: total: 18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique

Pipelines: petroleum products 212 km

Ports and harbors: Binga, Kariba

Airports: 459 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 441 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 217 under 914 m: 220 (1999 est.)

@Zimbabwe:Military

Military branches: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe,
Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary
Police)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,924,630 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,814,168 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $127 million (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY99/00)

@Zimbabwe:Transnational Issues

Illicit drugs: significant transit point for African cannabis and
South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the
South African and European markets

@Notes and Definitions

In addition to the updating of information, the following changes have been made in this edition of The World Factbook. There is a new 'country profile' on the Southern Ocean. The name Wake Atoll has been officially changed back to Wake Island. There are new entries on Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Telephones - main lines in use, and Telephones - mobile cellular. The Background entry, which was introduced in the 1999 edition, has now been completed for over 200 countries. The terms and abbreviations used in the Environment-current issues entry are now explained in the Notes and Definitions section of the prefatory material.

Abbreviations: This information is included in Appendix A: Abbreviations, which includes all abbreviations and acronyms used in the Factbook, with their expansions.

Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.

Age structure: This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.

Agriculture - products: This entry is a rank ordering of major crops and products starting with the most important.

Airports: This entry gives the total number of airports. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces), but must be usable. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Airports - with paved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces). For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Airports - with unpaved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces). For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Appendixes: This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

Area: This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of all water surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers).

Area - comparative: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).

Background: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.

Birth rate: This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.

Budget: This entry includes revenues, total expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Capital: This entry gives the location of the seat of government.

Climate: This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.

Coastline: This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.

Communications: This category deals with the means of exchanging information and includes the telephone, radio, television, and Internet service provider entries.

Communications - note: This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere.

Constitution: This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.

Country map: Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps were produced from the best information available at the time of preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently.

Country name: This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.

Currency: This entry identifies the national medium of exchange and its basic subunit.

Data code: This entry gives the official US Government digraph that precisely identifies every land entity without overlap, duplication, or omission. AF, for example, is the data code for Afghanistan. This two-letter country code is a standardized geopolitical data element promulgated in the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS) 10-4 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the US Department of Commerce and maintained by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues at the US Department of State. The data code is used to eliminate confusion and incompatibility in the collection, processing, and dissemination of area-specific data and is particularly useful for interchanging data between databases. Appendix F cross-references various country data codes and Appendix G cross-references various hydrographic data codes.

Data codes - country: This information is presented in Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes which includes the US Government approved Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) codes, and Internet codes for land entities.

Data codes - hydrographic: This information is presented in Appendix G: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes which includes the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) codes, Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC; now a part of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency or NIMA) codes, and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) codes for hydrographic entities. The US Government has not yet approved a standard for hydrographic data codes similar to the FIPS 10-4 standard for country data codes.

Date of information: In general, information available as of 1 January 2000, was used in the preparation of this edition.

Death rate: This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.

Debt - external: This entry gives the total amount of public foreign financial obligations.

Dependency status: This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.

Dependent areas: This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.

Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic relations with 184 independent states, including 181 of the 188 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, former Yugoslavia, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 3 independent states that are not in the UN - Holy See, Switzerland, and Tuvalu.

Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.

Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the chief of the foreign mission, chancery address, telephone number, FAX number, consulate general locations, consulate locations, honorary consulate general locations, and honorary consulate locations.

Disputes - international: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.

Economic aid - donor: This entry refers to net official development assistance (ODA) from OECD nations to developing countries and multilateral organizations. ODA is defined as financial assistance that is concessional in character, has the main objective to promote economic development and welfare of the less developed countries (LDCs), and contains a grant element of at least 25%. The entry does not cover other official flows (OOF) or private flows.

Economic aid - recipient: This entry, which is subject to major problems of definition and statistical coverage, refers to the net inflow of Official Development Finance (ODF) to recipient countries. The figure includes assistance from the World Bank, the IMF, and other international organizations and from individual nation donors. Formal commitments of aid are included in the data. Omitted from the data are grants by private organizations. Aid comes in various forms including outright grants and loans. The entry thus is the difference between new inflows and repayments.

Economy: This category includes the entries dealing with the size, development, and management of productive resources, i.e., land, labor, and capital.

Economy - overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

Electricity - consumption: This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.

Electricity - exports: This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt hours.

Electricity - imports: This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt hours.

Electricity - production: This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.

Electricity - production by source: This entry indicates the percentage share of annual electricity production of each energy source. These are fossil fuel, hydro, nuclear, and other (solar, geothermal, and wind).

Elevation extremes: This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.

Entities: Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 267 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:

Independent States

191 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, 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,
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, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 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, 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, 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

OTHER 1 Taiwan

Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty

6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

2 China - Hong Kong, Macau

2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland

16 France - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique,
Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin
Island, Wallis and Futuna

2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

15 UK - Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis
Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands,
Wake Island

MISCELLANEOUS 6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara

OTHER ENTITIES 5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean

1 World

267 total

Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain).

acid rain characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater that 7 are considered alkaline, and anything measured below 5.6 is considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England.

asbestos a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic.

biodiversity - also biological diversity; many species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.

catchments assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.

DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972.

defoliants chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.

deforestation the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth.

desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change.

dredging - in general, the practice of deepening an existing waterway; more specifically, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.

driftnet fishing done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean".

ecosystems ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments.

effluents waste materials, such as smoke or sewage, which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it.

endangered species a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction.

freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers.

groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs.

Highlands Water Project a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources.

Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) represents the 125,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a panel convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are longrange transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.

metallurgical plants industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed.

noxious substances injurious, very harmful to living beings.

overgrazing the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land.

ozone shield a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms.

poaching the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species.

pollution the contamination of a healthy environment by manmade waste.

potable water water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.

salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process.

siltation occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion.

slashandburn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment .

soil degradation damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of top soil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products.

soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification.

ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans.

water-born diseases those in which the bacteria survive in, and is transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.

Environment - international agreements: This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.

Environmental agreements: This information is presented in Appendix D: Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties by category.

Ethnic groups: This entry provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.

Exchange rates: This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat.

Executive branch: This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election. In the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.

Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis.

Exports - commodities: This entry provides a rank ordering of exported products starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Exports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Fiscal year: This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).

Flag description: This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.

Flag graphic: Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at the beginning of the country profile. The flag graphics were produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time of preparation. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.

GDP: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the note on GDP methodology for more information.

GDP methodology: In the Economy section, GDP dollar estimates for all countries are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations rather than from conversions at official currency exchange rates. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method provide the best available starting point for comparisons of economic strength and well-being between countries. The division of a GDP estimate in domestic currency by the corresponding PPP estimate in dollars gives the PPP conversion rate. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough approximations. Most of the GDP estimates are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that often have little relation to domestic output. In developing countries with weak currencies the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Furthermore, exchange rates may suddenly go up or down by 10% or more because of market forces or official fiat whereas real output has remained unchanged. On 12 January 1994, for example, the 14 countries of the African Financial Community (whose currencies are tied to the French franc) devalued their currencies by 50%. This move, of course, did not cut the real output of these countries by half. One important caution: the proportion of, say, defense expenditures as a percentage of GDP in local currency accounts may differ substantially from the proportion when GDP accounts are expressed in PPP terms, as, for example, when an observer tries to estimate the dollar level of Russian or Japanese military expenditures. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data can not be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices.

GDP - composition by sector: This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP.

GDP - per capita: This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.

GDP - real growth rate: This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.

Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the Gazetteer of Conventional Names, Third Edition, August 1988, US Board on Geographic Names and on other sources.

Geographic names: This information is presented in Appendix H: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names which indicates where various geographic names - including alternate names, former names, political or geographical portions of larger entities, and the location of all US Foreign Service posts - can be found in The World Factbook. Spellings are normally, but not always, those approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names are included in parentheses, while additional information is included in brackets.

Geography: This category includes the entries dealing with the natural environment and the effects of human activity.

Geography - note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.

GNP: Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic production. The Factbook, following current practice, uses GDP rather than GNP to measure national production. However, the user must realize that in certain countries net remittances from citizens working abroad may be important to national well-being.

Government: This category includes the entries dealing with the system for the adoption and administration of public policy.

Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).

Government - note: This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere.

Gross domestic product: see GDP

Gross national product: see GNP

Gross world product: see GWP

GWP: This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value of all final goods and services produced worldwide in a given year.

Heliports: This entry gives the total number of established helicopter takeoff and landing sites (which may or may not have fuel or other services).

Highways: This entry includes the total length of the highway system as well as the length of the paved and unpaved components.

Household income or consumption by percentage share: Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.

Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).

Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.

Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush.

Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).

Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.

Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.

Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).

Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant
(Cannabis sativa).

Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.

Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.

Marijuana is the dried leaves of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in
Southwest Asia.

Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil).

Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the natural and semisynthetic narcotics.

Poppy straw concentrate is the alkaloid derived from the mature, dried opium poppy.

Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea.

Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.

Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and
activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines
(Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor,
Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others
(Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).

Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis.

Imports - commodities: This entry provides a rank ordering of imported products starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Imports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.

Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).

Industries: This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.

Infant mortality rate: This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used an indicator of the level of health in a country.

Inflation rate (consumer prices): This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): This entry supplies the number of Internet Service Providers within a country. An ISP is defined as a company that provides access to the Internet.

International disputes: see Disputes - international

International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.

International organizations: This information is presented in Appendix C: International Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, address, telephone, FAX, date established, aim, and members by category.

Introduction: This category includes one entry, Background.

Irrigated land: This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.

Judicial branch: This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.

Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.

Labor force - by occupation: This entry contains a rank ordering of component parts of the labor force by occupation.

Land boundaries: This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries.

Land use: This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for five different types of land use: arable land - land cultivated for crops that are replanted after each harvest like wheat, maize, and rice; permanent crops - land cultivated for crops that are not replanted after each harvest like citrus, coffee, and rubber; permanent pastures - land permanently used for herbaceous forage crops; forests and woodland - land under dense or open stands of trees; other - any land type not specifically mentioned above, such as urban areas, roads, desert, etc.

Languages: This entry provides a rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.

Legal system: This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.

Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.

Life expectancy at birth: This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.

Literacy: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

Location: This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.

Map references: This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.

Maritime claims: This entry includes the following claims: contiguous zone, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, exclusive fishing zone, extended fishing zone, none (usually for a landlocked country), other (unique maritime claims like Libya's Gulf of Sidra Closing Line or North Korea's Military Boundary Line), and territorial sea. The proximity of neighboring states may prevent some national claims from being extended the full distance.

Merchant marine: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc.; or a grouping of merchant ships by nationality or register. This entry contains information in two subfields - total and ships by type. Total includes the total number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, intermodal ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunction large-load carriers, oil tankers, passenger ships, passenger-cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, tanker tug-barges, and vehicle carriers.

A captive register is a register of ships maintained by a territory, possession, or colony primarily or exclusively for the use of ships owned in the parent country; it is also referred to as an offshore register, the offshore equivalent of an internal register. Ships on a captive register will fly the same flag as the parent country, or a local variant of it, but will be subject to the maritime laws and taxation rules of the offshore territory. Although the nature of a captive register makes it especially desirable for ships owned in the parent country, just as in the internal register, the ships may also be owned abroad. The captive register then acts as a flag of convenience register, except that it is not the register of an independent state.

A flag of convenience register is a national register offering registration to a merchant ship not owned in the flag state. The major flags of convenience (FOC) attract ships to their registers by virtue of low fees, low or nonexistent taxation of profits, and liberal manning requirements. True FOC registers are characterized by having relatively few of the registered ships actually owned in the flag state. Thus, while virtually any flag can be used for ships under a given set of circumstances, an FOC register is one where the majority of the merchant fleet is owned abroad. It is also referred to as an open register.

A flag state is the nation in which a ship is registered and which holds legal jurisdiction over operation of the ship, whether at home or abroad. Maritime legislation of the flag state determines how a ship is crewed and taxed and whether a foreign-owned ship may be placed on the register.

An internal register is a register of ships maintained as a subset of a national register. Ships on the internal register fly the national flag and have that nationality but are subject to a separate set of maritime rules from those on the main national register. These differences usually include lower taxation of profits, use of foreign nationals as crew members, and, usually, ownership outside the flag state (when it functions as an FOC register). The Norwegian International Ship Register and Danish International Ship Register are the most notable examples of an internal register. Both have been instrumental in stemming flight from the national flag to flags of convenience and in attracting foreign-owned ships to the Norwegian and Danish flags.

A merchant ship is a vessel that carries goods against payment of freight; it is commonly used to denote any nonmilitary ship but accurately restricted to commercial vessels only.

A register is the record of a ship's ownership and nationality as listed with the maritime authorities of a country; also, it is the compendium of such individual ships' registrations. Registration of a ship provides it with a nationality and makes it subject to the laws of the country in which registered (the flag state) regardless of the nationality of the ship's ultimate owner.

Military: This category includes the entries dealing with a country's military structure, manpower, and expenditures.

Military branches: This entry lists the names of the ground, naval, air, marine, and other defense or security forces.

Military expenditures - dollar figure: This entry gives current military expenditures in US dollars; the figure is calculated by multiplying the estimated defense spending in percentage terms by the gross domestic product (GDP) calculated on an exchange rate basis not purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. However, in the case of Russia, estimates of military expenditures have been made using PPP. Dollar figures for military expenditures should be treated with caution because of different price patterns and accounting methods among nations, as well as wide variations in the strength of their currencies.

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: This entry gives current military expenditures as an estimated percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Military manpower - availability: This entry gives the total numbers of males and females age 15-49 and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.

Military manpower - fit for military service: This entry gives the number of males and females age 15-49 fit for military service. This is a more refined measure of potential military manpower availability which tries to correct for the health situation in the country and reduces the maximum potential number to a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.

Military manpower - military age: This entry gives the minimum age at which an individual may volunteer for military service or be subject to conscription.

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: This entry gives the number of draft-age males and females entering the military manpower pool in any given year and is a measure of the availability of draft-age young adults.

Military - note: This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.

Money figures: All money figures are expressed in contemporaneous US dollars unless otherwise indicated.

National holiday: This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.

Nationality: This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.

Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters.

Natural resources: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.

Net migration rate: This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving).

People: This category includes the entries dealing with the characteristics of the people and their society.

People - note: This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of significance not included elsewhere.

Personal Names - Capitalization: The Factbook capitalizes the surname or family name of individuals for the convenience of our users who are faced with a world of different cultures and naming conventions. An example would be President SADDAM Husayn of Iraq. Saddam is his name and Husayn is his father's name. He may be referred to as President SADDAM Husayn or President SADDAM, but not President Husayn. The need for capitalization, bold type, underlining, italics, or some other indicator of the individual's surname is apparent in the following examples: MAO Zedong, Fidel CASTRO Ruz, William Jefferson CLINTON, and TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah. By knowing the surname, a short form without all capital letters can be used with confidence as in President Saddam, President Castro, Chairman Mao, President Clinton, or Sultan Tunku Salahuddin. The same system of capitalization is extended to the names of leaders with surnames that are not commonly used such as Queen ELIZABETH II.

Personal Names - Spelling: The romanization of personal names in the Factbook normally follows the same transliteration system used by the US Board on Geographic Names for spelling place names. At times, however, a foreign leader expressly indicates a preference for, or the media or official documents regularly use, a romanized spelling that differs from the transliteration derived from the US Government standard. In such cases, the Factbook uses the alternative spelling.

Personal Names - Titles: The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it) immediately preceding a person's name. A title standing alone is lowercased. Examples: President PUTIN and President CLINTON are chiefs of state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both chief of state and head of government.

Pipelines: This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.

Political parties and leaders: This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.

Political pressure groups and leaders: This entry includes a listing of organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.

Population: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Population below poverty line: National estimates of the percentage of the population lying below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.

Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.

Ports and harbors: This entry lists the major ports and harbors selected on the basis of overall importance to each country. This is determined by evaluating a number of factors (e.g., dollar value of goods handled, gross tonnage, facilities, military significance).

Radio broadcast stations: This entry includes the total number of AM,
FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.

Radios: This entry gives the total number of radio receivers.

Railways: This entry includes the total route length of the railway network and component parts by gauge: broad, dual, narrow, standard, and other.

Reference maps: This section includes world, regional, and special or current interest maps.

Religions: This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.

Sex ratio: This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.

Suffrage: This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.

Telephone numbers: All telephone numbers in the Factbook consist of the country code in brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and the local number. The one component that is not presented is the international access code, which varies from country to country. For example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows:

011 (1) 577-xxxx, where

011 is the international access code for station-to-station calls

(01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls),

is the country code for Spain,

(1) is the city code for Madrid,

577 is the local exchange, and

xxxx is the local telephone number.

An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country to the US would be as follows:

international access code + (202) 939-xxxx, where

is the country code for the US,

(202) is the area code for Washington, DC,

939 is the local exchange, and

xxxx is the local telephone number.

Telephone system: This entry includes a brief characterization of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

Africa ONE - a fiber-optic submarine cable link encircling the continent of Africa.

Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia).

Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense).

CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications.

cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a regular telephone exchange.

Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other.

coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies.

Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US).

DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or
Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the Defense
Communications System (US Department of Defense).

Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris).

fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light.

GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982.

HF - high-frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range.

Inmarsat - International Mobile Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land.

Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Washington, DC).

Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications
(Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East
European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with
earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia.

landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground.

Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the
Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency.

Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the
Inmarsat system.

Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications Network.

microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path.

NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden).

Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet-switched digital telephone network.

radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets.

PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT).

satellite communication system - a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provides long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system.

satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites.

satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only transmission) or two-way (telephone channels).

SHF - super-high-frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MHz range.

shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances.

Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere.

Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications.

submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water.

TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America.

telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network.

telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission.

telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges.

tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances.

trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by multichannel trunk lines.

UHF - ultra-high-frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-MHz range.

VHF - very-high-frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range.

Telephones - main lines in use: This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.

Telephones - mobile cellular: This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephones in use.

Television - broadcast stations: This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus any repeater stations.

Televisions: This entry gives the total number of television sets.

Terminology: Due to the highly structured nature of the Factbook database, some collective generic terms have to be used. For example, the word Country in the Country name entry refers to a wide variety of dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states. Military is also used as an umbrella term for various civil defense, security, and defense activities in many entries. The Independence entry includes the usual colonial independence dates and former ruling states as well as other significant nationhood dates such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession that are not strictly independence dates. Dependent areas have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.

Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

Total fertility rate: This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population growth in the country. High rates will also place some limits on the labor force participation rates for women. Large numbers of children born to women indicate large family sizes that might limit the ability of the families to feed and educate their children.

Transnational Issues: This category includes only two entries at the present time - Disputes - international and Illicit drugs - that deal with current issues going beyond national boundaries.

Transportation: This category includes the entries dealing with the means for movement of people and goods.

Transportation - note: This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere.

Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.

United Nations System: This information is presented in Appendix B: United Nations System as a chart, table, or text (depending on the version of the Factbook) that shows the organization of the UN in detail.

Waterways: This entry gives the total length and individual names of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.

Weights and measures: This information is presented in Appendix E: Weights and Measures and includes mathematical notations (mathematical powers and names), metric interrelationships (prefix; symbol; length, weight, or capacity; area; volume), and standard conversion factors.

Years: All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as fiscal year (FY). The calendar year is an accounting period of 12 months from 1 January to 31 December. The fiscal year is an accounting period of 12 months other than 1 January to 31 December.

Note: Information for the US and US dependencies was compiled from material in the public domain and does not represent Intelligence Community estimates.

@Appendix A: Abbreviations

A

ABEDA Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACC Arab Cooperation Council

ACCT Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique; see Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation; changed name in 1996 to Agence de la francophonie or Agency for the French-Speaking Community

ACP Group African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB African Development Bank

AFESD Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

AG Andean Group; see Andean Community of Nations (CAN)

Air Pollution Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Protocol to the 1979 Convention on
Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of
Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Control of Emissions of Nitrogen
Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent
Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 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 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range
Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the
Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their
Transboundary Fluxes

AL Arab League

ALADI Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion; see Latin American
Integration Association (LAIA)

AMF Arab Monetary Fund

AMU Arab Maghreb Union

Ancom Andean Common Market; see Andean Community of Nations (CAN)

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

ANZUS Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat Arab Satellite Communications Organization

AsDB Asian Development Bank

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Autodin Automatic Digital Network

B

BAD Banque Africaine de Developpement; see African Development Bank
(AfDB)

BADEA Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique; see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)

BCIE Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico; see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)

BDEAC Banque de Developpment des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale; see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)

Benelux Benelux Economic Union

BID Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo; see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity

BIS Bank for International Settlements

BOAD Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement; see West African
Development Bank (WADB)

BSEC Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C

C Commonwealth

CACM Central American Common Market

CAEU Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN Andean Community of Nations

Caricom Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC Customs Cooperation Council

CDB Caribbean Development Bank

CE Council of Europe

CEAO Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest; see West African
Economic Community (CEAO)

CEEAC Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale; see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)

CEI Central European Initiative

CEMA Council for Mutual Economic Assistance; also known as CMEA or
Comecon

CEPGL Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs; see Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)

CERN Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire; see European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)

CG Contadora Group

c.i.f. cost, insurance, and freight

CIS Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES see Endangered Species

Climate Change United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change

CMEA Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA); also known as
Comecon

COCOM Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

Comecon Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA); also known as
CMEA

Comsat Communications Satellite Corporation

CP Colombo Plan

CSCE Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe; see Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

CY calendar year

D

DC developed country

Desertification United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in
Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification,
Particularly in Africa

DSN Defense Switched Network

DWT deadweight ton

E

EADB East African Development Bank

EAPC Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC European Community; see European Union (EU)

ECA Economic Commission for Africa

ECAFE Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East; see Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

ECE Economic Commission for Europe

ECLA Economic Commission for Latin America; see Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States

ECS European Coal and Steel Community; see European Union (EU)

ECWA Economic Commission for Western Asia; see Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

EEC European Economic Community; see European Union (EU)

EFTA European Free Trade Association

EIB European Investment Bank

EMU European Monetary Union

Endangered Species Convention on the International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Entente Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA European Space Agency

ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

est. estimate

EU European Union

Euratom European Atomic Energy Community; see European Community (EC)

Eutelsat European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im Export-Import Bank of the United States

F

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX facsimile

f.o.b. free on board

FLS Front Line States

FRG Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

FSU former Soviet Union

FY fiscal year

FYROM The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

FZ Franc Zone

G

G-2 Group of 2

G-3 Group of 3

G-5 Group of 5

G-6 Group of 6 (not to be confused with the Big Six)

G-7 Group of 7

G-8 Group of 8

G-9 Group of 9

G-10 Group of 10

G-11 Group of 11

G-15 Group of 15

G-19 Group of 19

G-24 Group of 24

G-30 Group of 30

G-33 Group of 33

G-77 Group of 77

GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; subsumed by the World Trade Organization (WTrO) on 1 January 1995

GCC Gulf Cooperation Council

GDP gross domestic product

GDR German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

GNP gross national product

GRT gross register ton

GWP gross world product

H

Hazardous Wastes Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

HF high-frequency

I

IADB Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency

IBEC International Bank for Economic Cooperation

IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World
Bank)

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC International Chamber of Commerce

ICEM Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration; see International Organization for Migration (IOM)

ICFTU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; see World
Confederation of Labor (WCL)

ICJ International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICM Intergovernmental Committee for Migration; see International
Organization for Migration (IOM)

ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

IDA International Development Association

IDB Islamic Development Bank

IEA International Energy Agency

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC International Finance Corporation

IFCTU International Federation of Christian Trade Unions

IFRCS International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IGAD Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IGADD Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development

IHO International Hydrographic Organization

IIB International Investment Bank

ILO International Labor Organization

IMCO Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization; see
International Maritime Organization (IMO)

IMF International Monetary Fund

IMO International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat International Mobile Satellite Organization

InOC Indian Ocean Commission

Intelsat International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications

IOC International Olympic Committee

IOM International Organization for Migration

ISO International Organization for Standardization

ITU International Telecommunication Union

K

kHz kilohertz

km kilometer

kW kilowatt

kWh kilowatt hour

L

LAES Latin American Economic System

LAIA Latin American Integration Association

LAS League of Arab States; see Arab League (AL)

Law of the Sea United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

LDC less developed country

LLDC least developed country

London Convention see Marine Dumping

LORCS League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; see International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

LOS see Law of the Sea

M

m meter

Marecs Maritime European Communications Satellite

Marine Dumping Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter

Marine Life Conservation Convention on Fishing and Conservation of
Living Resources of the
High Seas

MARPOL see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International
Telecommunications Union

Mercosur Mercado Comun del Cono Sur; see Southern Cone Common Market

MHz megahertz

MINURSO United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MINUGUA United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala

MIPONUH United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti

MONUA United Nations Observer Mission in Angola

MONUC United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

N

NA not available

NACC North Atlantic Cooperation Council; see Euro-Atlantic Partnership
Council (EAPC)

NAM Nonaligned Movement

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC Nordic Council

NEA Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL negligible

NIB Nordic Investment Bank

NIC newly industrializing country; see newly industrializing economy
(NIE)

NIE newly industrializing economy

nm nautical mile

NMT Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the
Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ New Zealand

O

OAPEC Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS Organization of American States

OAU Organization of African Unity

ODA official development assistance

OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OIC Organization of the Islamic Conference

ONUSAL United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador

OOF other official flows

OPANAL Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe; see Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean

OPCW Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

P

PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration

PDRY People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

PFP Partnership for Peace

R

Ramsar see Wetlands

RG Rio Group

S

SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU Southern African Customs Union

SADC Southern African Development Community

SADCC Southern African Development Coordination Conference; see Southern African Development Community (SADC)

SELA Sistema Economico Latinoamericana; see Latin American Economic
System (LAES)

SFRY Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; dissolved 5 December 1991

SHF super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Sparteca South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation
Agreement

SPC South Pacific Commission

SPF South Pacific Forum

sq km square kilometer

sq mi square mile

T

TAT Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83 International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94 International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

U

UAE United Arab Emirates

UDEAC Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale; see Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

UEMOA Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine; see West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)

UHF ultra-high-frequency

UK United Kingdom

UN United Nations

UNAMIR United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda

UNAMSIL United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNAVEM III United Nations Angola Verification Mission III

UNCRO United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia

UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDOF United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP United Nations Development Program

UNEP United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization

UNFICYP United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA United Nations Fund for Population Activities; see UN Population
Fund (UNFPA)

UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNIKOM United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission

UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMIH United Nations Mission in Haiti

UNMIBH United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

UNMIK United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMOGIP United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOP United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka

UNMOT United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan

UNMOVIC United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission

UNOMIG United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOMIL United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia

UNOMOZ United Nations Operation in Mozambique

UNOMSIL United Nations Mission of Observers in Sierra Leone

UNOMUR United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda

UNOSOM II United Nations Operation in Somalia II

UNPREDEP United Nations Preventive Deployment Force

UNPROFOR United Nations Protection Force

UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNSCOM United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction; see United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC)

UNSMIH United Nations Support Mission in Haiti

UNTAC United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia

UNTAES United Nations Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia,
Baranja, and Western Sirmium

UNTAET United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

UNTSO United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU United Nations University

UPU Universal Postal Union

US United States

USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991

USSR/EE Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/Eastern Europe

V

VHF very-high-frequency

VSAT very small aperture terminal

W

WADB West African Development Bank

WAEMU West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL World Confederation of Labor

WCO World Customs Organization; see Customs Cooperation Council

Wetlands Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially
As Waterfowl Habitat

WEU Western European Union

WFC World Food Council

WFP World Food Program

WFTU World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

WHO World Health Organization

WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO World Meteorological Organization

WP Warsaw Pact

WTO see WToO for World Tourism Organization or WTrO for World Trade
Organization

WToO World Tourism Organization

WTrO World Trade Organization

Y

YAR

Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

Z

ZC Zangger Committee

@Appendix B: United Nations System

@Appendix C: International Organizations and Groups

advanced developing countries another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs) _________________________________________________________________

advanced economies a new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published IMF statistics include 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 which are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries" _________________________________________________________________

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) address - Avenue Georges Henri 451, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 743 06 00 FAX - (2) 735 55 73 established - 6 June 1975 aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU members - (71) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, 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, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe _________________________________________________________________

African Development Bank (AfDB) note - also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD) address - 01 BP 1387, Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire telephone - 20 44 44 FAX - 21 77 53 established - 4 August 1963 aim - to promote economic and social development regional 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, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe nonregional members - (25) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US _________________________________________________________________

Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique (ACCT) see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT) _________________________________________________________________

Agence de la francophonie (ACCT) see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT) _________________________________________________________________

Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) see Agency for the French-speaking Community (ACCT); acronym from Agence de Cooperation Culturelle et Technique _________________________________________________________________

Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT) note - formerly Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation address - 13 Quai Andre-Citroen, F-75015 Paris, France telephone - (1) 44 37 33 00 FAX - (1) 45 79 14 98 established - 20 March 1970 name changed - 1996 aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French-speaking countries members - (41) Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam associate members - (5) Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Morocco, Saint Lucia participating governments - (2) New Brunswick (Canada), Quebec (Canada) _________________________________________________________________

Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL) address - Temistocles 78, Col Polanco, CP 011560, Mexico City 5 DF, Mexico telephone - (5) 280 4923, 280 5064, 280 2715 FAX - (5) 280 2965 established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification of the treaty aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons members - (32) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, 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, Uruguay, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

Andean Community of Nations (CAN) note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean Common Market (Ancom) address - c/o General Secretariat of the Andean Community, Paseo de la Republica 3895, Casilla 18-1177, Lima 18, Peru telephone - (1) 221 2222 FAX - (1) 221 3329 established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992 effective - 16 October 1969 aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela associate member - (1) Panama _________________________________________________________________

Andean Group (AG) see Andean Community of Nations (CAN) _________________________________________________________________

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA) note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA) address - Abdel Rahman El Mahdi Avenue, P. O. Box 2640, Khartoum, Sudan telephone - (11) 770498, 773646, 773709 FAX - (11) 770600 established - 18 February 1974 effective - 16 September 1974 aim - to promote economic development members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen _________________________________________________________________

Arab Cooperation Council (ACC) established - 16 February 1989 aim - to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to an Arab Common Market members - (4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen _________________________________________________________________

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) address - P. O. Box 21923, Safat 13080, Kuwait telephone - 4844500 FAX - 4815750, 4815760, 4815770 established - 16 May 1968 aim - to promote economic and social development members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt (suspended from 1979 to 1988), Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan (suspended 1993), Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization _________________________________________________________________

Arab League (AL) note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS) address - Midan Attahrir, Tahrir Square, P. O. Box 11642, Cairo, Egypt telephone - (2) 750 511 FAX - (2) 740 331 established - 22 March 1945 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 _________________________________________________________________

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) address - 27 Avenue Okba Agdal, Rabat, Morocco telephone - (7) 77 26 82, 77 26 76, 77 26 68 FAX - (7) 77 26 93 established - 17 February 1989 aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia _________________________________________________________________

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) address - P. O. Box 2818, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates telephone - (2) 215000, 328500 FAX - (2) 326454 established - 27 April 1976 effective - 2 February 1977 aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization _________________________________________________________________

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) address - APEC Secretariat, 438 Alexandra Road, 14-00 Alexandra Point, 14th Floor 01/04, Singapore 119958, Singapore telephone - 276 1880 FAX - 276 1775 established - 7 November 1989 aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference, South Pacific Forum _________________________________________________________________

Asian Development Bank (AsDB) address - 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, 0401 METRO Manila, Philippines telephone - (2) 711 3851 FAX - (2) 741 7961, 631 6816 established - 19 December 1966 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation regional members - (41) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam nonregional members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US _________________________________________________________________

Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI) see Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) _________________________________________________________________

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) note - the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) consists of the 9 ASEAN members, 2 observers, 2 consultative partners, and 8 dialogue partners: Australia, Canada, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, US address - 70 A Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Jakarta 12110, Indonesia telephone - (21) 7262991, 7243372 FAX - (21) 7398234, 7243504 established - 8 August 1967 aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam observer - (1) Papua New Guinea consultative partners - (2) China, Russia _________________________________________________________________

Australia Group established - 1984 aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons members - (28) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US; note - may now include only 23 countries observer - (1) Singapore _________________________________________________________________

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) address - c/o Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bag 8, Queen Victoria Terrace, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia telephone - (6) 261 91 11 FAX - (6) 261 21 51 established - 1 September 1951 effective - 29 April 1952 aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings members - (3) Australia, NZ, US _________________________________________________________________

Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico (BCIE) see Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) _________________________________________________________________

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) see Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) _________________________________________________________________

Bank for International Settlements (BIS) address - Centralbahnplatz 2, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland telephone - (61) 280 80 80 FAX - (61) 280 91 00, 280 81 00 established - 20 January 1930 effective - 17 March 1930 aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements members - (45) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia (suspended) _________________________________________________________________

Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD) see African Development Bank (AfDB) _________________________________________________________________

Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA) see Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA) _________________________________________________________________

Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BDEAC) see Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC) _________________________________________________________________

Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD) see West African Development Bank (WADB) _________________________________________________________________

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux) note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg address - Rue de la Regence 39, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 519 38 11 FAX - (2) 513 42 06 established - 3 February 1958 effective - 1 November 1960 aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands _________________________________________________________________

Big Seven note - membership is the same as the Group of 7 established - NA 1975 aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US _________________________________________________________________

Big Six note - not to be confused with the Group of 6 established - NA 1967 aim - to foster economic cooperation members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK _________________________________________________________________

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC) address - Istinye Cad Musir Fuad Pasa Yalisi Eski Tersame, Istinye 80860, Istanbul, Turkey telephone - (212) 229 6330 FAX - (212) 229 6336 established - 25 June 1992 aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation members - (11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine observers - (7) Austria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia _________________________________________________________________

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) address - Caricom, P. O. Box 10827, Bank of Guyana Building, 3rd floor, Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Guyana telephone - (2) 69281 through 69289 FAX - (2) 66091, 67816, 57341 established - 4 July 1973 effective - 1 August 1973 aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries members - (14) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago associate members - (3) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands observers - (10) Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) address - P. O. Box 408, Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados telephone - (246) 431 1600 FAX - (246) 426 7269 established - 18 October 1969 effective - 26 January 1970 aim - to promote economic development and cooperation regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela nonregional members - (6) Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, UK _________________________________________________________________

Cartagena Group see Group of 11 _________________________________________________________________

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) note - acronym from Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale address - BP 969, Bangui, Central African Republic telephone - 61 09 22, 61 45 77 FAX - 61 21 35 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 _________________________________________________________________

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC) note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale address - BDEAC, Place du Gouvernement, BP 1177, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo telephone - 81 18 85 FAX - 81 18 80 established - 3 December 1975 aim - to provide loans for economic development members - (9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait _________________________________________________________________

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico address - Apartado Postal 772, Tegucigalpa DC, Honduras telephone - 228 2243 FAX - 228 2185 established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations aim - to promote economic integration and development members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua nonregional members - (4) Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Taiwan _________________________________________________________________

Central American Common Market (CACM) address - c/o SIECA, Apartado Postal 1237, 4a Avenida 10-25, Zona 14, Guatemala 01901, Guatemala telephone - (2) 682151, 682152, 682153, 682154 FAX - (2) 681071 established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991 aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation _________________________________________________________________

Central European Initiative (CEI) note - evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Group address - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, One Exchange Square, London EC2A 2EH, UK telephone - (171) 338 6152 FAX - (171) 338 7472 established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, NA 1992 present name adopted aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas members - (16) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine _________________________________________________________________

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 the communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia _________________________________________________________________

Colombo Plan (CP) address - Colombo Plan Bureau, P. O. Box 596, 12 Melbourne Avenue, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka telephone - (1) 581813, 581853, 581754 FAX - (1) 581754 established - NA May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific members - (24) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US _________________________________________________________________

Commission for Social Development note - formerly Social Commission address - General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division, Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services, United Nations, Room S-2950, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 5935 established - 21 June 1946 as the Social Commission, renamed 29 July 1966 aim - to deal, as part of the Economic and Social Council, with social development programs of UN members - (46) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice address - Center for International Crime Prevention, Vienna International Center, P. O. Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria telephone - (1) 21345, extension 4272 FAX - (1) 21345 5898, 21345 5841 established - 6 February 1992 aim - to provide guidance, as part of the Economic and Social Council, on crime prevention and criminal justice members - (40) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commission on Human Rights address - c/o Secretariat, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland telephone - (22) 917 90 00, 907 92 60 FAX - (22) 917 90 11 established - 18 February 1946 aim - to assist, as part of the Economic and Social Council, with human rights programs of UN members - (53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commission on Narcotic Drugs address - c/o United Nations Drug Control Programme, Treaty Implementation and Legal Affairs Branch, P. O. Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria telephone - (1) 213450 FAX - (1) 21345-5885 established - 16 February 1946 aim - Economic and Social Council organization dealing with illicit drugs programs of UN members - (53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions with emphasis on producing and processing countries _________________________________________________________________

Commission on Population and Development address - Division for Policy and Coordination and ECOSOC Affairs, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, United Nations, Room 2963, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 5935 established - 10 August 1948 aim - to deal with population matters of importance to the UN, as part of Economic and Social Council members - (47) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commission on Science and Technology for Development address - General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division, Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 5935 established - 20 July 1992 aim - to promote international cooperation, as part of the Economic and Social Council, in the field of science and technology members - (33) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commission on Sustainable Development address - Division for Sustainable Development, United Nations Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, Room DC2-2274, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 0902 FAX - (212) 963 4260 established - 12 February 1993 aim - to monitor, as part of the Economic and Social Council, implementation of agreements reached at the UN Conference on Environment and Development members - (53) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commission on the Status of Women address - Division for the Advancement of Women, Department for Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, Room DC2-1200, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 3177 FAX - (212) 963 3463 established - 21 June 1946 aim - to deal, as part of the Economic and Social Council, with women's rights goals of UN members - (45) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Commonwealth (C) note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations address - c/o Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, UK telephone - (171) 839 3411, 747 6535 FAX - (171) 930 0827, 839 9081 established - 31 December 1931 aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe special members - (1) Tuvalu _________________________________________________________________

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) address - Kirov Street 17, 220000 Minsk, Belarus telephone - 223434, 223517 FAX - 261944, 272339 established - 8 December 1991 effective - 21 December 1991 aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan _________________________________________________________________

Commonwealth of Nations see Commonwealth (C) _________________________________________________________________

Communaute Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEAO) see West African Economic Community (CEAO) _________________________________________________________________

Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (CEEAC) see Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) _________________________________________________________________

Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL) see Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) _________________________________________________________________

communist countries traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer communist; see centrally planned economies _________________________________________________________________

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) see Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) _________________________________________________________________

Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire (CERN) see European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) _________________________________________________________________

Contadora Group (CG) established 5 January 1983 (on the Panamanian island of Contadora) to reduce tensions and conflicts in Central America; members included Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela; has evolved into the Rio Group (RG) _________________________________________________________________

Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf see Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) _________________________________________________________________

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM) established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members are working on a new organization with expanded membership which focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East-West control of advanced technology _________________________________________________________________

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA) note - also known as CMEA or Comecon established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate) _________________________________________________________________

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) address - International Trade Center Building, 12th Floor, 1191 Cornish El Nile, P. O. Box 1, Mohamad Fareed, Cairo, Egypt telephone - (2) 754252, 755321 FAX - (2) 754090 established - 3 June 1957 effective - 30 May 1964 aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations members - (11 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization _________________________________________________________________

Council of Europe (CE) address - Palais de l'Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg CEDEX, France telephone - (3) 88 41 20 00 FAX - (3) 88 41 27 81, 88 41 27 82 established - 5 May 1949 effective - 3 August 1949 aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe members - (41) Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK guests - (3) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina observers - (4) Canada, Israel, Japan, US _________________________________________________________________

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) address - Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Box 16121, S-10323 Stockholm, Sweden telephone - (8) 405 1000 FAX - (8) 723 1176 established - 6 March 1992 aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden _________________________________________________________________

Council of the Entente (Entente) address - 01 BP 3734, Angle Avenue Verdier-Rue de Tessieres, Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire telephone - 33 10 01, 33 28 35, 32 10 74 FAX - 33 11 49 established - 29 May 1959 aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo _________________________________________________________________

countries in transition a new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 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 _________________________________________________________________

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)
note - also known as World Customs Organization (WCO)
address - Rue du Marche 30, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium
telephone - (2) 209 92 11
FAX - (2) 109 92 92
established - 15 December 1950
aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters
members - (145) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Belgium, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, 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, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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
_________________________________________________________________

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 35 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, Mexico, 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" which adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey _________________________________________________________________

developing countries
a new term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the
bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in
transition, and developing countries; recently published 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
_________________________________________________________________

East African Development Bank (EADB) address - 4 Nile Avenue, P. O. Box 7128, Kampala, Uganda telephone - (41) 230021, 230825 FAX - (41) 259763 established - 6 June 1967 effective - 1 December 1967 aim - to promote economic development members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda _________________________________________________________________

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) address - United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand telephone - (2) 2881234 FAX - (2) 2881000 established - 28 March 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) aim - to carry out the commitment of the Economic and Social Council of the UN to promote economic development members - (51) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam associate members - (9) American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands _________________________________________________________________

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) address - P. O. Box 11-8575, Riad El-Sohl Square, Beirut, Lebanon telephone - (10) 981301 FAX - (10) 981510 established - 9 August 1973 as Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission for the UN's Economic and Social Council members - (12 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization _________________________________________________________________

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) address - United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 758 2718 established - 26 June 1945 effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (see Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and 10 functional commissions (see Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice) members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) address - P. O. Box 3001-3005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia telephone - (1) 51 72 00 FAX - (1) 51 44 16 established - 29 April 1958 aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council 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, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe associate members - (2) France, UK _________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) see Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) _________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) address - Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland telephone - (22) 917 4444 FAX - (22) 917 0505 established - 28 March 1947 aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council 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, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, 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 _________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) see Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) _________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) address - Edificio Naciones Unidas, Avenida Dag Hammarskjold, Casilla 179 D, Santiago, Chile telephone - (2) 2102000 FAX - (2) 2080252, 2081946 established - 25 February 1948 as Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) aim - to promote economic development as a regional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council members - (41) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela associate members - (7) Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands _________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) see Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) _________________________________________________________________

Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale address - CEEAC, BP 2112, Libreville, Gabon telephone - 73 35 47, 73 35 48, 73 36 77 established - 18 October 1983 treaty adopted aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and establish a Central African Common Market members - (11) Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe _________________________________________________________________

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs address - IRAZ-CEPGL, BP 91, Gitega, Burundi established - 20 September 1976 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda _________________________________________________________________

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) address - 6 King George V Road, PMB 12745, Lagos, Nigeria telephone - (1) 636839, 636841, 636064, 630398 FAX - (1) 636822 established - 28 May 1975 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo _________________________________________________________________

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) address - No. 1 Goulbou Alley, Kamraniyeh, P. O. Box 14155-6176, Teheran, Iran Islamic Republic telephone - (21) 2831731, 2831733 FAX - (21) 2831732 established - 27-29 January 1985 aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan associate member - (1) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" _________________________________________________________________

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) note - began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO address - c/o NATO, B-1110 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 728 41 11 FAX - (2) 728 45 79 established - 8 November 1991 effective - 20 December 1991 aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues members - (44) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan _________________________________________________________________

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) address - EBRD Headquarters, One Exchange Square, London EC2A 2EH, UK telephone - (171) 338 6000 FAX - (171) 338 6100 established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated) aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization members - (60) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EU, European Investment Bank (EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan; note - includes all 25 members of the OECD; also includes the EU as a single entity _________________________________________________________________

European Community (or European Communities, EC) was established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK _________________________________________________________________

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) address - 9-11 Rue de Varembe, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland telephone - (22) 749 11 11 FAX - (22) 733 92 91 established - 4 January 1960 effective - 3 May 1960 aim - to promote expansion of free trade members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland _________________________________________________________________

European Investment Bank (EIB) address - Boulevard Konrad Adenauer 100, L-2950 Luxembourg, Luxembourg telephone - 4379 3122 FAX - 4379 3188, 4379 3189 established - 25 March 1957 effective - 1 January 1958 aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK _________________________________________________________________

European Monetary Union (EMU) note - an integral part of the European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union address - c/o European Commission, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 299 11 11 proposed - 1-2 December 1969 at summit conference of heads of government signed - 7 February 1992 Maastrict Treaty aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; time table - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted members - (11) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain; note - Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join, and Greece did not meet all the criteria to take part _________________________________________________________________

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire address - CH-1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland telephone - (22) 767 4101, 767 2141 FAX - (22) 785 0247 established - 1 July 1953 effective - 29 September 1954 aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK observers - (7) EU, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US _________________________________________________________________

European Space Agency (ESA) address - ESA Headquarters, 8-10 Rue Mario Nikis, F-75738 Paris CEDEX 15, France telephone - (1) 53 69 76 54 FAX - (1) 53 69 75 60 established - 31 May 1975 aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology members - (14) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK cooperating state - (1) Canada _________________________________________________________________

European Union (EU) note - evolved from the European Community (EC) address - c/o European Commission, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 299 11 11 FAX - (2) 295 01 38 through 295 01 40 established - 7 February 1992 effective - 1 November 1993 aim - to coordinate policy among the 15 members in three fields: economics, building on the European Economic Community's (EEC) efforts to establish a common market and eventually a common currency to be called the 'euro', which will supersede the EU's accounting unit, the ECU; defense, within the concept of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and justice and home affairs, including immigration, drugs, terrorism, and improved living and working conditions members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK membership applicants - (13) Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey _________________________________________________________________

First World another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs) _________________________________________________________________

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
address - Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy
telephone - (6) 57051
FAX - (6) 5705 3152
established - 16 October 1945
aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of
agricultural products, as a UN specialized agency
members - (176) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, 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, 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, Iraq, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
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, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, 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, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

former Soviet Union (FSU) a collective 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia _________________________________________________________________

Four Dragons the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group _________________________________________________________________

Four Tigers another term for the Four Dragons; see Four Dragons _________________________________________________________________

Franc Zone (FZ) note - also known as Conference des Ministres des Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc address - c/o Banque de France, Service de la Zone Franc, 39 Rue des Croix des Petits Champs, F-75001 Paris, France telephone - (1) 42 92 42 92 FAX - (1) 42 96 04 23 established - NA 1964 aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note - France includes metropolitan France, the four overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion), the two territorial collectivities of France (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), and the three overseas territories of France (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna) _________________________________________________________________

Front Line States (FLS) established to achieve black majority rule in South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe _________________________________________________________________

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
was established 30 October 1947 to promote the expansion of
international trade on a nondiscriminatory basis; subsumed by the
World Trade Organization (WTrO) on 1 January 1995; members at the time
were Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, 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, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
(suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

Group of 2 (G-2) informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants Japan, US _________________________________________________________________

Group of 3 (G-3) address - c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grupo de los Tres, Caracas, Venezuela established - NA September 1990 aim - mechanism for policy coordination members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

Group of 5 (G-5) established - 22 September 1985 aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US _________________________________________________________________

Group of 6 (G-6) note - also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six established - 22 May 1984 aim - to achieve nuclear disarmament members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania _________________________________________________________________

Group of 7 (G-7) note - membership is the same as the Big Seven established - 22 September 1985 aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy _________________________________________________________________

Group of 8 (G-8) established - NA October 1975 aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977 members - (9) Canada, EU (as one member), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US _________________________________________________________________

Group of 9 (G-9) established - NA aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia _________________________________________________________________

Group of 10 (G-10) note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984 address - c/o IMF Office in Europe, 64-66 Avenue d'Iena, F-75116 Paris, France telephone - (1) 40 69 30 80 FAX - (1) 47 23 40 89 established - NA October 1962 aim - to coordinate credit policy members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US nonstate participants - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD _________________________________________________________________

Group of 11 (G-11) note - also known as the Cartagena Group established - 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia aim - to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America members - (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

Group of 15 (G-15) note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement address - Technical Support Facility, Ch du Champ d'Ancier 17, Case Postale 326, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland telephone - (22) 798 42 10 FAX - (22) 798 38 49 established - September 1989 aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement members - (15) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Venezuela, former Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe _________________________________________________________________

Group of 19 (G-19) established in NA October 1975 to represent the interests of the less developed countries (LDCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC) held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977; members included Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia _________________________________________________________________

Group of 24 (G-24) address - c/o European Commission, DGIA General Matters and G-24 Coordination Unit, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 299 02 28 FAX - (2) 296 59 59 established - 1 August 1989 aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Yugoslavia _________________________________________________________________

Group of 30 (G-30) address - 1990 M Street NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20036, US telephone - (202) 331 2472 FAX - (202) 785 9423 established - NA 1978 aim - to discuss and propose solutions to the world's economic problems members - (30) informal group of 30 leading international bankers, economists, financial experts, and business leaders organized by Johannes Witteveen (former managing director of the IMF) _________________________________________________________________

Group of 33 (G-33) established in NA 1987 to promote solutions to international economic problems; members included the leading economists from 13 countries _________________________________________________________________

Group of 77 (G-77)
address - Office of the Chairman, United Nations, Room S-3959, P. O.
Box 20, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone - (212) 963 3816, 963 0192, 963 4777
FAX - (212) 963 3515, 963 1753
established - 15 June 1964 was set up; NA October 1967 first
ministerial meeting
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name
persists in spite of increased membership
members - (131 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba,
Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,
South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda,
UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
_________________________________________________________________

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf address - P. O. Box 7153, Riyadh 11462, Saudi Arabia telephone - (1) 482 7777, extension 1238 FAX - (1) 482 9109 established - 25 May 1981 aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE _________________________________________________________________

Hexagonal Group see Central European Initiative (CEI) _________________________________________________________________

high-income countries another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs) _________________________________________________________________

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC) address - Q4 Avenue Sir Guy Forget, BP7, Quatre Bornes, Mauritius telephone - 425 9564, 425 1652 FAX - 425 1209 established - 21 December 1982 aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles _________________________________________________________________

industrial countries another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs) _________________________________________________________________

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) note - also known as Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) address - 1300 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20577, US telephone - (202) 623 1000 FAX - (202) 623 3096 established - 8 April 1959 effective - 30 December 1959 aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America members - (46) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) address - P. O. Box 2653, Djibouti, Djibouti telephone - 354050 FAX - 356994, 356284 established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members members - (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda _________________________________________________________________

Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) see Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) _________________________________________________________________

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
address - Wagramerstrasse 5, P. O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
telephone - (1) 26000
FAX - (1) 26007
established - 26 October 1956
effective - 29 July 1957
aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy
members - (129) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt,
El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC) was established on 22 October 1963 to promote economic cooperation and development; members were Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam; now it is a Russian bank with a new charter _________________________________________________________________

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
note - also known as the World Bank
address - 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, US
telephone - (202) 477 1234
FAX - (202) 477 6391
established - 22 July 1944
effective - 27 December 1945
aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency
members - (181) 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,
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, 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, 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
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, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) address - 38 Cours Albert 1st, F-75008 Paris, France telephone - (1) 49 53 28 28 FAX - (1) 49 53 29 42 established - NA 1919 aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels members - (62 national councils) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia _________________________________________________________________

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
address - ICAO, 999 University Street, Montreal H3C 5H7, Canada
telephone - (514) 954 8219
FAX - (514) 954 6077
established - 7 December 1944
effective - 4 April 1947
aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN
specialized agency
members - (185) 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,
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, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, 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, Haiti, Honduras,
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, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of 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, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
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, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, 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 Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) address - ICRC, 19 Avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland telephone - (22) 734 60 01 FAX - (22) 733 20 57 established - 17 February 1863 aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals _________________________________________________________________

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
address - International Trade Union House, Boulevard Emile Jacqmain
155, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium
telephone - (2) 224 02 11
FAX - (2) 201 58 15, 203 07 56
established - NA December 1949
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (206 affiliated organizations in the following 141
countries) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Basque Country, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
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, Curacao,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Falkland Islands,
Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy
See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,
Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,
Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Court of Justice (ICJ) note - also known as the World Court address - Peace Palace, NL-2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands telephone - (70) 302 23 23 FAX - (70) 364 99 28 established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice aim - primary judicial organ of the UN members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems _________________________________________________________________

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
address - BP 6041, F-69411 Lyon CEDEX 06, France
telephone - (4) 72 44 70 00
FAX - (4) 72 44 71 63
established - NA September 1923 set up as the International Criminal
Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name
adopted
aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in
fighting crime
members - (177) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, 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, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, 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, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, 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, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau,
Montserrat, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Virgin Islands
_________________________________________________________________

International Development Association (IDA)
address - 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, US
telephone - (202) 477 1234
FAX - (202) 477 6391
established - 26 January 1960
effective - 24 September 1960
aim - UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that provides economic
loans for low income countries
members - (160)
Part I - (26 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US
Part II - (134 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania,
Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, 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, 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 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, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Energy Agency (IEA) address - 9 Rue de la Federation, F-75739 Paris CEDEX 15, France telephone - (1) 40 57 65 00 FAX - (1) 40 57 65 09 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 - (24) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US observers - (16) Commission of the European Communities, Czech Republic, Iceland, South Korea, Mexico, Poland _________________________________________________________________

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS) address - Chemin des Crets 17, CP 372, Petit-Saconnex, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland telephone - (22) 730 4222 FAX - (22) 733 0395 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 - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, 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, 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, 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, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, 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, 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, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe associate members - (4) Comoros, Cyprus, Gabon, Tuvalu _________________________________________________________________

International Finance Corporation (IFC)
address - 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20433, US
telephone - (202) 477 1234
FAX - (202) 974 4384, 477 6391
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 - (174) Afghanistan, 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, 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, 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, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, 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, 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)
address - Via del Serafico 107, I-00142 Rome, Italy
telephone - (6) 54591
FAX - (6) 5043463
established - NA November 1974
aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency
members - (161)
Category I - (22 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, 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 - (127 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, 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, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of 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, 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, Yugoslavia
(suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970 address - BP 445, 4 Quai Antoine 1st, Monaco MC 98011, CEDEX, Monaco telephone - (93) 01 81 00 FAX - (93) 10 81 40 established - NA June 1919 effective - NA 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 oceanography members - (66) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, 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, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Monaco, Mozambique Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela membership pending - (7) Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Jamaica, Kuwait, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar _________________________________________________________________

International Investment Bank (IIB) established on 7 July 1970; to promote economic development; members were Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam; now it is a Russian bank with a new charter _________________________________________________________________

International Labor Organization (ILO)
address - International Labor Office, 4 route des Morillons, CH-1211
Geneva 22, Switzerland
telephone - (22) 799 61 11
FAX - (22) 798 86 85
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 - (173) Afghanistan, 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, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, 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, 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, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, 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, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia
(suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Maritime Organization (IMO)
note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative
Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982
address - 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR, UK
telephone - (171) 735 7611
FAX - (171) 587 3210
established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization
effective - 17 March 1958
aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized
agency
members - (157) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, 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, 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, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia,
Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, 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, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen
associate members - (2) Hong Kong, Macau
_________________________________________________________________

International Maritime Satellite Organization (Inmarsat) see International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat) _________________________________________________________________

International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat) note - formerly International Maritime Satellite Organization address - 99 City Road, London EC1Y 1AX, UK telephone - (171) 728 1000, 728 1100 FAX - (171) 728 1044, 728 1100 established - 3 September 1976 effective - 16 July 1979 aim - to provide worldwide communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications, at sea, in the air, and on land members - (86) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vietnam _________________________________________________________________

International Monetary Fund (IMF)
address - 700 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20431, US
telephone - (202) 623 7000
FAX - (202) 623 4661, 623 7491, 623 4662
established - 22 July 1944
effective - 27 December 1945
aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a
UN specialized agency
members - (182) 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,
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, 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, 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
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, 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, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, 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 Olympic Committee (IOC)
address - Chateau de Vidy, CH-1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
telephone - (21) 621 61 11
FAX - (21) 621 62 16, 621 63 54
established - 23 June 1894
aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games:
2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia; 2002 Winter Olympics in
Salt Lake City, United States; 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece
National Olympic Committees - (199 and the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,
Angola, 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, 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, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
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, 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,
Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), 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 November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989 address - 17 route des Morillons, CP 71, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland telephone - (22) 717 91 11 FAX - (22) 798 61 50 established - 5 December 1951 aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration members - (69) Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia observers - (47) Afghanistan, Algeria, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Holy See, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Madagascar, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe _________________________________________________________________

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) address - CP 56, 1 Rue de Varembe, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland telephone - (22) 749 01 11 FAX - (22) 733 34 30 established - NA 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 - (88 national standards organizations) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, 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, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Libya, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe correspondent members - (35) Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Bolivia, Brunei, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Moldova, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Seychelles, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE subscriber members - (9) Benin, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Namibia, Saint Lucia _________________________________________________________________

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)
address - International Conference of the Red Cross, 19 Avenue de la
Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
telephone - (22) 734 60 01
FAX - (22) 733 20 57
established - NA 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 - (175 countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, 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, 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, The Gambia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, 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,
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,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
address - Place des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
telephone - (22) 730 6039
FAX - (22) 733 7256, 730 5939
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 - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, 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, 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, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, 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, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
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, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, 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, Yugoslavia
(suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat)
address - Intelsat, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC
20008-3098, US
telephone - (202) 944 7500
FAX - (202) 944 7890
established - 20 August 1964 set up as the Telecommunications
Satellite Consortium; 12 February 1973 adopted present name
aim - to develop and operate a global commercial telecommunications
satellite system
members - (143) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, 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,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
nonsignatory users - (42) Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Belarus,
Belize, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Cuba, Djibouti,
Eritrea, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kiribati, North Korea,
Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Nauru,
Niue, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Suriname, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Vanuatu
_________________________________________________________________

Islamic Development Bank (IDB) address - P. O. Box 5925, Jeddah 21432, Saudi Arabia telephone - (2) 6361400 FAX - (2) 6366871 established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent effective - 12 August 1974 aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development members - (51 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, 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, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization _________________________________________________________________

Latin American Economic System (LAES) note - also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA) address - SELA, Avenida Francisco de Miranda, Torre Europa, Piso 4, Chacaito, Apartado de Correos 17035, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela telephone - (2) 905 5111 FAX - (2) 951 6953, 951 7246 established - 17 October 1975 aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (21) Andean Promotion Corporation, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, EEC, Guatemala, Honduras, IADB, Inter-American Institute for Agricultural Cooperation, Italy, Nicaragua, OAS, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, UN Development Program, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean _________________________________________________________________

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) note - also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI) address - Calle Cebollati 1461, Casilla de Correo 577, 11000 Montevideo, Uruguay telephone - (2) 400 11 21, 409 59 15 FAX - (2) 409 06 49 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 - (21) China, Commission of the European Communities, 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, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean _________________________________________________________________

League of Arab States (LAS) see Arab League (AL) _________________________________________________________________

League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS) see International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) _________________________________________________________________

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
_________________________________________________________________

London Suppliers Group see Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) _________________________________________________________________

low-income countries another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs) _________________________________________________________________

Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur) see Southern Cone Common Market _________________________________________________________________

middle-income countries another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs) _________________________________________________________________

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 _________________________________________________________________

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) address - Permanent Representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, 333 East 38th Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10016, US telephone - (212) 213 5583 FAX - (212) 692 2498 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, 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 - (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) address - Store Strandstraede 18, PB 3043, DK-1021 Kobenhavn K, Denmark telephone - 33 96 04 00 FAX - 33 11 18 70 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) address - Fabianinkatu 34, P. O. Box 249, FIN-00171 Helsinki, Finland telephone - (0) 18001 FAX - (0) 1800210 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 Cooperation Council (NACC) see Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) _________________________________________________________________

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) address - B-1110 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 707 4111 FAX - (2) 707 4579 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 address - AEN/NEA, Le Seine St. Germain, 12 Boulevard des Iles, F-92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France telephone - (1) 45 24 10 10 FAX - (1) 45 24 11 10 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 address - c/o Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Andromeda Tower, 23rd floor, Donau City Strasse 6, A-1220 Vienna, Austria telephone - (1) 260 6300 FAX - (1) 263 6749 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 - (35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU) _________________________________________________________________

Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL) see Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) _________________________________________________________________

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) address - 2 Rue Andre Pascal, F-75775 Paris CEDEX 16, France telephone - (1) 45 24 82 00 FAX - (1) 45 24 85 00, 45 24 81 76, 45 24 18 15 established - 14 December 1960 effective - 30 September 1961 aim - to promote economic cooperation and development members - (29) 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, 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 address - Karntner Ring 5-7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria telephone - (1) 514 36-190 FAX - (1) 514 36-96 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 (suspended) partners for cooperation - (8) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Tunisia _________________________________________________________________

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
address - Johan de Wittlaan 32, NL-2517 JR The Hague, Netherlands
telephone - (70) 416 33 00
FAX - (70) 360 09 44
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 - (169) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, 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, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, 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,
Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

Organization of African Unity (OAU) address - P. O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia telephone - (1) 517700 FAX - (1) 512622, 517844 established - 25 May 1963 aim - to promote unity and cooperation among African states members - (54) 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, Morocco (temporarily suspended), 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) address - corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006, US telephone - (202) 458 3000 FAX - (202) 458 3967 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 - (45) Algeria, Angola, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen _________________________________________________________________

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) address - P. O. Box 20501, Safat 13066, Kuwait telephone - 4844500 FAX - 4815747 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) address - OECS, P. O. Box 179, Morne Fortune, Castries, Saint Lucia telephone - (758) 45 22537, 45 22538 FAX - (758) 45 31628 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) address - Obere Donaustrasse 93, A-1020 Vienna, Austria telephone - (1) 21 11 20 FAX - (1) 216 43 20 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) address - 6 km Makkah Al-Mukarramah Road, P. O. Box 178, Jeddah 21411, Saudi Arabia telephone - (2) 680-0800 FAX - (2) 687-6568 established - 22-25 September 1969 aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs members - (52 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, 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, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (4) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Moro National Liberation Front of the Philippines, "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" _________________________________________________________________

Pacific Community note - formerly known as the South Pacific Commission (SPC) address - BP D5, 98848 Noumea CEDEX, New Caledonia telephone - 26 20 00 FAX - 26 38 18 established - 6 February 1947 effective - 29 July 1948 aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters members - (26) 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, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna _________________________________________________________________

Paris Club see Group of 10 _________________________________________________________________

Partnership for Peace (PFP) address - NATO Office of Information and Press, B-1110 Brussels, Belgium telephone - (2) 728 44 15 FAX - (2) 728 45 79 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 - (27) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, 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)
address - Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, NL-2517 KJ The Hague,
Netherlands
telephone - (70) 302 42 42
FAX - (70) 302 41 67
established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (86) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, 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,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta,
Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

Population Commission see Commission on Population and Development _________________________________________________________________

Rio Group (RG) note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986 address - Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Edificio AYFRA, Piso 10, Pdte Franco y Ayolas, Asuncion, Paraguay telephone - (21) 448409, 493872 FAX - (21) 450911, 493910 established - NA 1988 aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, 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 _________________________________________________________________

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) see Pacific Community _________________________________________________________________

Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA) see Latin American Economic System (LAES) _________________________________________________________________

Social Commission see Commission for Social Development _________________________________________________________________

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) address - P. O. Box 4222, Kathmandu, Nepal telephone - (1) 221785, 226350, 221792, 228029 FAX - (1) 227033, 223991 established - 8 December 1985 aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka _________________________________________________________________

South Pacific Commission (SPC) see Pacific Community (SPC) _________________________________________________________________

South Pacific Forum (SPF) address - c/o Forum Secretariat, Ratu Sukuna Road, Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji telephone - 312 600, 303 106 FAX - 301 102, 305 573 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 _________________________________________________________________

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca) address - c/o forum Secretariat, Ratu Sukuna Road GPO Box 856, Suva, Fiji telephone - 312 600, 303 106 FAX - 302 204 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) address - Director of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance, Private Bag 13295, Windhoek, Namibia 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) address - Private Bag 0095, Gaborone, Botswana telephone - (31) 351863, 351864, 351865 FAX - (31) 372848 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) address - Rincon 575 Piso 12, 11000 Montevideo, Uruguay telephone - (2) 9164590 FAX - (2) 9164591 established - 26 March 1991 aim - to increase regional economic cooperation members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay associate member - (2) Bolivia, Chile _________________________________________________________________

Statistical Commission address - Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, DC-2 Building, Room 2963, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 9851 established - 21 June 1946 aim - to deal with development and standardization of national statistics of interest to the UN, as part of the Economic and Social Council organization members - (24) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

Third World another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs) _________________________________________________________________

underdeveloped countries

refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs) _________________________________________________________________

undeveloped countries

refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs) _________________________________________________________________

Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale (UDEAC) see Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) _________________________________________________________________

United Nations (UN)
address - United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US
telephone - (212) 963 1234
FAX - (212) 963 4879
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
members - (187 excluding Yugoslavia) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,
Andorra, 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, 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, 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, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
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,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia
(suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - all UN members are represented
in the General Assembly; Tuvalu will become a member in 2000
observers - (2 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See,
Switzerland, Palestine Liberation Organization
_________________________________________________________________

United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) successor to original UNAVEM and UNAVEM II; established 20 December 1988; renewed for third time 8 February 1995; aim was to assist the parties in restoring peace and achieving national reconciliation in Angola on the basis of the Peace Accords, the Lusaka Protocol, and relevant Security Council resolutions; established by the UN Security Council; members Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Egypt, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Jordan, Mongolia, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Sweden, Tanzania, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe; disbanded 30 June 1997 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) established 5 October 1993 to support and provide safe conditions for displaced persons and human rights monitors, and to assist in training a new national police force; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Fiji, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Jordan, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe; terminated 8 March 1996 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization UN International Children's Emergency Fund address - UNICEF House, Three United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 326 7000 FAX - (212) 888 7465, 888 7454 established - 11 December 1946 aim - to help establish child health and welfare services members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Office for Special Political Affairs, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 established - 28 November 1997 aim - to support the professionalization of the Haitian National Police; established by UN Security Council members - (11) Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Civilian Police Support Group in Croatia established 19 December 1997 to monitor the Croatian police with respect to the return of displaced persons; members were Argentina, Austria, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Tunisia, Ukraine, US; disbanded 15 October 1998 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) address - UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland telephone - (22) 917 12 34, 907 12 34 FAX - (22) 907 00 57, 907 00 43 established - 30 December 1964 aim - to promote international trade members - (188) all UN members plus Holy See, Switzerland, Tonga _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO) established 31 March 1995 to separate Croatian and Krajina Serb forces; to monitor demilitarization of the Prevlaka Peninsula; to maintain a presence on Croatia's international borders; to monitor and report the crossing of military personnel, equipment, supplies and weapons; to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance; to aid refugees and displaced persons; to protect ethnic minorities; and to clear mines; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US; disbanded January 1996 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Development Program (UNDP) address - One United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 906 5788, 906 5000 FAX - (212) 906 5365 established - 22 November 1965 aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, United Nations, Room S-3260E, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 established - 31 May 1974 aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (5) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovakia _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
address - 7 place de Fontenoy, F-75352 Paris 07SP, France
telephone - (1) 45 68 10 00
FAX - (1) 45 67 16 90
established - 16 November 1945
effective - 4 November 1946
aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture
members - (186) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, 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, 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, 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, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue,
Norway, Oman, 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, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, 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, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (4) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Macau,
Netherlands Antilles
_________________________________________________________________

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) address - P. O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya telephone - (2) 230800, 520600, 621234, 623292 FAX - (2) 226890, 623927, 623692 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 address - see United Nations established - 26 June 1945 effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN members - (185) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly _________________________________________________________________

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) address - UNHCR Headquarters, Case Postale 2500, Depot, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland telephone - (22) 739 81 11 FAX - (22) 731 95 46 established - 3 December 1949 effective - 1 January 1951 aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems members - (53) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, 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 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
address - Vienna International Center, P. O. Box 300, A-1400 Vienna,
Austria
telephone - (1) 211 310
FAX - (1) 23 21 56
established - 17 November 1966
effective - 1 January 1967
aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development
especially among the members
members - (168) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, 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,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 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, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Yugoslavia (suspended), Zambia, Zimbabwe
_________________________________________________________________

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) address - Palais des Nations, Bureau 1070, CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland telephone - (22) 798-58-50, 798-84-00 FAX - (22) 733-13-83 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) - (19) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Cameroon, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 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 - (49) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 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 - (9) Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Poland _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 established - 9 April 1991 aim - to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security Council members - (33) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) address - P. O. Box 68, Rawalpindi, Pakistan telephone - (51) 564 298 FAX - (51) 567 897, 565 861 established - 24 January 1949 aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (8) Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 established - 29 April 1991 aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council members - (29) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Togo, US, Uruguay, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 758 2718 established - 21 December 1995 aim - to establish an International Police Task Force (IPTF) to implement the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina members - (44) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) established 23 September 1993; aim was to assist in implementing the agreement to transfer power back into the civilian government; established by the UN Security Council; became the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) 28 June 1996 with the aim to assist in the professionalization of the Haitian National Police; members were Algeria, Canada, France, India, Mali, Pakistan, Togo, US; disbanded 31 July 1997 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) established NA April 1998 to provide security in the capital as the government undertakes the necessary reforms to provide its own security; to provide training to civilian police; members were Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon Canada, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, France, Gabon, Mali, Portugal, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia; was disbanded 15 February 2000 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963-1234 FAX - (212) 758-2718 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 - (30) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, The Gambia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand, Tanzania, UK, Uruguay, Zambia _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 758 2718 established - 1 February 1996 aim - to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula members - (24) Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 758 2718 established - 16 December 1994 aim - to monitor and investigate violations of the cease-fire of 17 September 1994 between Tajikistan and the Tajik opposition and to assist in the political negotiation process; established by the UN Security Council members - (13) Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Ukraine, Uruguay _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC) note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM) address - c/o United Nations, Room S-3120H, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 3018 FAX - (212) 963 3922 established - NA December 1999 aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them members - (22) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UK, US, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) established 1 July 1997 to assist in implementation of peace agreement; oversee normalization of state administration throughout National territory; established by UN Security Council; members were Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Egypt, India, Jordan, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe; terminated 26 February 1999 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) established 20 May 1991 to verify cease-fire arrangements and to monitor the maintenance of public order pending the organization of a new National Civil Police; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Venezuela; disbanded April 1995 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 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 - (22) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) established 22 September 1993 to assist in the implementation of the peace agreement; established by the UN Security Council; members were Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan; disbanded September 1997 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR) established 1993 for six months to monitor the Uganda/Rwanda border to verify that no military assistance reaches Rwanda across the border; established by the UN Security Council; members were Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Hungary, Netherlands, Senegal, Slovakia, Zimbabwe; subsumed by UNAMIR _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Operation in Mozambique (UNOMOZ) established 16 December 1992 to supervise the cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, US, Uruguay, Zambia; shut down operations 31 January 1995 _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) established 24 April 1992 to facilitate an immediate cessation of hostilities, to maintain a cease-fire in order to promote a political settlement, and to provide urgent humanitarian assistance; established by the UN Security Council; members were Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, Egypt, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Zimbabwe; UN peacekeepers left Somalia on 1 March 1995; some UN personnel remain in Somalia engaged in humanitarian work _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 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 - (24) Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Canada, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Italy, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Nepal, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, UK, Tanzania, Uruguay, Zambia _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) address - Chief of Mission, P. O. Box 1642, Nicosia, Cyprus telephone - (2) 359 700 FAX - (2) 359 753 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 members - (10) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia, UK _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities address - 220 East 42nd Street, 19th Floor, Room DN-1901, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 297 5000 FAX - (212) 557 6416 established - NA July 1967 aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems members - (34) selected on a rotating basis from all regions _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP)
established 31 March 1995; to monitor border activity in the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland,
Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
Ukraine, US; mandate ended 25 March 1999
_________________________________________________________________

United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) established 28 February 1992; to create conditions for peace and security required for the negotiation of an overall settlement of the "Yugoslav" crisis; established by the UN Security Council; members were Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US; disbanded December 1995; replaced by the Implementation Force (IFOR), which has been replaced by the Stabilization Force (SFOR) _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) address - P. O. Box 700, Vienna International Center, A-1400 Vienna, Austria established - 8 December 1949 aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees members - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) address - Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland telephone - (22) 798 84 00, 798 58 50 FAX - (22) 740 07 91 established - NA 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 address - see United Nations 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 address - c/o United Nations, Room S-3520A, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 758 2718 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; Argentina (1999-2000), Bangladesh (2000-01), Canada (1999-2000), Jamaica (2000-01), Malaysia (1999-2000), Mali (2000-01), Namibia (1999-2000), Netherlands (1999-2000), Tunisia (2000-01), Ukraine (2000-01) _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) address - c/o Department of Peace-keeping Operations, Room S-3260E, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US telephone - (212) 963 1234 FAX - (212) 963 4879 established - 25 October 1999 aim - to provide security throughout the territory of East Timor; to establish an effective administration; to ensure the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance; to support capacity-building for self-government members - (27) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Ghana, Ireland, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UK, US, Uruguay, Zimbabwe _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) established 12 November 1995; aim to facilitate and supervise the Basic Agreement between the government of the Republic of Croatia and the local Serbian community that will lead to a peaceful integration of that region into the national state of Croatia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russian, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US; disbanded 15 January 1998; a UN Civilian Police Support Group was established in December 1997 as follow-on mission to UNTAES; the support group will continue to monitor the Croatian police in the Danube region, particularly in connection with the return of displaced people _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) established by the UN Security Council on 28 February 1992 to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of peace and to the holding of free elections; disbanded sometime after the UN-supervised election in May 1993; members were Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, UK, US, Uruguay _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) address - Government House, P. O. Box 490, Jerusalem 91004, Israel telephone - (2) 673 4223 FAX - (2) 673 5282, 673 4223 extension 400 established - NA 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 - (22) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, 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) address - 53-70 Jingumae 5-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150, Japan telephone - (3) 3499 2811 FAX - (3) 3499 2828 established - 3 December 1973 aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars members - (38 associated institutes in 32 countries) Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela _________________________________________________________________

United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) established on 20 January 1997; to verify fulfillment of cease-fire provisions; established by UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela; mandate terminated in May 1997 _________________________________________________________________