Part 70
members--(133) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
established--NA November 1974;
aim--UN specialized agency that promotes agricultural development;
members--(144);
Category I--(21 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US;
Category II--(12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela;
Category III--(111 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Investment Bank (IIB)
established--7 July 1970;
aim--to promote economic development;
members--(9) Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Labor Organization (ILO)
established--11 April 1919 (affiliated with the UN 14 December 1946);
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world labor issues;
members--(148) all UN members except Albania, Bhutan, Brunei, The Gambia, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Oman, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa; other members are San Marino, Switzerland ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Maritime Organization (IMO)--name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982;
established--17 March 1958;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world maritime affairs;
members--(132) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire;
associate member--(1) Hong Kong ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT)
established--3 September 1976, effective 26 July 1979;
aim--to provide worldwide communications for maritime and other applications;
members--(55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UAE, UK, US, USSR ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Monetary Fund (IMF)
established--22 July 1944, effective 27 December 1945;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world monetary stability and economic development;
members--(154) all UN members except Albania, Brunei, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cuba, Liechtenstein, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR; other members are Kiribati, South Korea, Tonga ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Olympic Committee (IOC)
established--23 June 1894;
aim--to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games:
1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France (8-23 February);
1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain (25 July-9 August);
1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway (12-27 February);
1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States (20 July-4 August):
1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan (date NA);
members--(165) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Organization for Migration (IOM)--established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) on NA November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989;
established--5 December 1951;
aim--to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration;
members--(35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Switzerland, Thailand, US, Uruguay, Venezuela;
observers--(22) Belize, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Egypt, Finland, France, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Mexico, NZ, San Marino, Somalia, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, Vatican City, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
established--NA February 1947;
aim--to promote the development of international standards;
members--(72 national standards organizations) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, USSR, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia;
correspondent members--(14) Bahrain, Barbados, Brunei, Guinea, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jordan, Kuwait, Malawi, Mauritius, Oman, Senegal, UAE, Uruguay ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
established--NA 1928;
aim--to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS) in peacetime;
members--(9) 2 representatives from ICRC, 2 from LORCS, and 5 from national societies elected by the international conference of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
established--9 December 1932, effective 1 January 1934, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947;
aim--UN specialized agency concerned with world telecommunications;
members--(164) all UN members except Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Seychelles; other members are Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Monaco, Nauru, San Marino, Switzerland, Tonga, Vatican City ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT)
established--20 August 1971, effective 12 February 1973;
aim--to develop and operate a global commercial telecommunications satellite system;
members--(118) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
established--15 December 1973;
aim--to promote Islamic economic aid and social development;
members--(43 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Latin American Economic System (LAES), also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA);
established--17 October 1975;
aim--to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation;
members--(26) Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Latin American Integration Association (LAIA), also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI);
established--12 August 1980, effective 18 March 1981;
aim--to promote freer regional trade;
members--(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela;
observers--(13) Andean Group, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Organization of American States, Panama, Portugal, Spain, UN Development Program, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_League of Arab States (LAS)--see Arab League (AL) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS)
established--5 May 1919;
aim--to provide humanitarian aid in peacetime;
members--(147) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
associate members--(2) Equatorial Guinea, Gabon ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_least developed countries (LLDCs)--that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GNPs/GDPs normally less than $500, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries;
the 41 LLDCs are--Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Yemen ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_less developed countries (LDCs)--the bottom group in the comprehensive but mutually exclusive hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), USSR/Eastern Europe (USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GNPs/GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,000; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries;
the 173 LDCs are--Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Western Samoa, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_low-income countries--another term for the less developed countries with below-average per capita GNPs/GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_middle-income countries--another term for the less developed countries with above-average per capita GNPs/GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_newly industrializing countries (NICs)--former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_newly industrializing economies (NIEs)--that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan) plus Brazil and Mexico ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
established--1-6 September 1961;
aim--political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs;
members--(102 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UAE, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization;
observers--(9) Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Uruguay;
guests--(11) Australia, Austria, Dominican Republic, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Nordic Council (NC)
established--16 March 1952, effective 12 February 1953;
aim--to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation;
members--(5) Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden; note--Denmark includes Faroe Islands and Greenland ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Nordic Investment Bank (NIB)
established--4 December 1975, effective 1 June 1976;
aim--to promote economic cooperation and development;
members--(5) Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_North--a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
established--17 September 1949;
aim--mutual defense and cooperation in other areas;
members--(16) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
established--NA 1958;
aim--associated with OECD, seeks to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy;
members--(23) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)--see Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
established--14 December 1960, effective 30 September 1961;
aim--to promote economic cooperation and development;
members--(24) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US;
special member--(1) Yugoslavia ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization of African Unity (OAU)
established--25 May 1963;
aim--to promote unity and cooperation among African states;
members--(51) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization of American States (OAS)
established--30 April 1948, effective 13 December 1951;
aim--to promote peace and security as well as economic and social development;
members--(35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela;
observers--(22) Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, EC, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Vatican City ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
established--9 January 1968;
aim--to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry;
members--(10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
established--18 June 1981, effective 4 July 1981;
aim--to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation;
members--(7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
associate member--(1) British Virgin Islands ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
established--14 September 1960;
aim--to coordinate petroleum policies;
members--(13) Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
established--22-25 September 1969;
aim--to promote Islamic solidarity and cooperation in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs;
members--(44 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization; note--Afghanistan was suspended in January 1980, but in March 1989 the self-proclaimed Afghan Interim Government based in Pakistan was given membership;
observer--(1) Turkish-Cypriot administered area of Cyprus ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Paris Club--see Group of 10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
established--NA 1899;
aim--to facilitate the settlement of international disputes;
members--(75) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, UK, US, USSR, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Population Commission
established--3 October 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with population matters;
members--(27) selected on a rotating basis from all regions ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Rio Group (RG)
established--NA 1988;
aim--a consultation mechanism on regional Latin American issues;
members--(11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela; note--Panama was expelled in 1988 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Second World--another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; see centrally planned economies ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_socialist countries--in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note--the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_South--a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
established--8 December 1985;
aim--to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation;
members--(7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_South Pacific Commission (SPC)
established--6 February 1947, effective 29 July 1948;
aim--to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters;
members--(27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, Western Samoa ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_South Pacific Forum (SPF)
established--5 August 1971;
aim--to promote regional cooperation in political matters;
members--(15) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa;
observer--(1) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
established--11 December 1969;
aim--to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters;
members--(9) Bophuthatswana, Botswana, Ciskei, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Transkei, Venda ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
established--1 April 1980;
aim--to promote regional economic development and reduce dependence on South Africa;
members--(10) Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Statistical Commission
established--21 June 1946;
aim--ECOSOC organization dealing with development and standardization of national statistics;
members--(24) selected on a rotating basis from all regions ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Third World--another term for the less developed countries; see less developed countries (LDCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_underdeveloped countries--refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_undeveloped countries--refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_Union Douaniere et Economique de l'Afrique Centrale (UDEAC)--see Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- _#_United Nations (UN)
established--26 June 1945, effective 24 October 1945;
aim--to maintain international peace and security as well as promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems;