This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2182

Rank Country Natural gas - imports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 697,500,000,000 2001 est. 2 European Union 292,200,000,000 2001 3 United States 114,100,000,000 2001 est. 4 Germany 78,730,000,000 2001 est. 5 Japan 77,730,000,000 2001 est. 6 Ukraine 55,900,000,000 2001 est. 7 Italy 54,780,000,000 2001 est. 8 France 40,260,000,000 2001 est. 9 Russia 32,700,000,000 2001 est. 10 Korea, South 21,110,000,000 2001 est. 11 Netherlands 20,780,000,000 2001 est. 12 Belarus 17,800,000,000 2001 est. 13 Spain 17,260,000,000 2001 est. 14 Turkey 15,750,000,000 2001 est. 15 Belgium 15,400,000,000 2001 est. 16 Hungary 9,587,000,000 2001 est. 17 Czech Republic 9,521,000,000 2001 est. 18 Poland 8,782,000,000 2001 est. 19 Kazakhstan 8,300,000,000 2001 est. 20 Slovakia 7,205,000,000 2001 est. 21 Taiwan 6,300,000,000 2001 est. 22 Austria 6,033,000,000 2001 est. 23 Bulgaria 5,800,000,000 2001 est. 24 Romania 5,400,000,000 2001 est. 25 Chile 5,270,000,000 2001 est. 26 Thailand 5,200,000,000 2001 est. 27 Finland 4,567,000,000 2001 est. 28 Canada 4,460,000,000 2001 est. 29 Iran 4,200,000,000 2001 est. 30 Brazil 3,640,000,000 2001 est. 31 Ireland 3,384,000,000 2001 est. 32 Switzerland 3,093,000,000 2001 est. 33 Mexico 2,967,000,000 2001 est. 34 Lithuania 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 35 United Kingdom 2,700,000,000 2001 est. 36 Portugal 2,553,000,000 2001 est. 37 Singapore 2,500,000,000 2001 est. 38 Moldova 2,050,000,000 2001 est. 39 Greece 2,018,000,000 2001 est. 40 Kyrgyzstan 2,000,000,000 2001 est. 41 Latvia 1,700,000,000 2001 est. 42 Tunisia 1,580,000,000 2001 est. 43 Armenia 1,400,000,000 2001 est. 44 Estonia 1,270,000,000 2001 est. 45 Tajikistan 1,250,000,000 2001 est. 46 Georgia 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 47 Croatia 1,080,000,000 2001 est. 48 Slovenia 1,040,000,000 2001 est. 49 Azerbaijan 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 50 Sweden 968,000,000 2001 est. 51 Luxembourg 867,000,000 2001 est. 52 Hong Kong 680,900,000 2001 est. 53 Puerto Rico 630,000,000 2001 est. 54 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2001 est. 55 Uruguay 40,000,000 2001 est. 56 United Arab Emirates 0 2001 est. 57 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 58 Argentina 0 2001 est. 59 Bolivia 0 2001 est. 60 Senegal 0 2001 est. 61 South Africa 0 2001 est. 62 Saudi Arabia 0 2001 est. 63 Philippines 0 2001 est. 64 Qatar 0 2001 est. 65 Papua New Guinea 0 2001 est. 66 Pakistan 0 2001 est. 67 Peru 0 2001 est. 68 New Zealand 0 2001 est. 69 Yemen 0 2001 est. 70 Serbia and Montenegro 0 2001 est. 71 Vietnam 0 2001 est. 72 Venezuela 0 2001 est. 73 Uzbekistan 0 2001 est. 74 Turkmenistan 0 2001 est. 75 Trinidad and Tobago 0 2001 est. 76 Syria 0 2001 est. 77 Norway 0 2001 est. 78 Nigeria 0 2001 est. 79 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 80 Malaysia 0 2001 est. 81 Oman 0 2001 est. 82 Morocco 0 2001 est. 83 Libya 0 2001 est. 84 Kuwait 0 2002 est. 85 Jordan 0 2001 est. 86 Iraq 0 2001 est. 87 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2001 est. 88 Israel 0 2001 est. 89 India 0 2001 est. 90 Indonesia 0 2001 est. 91 Gabon 0 2001 est. 92 Ecuador 0 2001 est. 93 Denmark 0 2001 est. 94 Cuba 0 2001 est. 95 Colombia 0 2001 est. 96 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 97 China 0 2001 est. 98 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 99 Brunei 0 2001 est. 100 Burma 0 2001 est. 101 Equatorial Guinea 0 2001 est. 102 Egypt 0 2001 est. 103 Bangladesh 0 2001 est. 104 Barbados 0 2001 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2001 est. 106 Australia 0 2001 est. 107 Angola 0 2001 est. 108 Albania 0 2001 est. 109 Algeria 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2183

Rank Country Natural gas - exports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 712,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 Russia 205,400,000,000 2001 est. 3 Canada 109,000,000,000 2001 est. 4 European Union 77,040,000,000 2001 5 Algeria 57,980,000,000 2001 est. 6 Norway 50,500,000,000 2001 est. 7 Netherlands 49,280,000,000 2001 est. 8 Turkmenistan 38,600,000,000 2001 est. 9 Indonesia 32,800,000,000 2001 est. 10 Malaysia 22,410,000,000 2001 est. 11 Uzbekistan 17,900,000,000 2001 est. 12 Qatar 16,540,000,000 2001 est. 13 United Kingdom 15,750,000,000 2001 est. 14 Trinidad and Tobago 11,790,000,000 2003 est. 15 United States 11,160,000,000 2001 est. 16 Australia 9,744,000,000 2001 est. 17 Brunei 9,000,000,000 2001 est. 18 Nigeria 7,830,000,000 2001 est. 19 Oman 7,430,000,000 2001 est. 20 United Arab Emirates 7,080,000,000 2001 est. 21 Germany 6,674,000,000 2001 est. 22 Argentina 6,050,000,000 2001 est. 23 Burma 5,200,000,000 2001 est. 24 Kazakhstan 4,100,000,000 2001 est. 25 Denmark 3,100,000,000 2001 est. 26 Bolivia 2,900,000,000 2001 est. 27 France 1,725,000,000 2001 est. 28 Libya 770,000,000 2001 est. 29 Taiwan 410,000,000 2001 est. 30 Austria 403,000,000 2001 est. 31 Mexico 254,000,000 2001 est. 32 Iran 110,000,000 2001 est. 33 Italy 61,000,000 2001 est. 34 Poland 41,000,000 2001 est. 35 Hungary 4,000,000 2001 est. 36 Czech Republic 1,000,000 2001 est. 37 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 38 Barbados 0 2001 est. 39 Bangladesh 0 2001 est. 40 Cuba 0 2001 est. 41 Colombia 0 2001 est. 42 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 43 Chile 0 2001 est. 44 China 0 2001 est. 45 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 46 Bulgaria 0 2001 est. 47 Brazil 0 2001 est. 48 Belarus 0 2001 est. 49 Moldova 0 2001 est. 50 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 51 Slovakia 0 2001 est. 52 Lithuania 0 2001 est. 53 Latvia 0 2001 est. 54 Kuwait 0 2002 est. 55 Korea, South 0 2001 est. 56 Kyrgyzstan 0 2001 est. 57 Jordan 0 2001 est. 58 Vietnam 0 2001 est. 59 Venezuela 0 2001 est. 60 Uruguay 0 2001 est. 61 Ukraine 0 2001 est. 62 Turkey 0 2001 est. 63 Tunisia 0 2001 est. 64 Tajikistan 0 2001 est. 65 Thailand 0 2001 est. 66 Sweden 0 2001 est. 67 Yemen 0 2001 est. 68 Serbia and Montenegro 0 2001 est. 69 Spain 0 2001 est. 70 Singapore 0 2001 est. 71 Slovenia 0 2001 est. 72 Senegal 0 2001 est. 73 South Africa 0 2001 est. 74 Saudi Arabia 0 2001 est. 75 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 76 Philippines 0 2001 est. 77 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 78 Syria 0 2001 est. 79 Romania 0 2001 est. 80 Papua New Guinea 0 2001 est. 81 Portugal 0 2001 est. 82 Pakistan 0 2001 est. 83 Peru 0 2001 est. 84 New Zealand 0 2001 est. 85 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 86 Morocco 0 2001 est. 87 Japan 0 2001 est. 88 Iraq 0 2001 est. 89 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2001 est. 90 Israel 0 2001 est. 91 India 0 2001 est. 92 Croatia 0 2001 est. 93 Hong Kong 0 2001 est. 94 Greece 0 2001 est. 95 Georgia 0 2001 est. 96 Gabon 0 2001 est. 97 Finland 0 2001 est. 98 Estonia 0 2001 est. 99 Equatorial Guinea 0 2001 est. 100 Ireland 0 2001 est. 101 Egypt 0 2001 est. 102 Ecuador 0 2001 est. 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est. 104 Belgium 0 2001 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2001 est. 106 Azerbaijan 0 2001 est. 107 Albania 0 2001 est. 108 Armenia 0 2001 est. 109 Angola 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2184

Rank Country Internet hosts Date of Information

1 United States 115,311,958 2002 2 European Union 22,000,414 3 Japan 12,962,065 2003 4 Netherlands 4,518,226 2004 5 United Kingdom 3,398,708 2004 6 Canada 3,210,081 2003 7 Brazil 3,163,349 2003 8 Australia 2,847,763 2003 9 Taiwan 2,777,085 2003 10 Germany 2,686,119 2004 11 France 2,396,761 2004 12 Italy 1,437,511 2004 13 Mexico 1,333,406 2003 14 Denmark 1,219,925 2004 15 Finland 1,219,173 2004 16 Spain 1,056,950 2004 17 Sweden 945,221 2004 18 Poland 804,915 2004 19 Argentina 742,358 2003 20 Korea, South 694,206 2001 21 Switzerland 667,275 2004 22 Norway 593,850 2004 23 Hong Kong 591,993 2003 24 Russia 560,874 2004 25 Singapore 484,825 2003 26 New Zealand 474,395 2003 27 Israel 437,516 2004 28 Austria 387,006 2004 29 Hungary 383,071 2004 30 Turkey 355,215 2004 31 Portugal 346,078 2004 32 Czech Republic 295,677 2004 33 South Africa 288,633 2003 34 Greece 208,977 2004 35 Chile 202,429 2003 36 Belgium 166,799 2004 37 Ireland 162,228 2004 38 China 160,421 2003 39 Iceland 122,175 2004 40 Colombia 115,158 2003 41 Malaysia 107,971 2003 42 Thailand 103,700 2003 43 Ukraine 94,345 2004 44 Slovakia 89,592 2004 45 Uruguay 87,630 2003 46 India 86,871 2003 47 Estonia 82,142 2004 48 Lithuania 67,769 2004 49 Peru 65,868 2003 50 Dominican Republic 64,197 2003 51 Indonesia 62,036 2003 52 United Arab Emirates 56,283 2004 53 Bulgaria 53,421 2004 54 Latvia 51,758 2004 55 Romania 50,807 2004 56 Slovenia 45,491 2004 57 Philippines 38,440 2002 58 Venezuela 35,301 2003 59 Croatia 29,644 2004 60 Luxembourg 28,214 2003 61 Kazakhstan 21,984 2004 62 Guatemala 20,360 2003 63 Serbia and Montenegro 20,207 2004 64 Tonga 18,906 2003 65 Saudi Arabia 15,931 2004 66 Pakistan 15,124 2003 67 Kyrgyzstan 12,299 2004 68 Moldova 11,984 2003 69 Costa Rica 10,826 2003 70 Paraguay 9,243 2003 71 Kenya 8,325 2003 72 Samoa 8,225 2003 73 Trinidad and Tobago 8,003 2003 74 Malta 7,156 2004 75 Panama 7,129 2003 76 Nicaragua 7,094 2003 77 Bolivia 7,080 2003 78 Lebanon 6,998 2004 79 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6,994 2004 80 Brunei 6,409 2003 81 Cyprus 5,901 2004 82 Tanzania 5,534 2003 83 Belarus 5,308 2004 84 Iran 5,269 2004 85 Bermuda 5,161 2001 86 Georgia 5,160 2004 87 French Polynesia 5,123 2003 88 Zimbabwe 4,501 2003 89 New Caledonia 4,449 2003 90 Andorra 4,144 2004 91 El Salvador 4,084 2003 92 Mauritius 3,985 2003 93 Cote d'Ivoire 3,795 2004 94 Macedonia 3,738 2004 95 Liechtenstein 3,727 2004 96 Morocco 3,627 2004 97 Kuwait 3,437 2001 98 Egypt 3,401 2004 99 Mozambique 3,249 2003 100 Ecuador 3,188 2003 101 Namibia 3,164 2003 102 Jordan 3,160 2004 103 Uganda 2,692 2004 104 Greenland 2,642 2004 105 Belize 2,613 2003 106 Armenia 2,206 2004 107 Honduras 1,944 2003 108 Botswana 1,920 2003 109 Sri Lanka 1,882 2003 110 Zambia 1,880 2003 111 San Marino 1,763 2004 112 Antigua and Barbuda 1,665 2003 113 Cuba 1,529 2003 114 Rwanda 1,495 2003 115 Jamaica 1,480 2003 116 Swaziland 1,401 2003 117 Bahrain 1,334 2003 118 Nigeria 1,142 2004 119 Sao Tome and Principe 1,069 2003 120 Eritrea 1,047 2004 121 Uzbekistan 1,040 2003 122 Bhutan 985 2003 123 Laos 937 2003 124 Aruba 923 2001 125 Nepal 917 2003 126 Algeria 897 2004 127 Benin 879 2004 128 Cambodia 818 2003 129 Madagascar 773 2003 130 Oman 726 2003 131 Djibouti 702 2004 132 Dominica 681 2003 133 Senegal 672 2003 134 Guyana 613 2003 135 Azerbaijan 586 2004 136 Gambia, The 568 2004 137 Monaco 533 2004 138 Maldives 532 2003 139 Turkmenistan 524 2004 140 Vanuatu 512 2003 141 Fiji 493 2003 142 Cameroon 479 2004 143 Albania 455 2004 144 Burkina Faso 442 2003 145 Ghana 407 2004 146 Solomon Islands 398 2003 147 Papua New Guinea 389 2003 148 Guinea 380 2004 149 Vietnam 340 2003 150 Bahamas, The 302 2003 151 Tunisia 281 2004 152 Sierra Leone 277 2004 153 Seychelles 264 2003 154 Qatar 221 2004 155 Barbados 204 2003 156 Mali 187 2003 157 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 153 2003 158 Yemen 138 2004 159 Niger 134 2003 160 Lesotho 119 2003 161 Netherlands Antilles 119 2001 162 Cape Verde 118 2004 163 Gabon 93 2004 164 Macau 89 2003 165 Togo 82 2003 166 Tajikistan 69 2004 167 Libya 67 2003 168 Saint Kitts and Nevis 51 2003 169 Congo, Republic of the 46 2003 170 Saint Lucia 41 2003 171 Mongolia 40 2003 172 Mauritania 25 2003 173 Burundi 22 2003 174 Grenada 18 2003 175 Suriname 18 2003 176 Malawi 18 2003 177 Angola 17 2003 178 Liberia 14 2004 179 Comoros 11 2003 180 Syria 11 2004 181 Ethiopia 9 2003 182 Holy See (Vatican City) 9 2004 183 Chad 8 2004 184 Central African Republic 6 2002 185 Marshall Islands 6 2003 186 Somalia 4 2004 187 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4 2003 188 Burma 3 2003 189 Equatorial Guinea 3 2004 190 Guinea-Bissau 2 2004 191 Bangladesh 1 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2185

Rank Country Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Equatorial Guinea 63.60 2003 2 Sao Tome and Principe 51.60 2003 3 Azerbaijan 50.40 2003 4 Mozambique 47.80 2003 5 Zambia 45.20 2003 6 China 43.40 2003 7 Chad 40.30 2003 8 Seychelles 39.10 2003 9 Guyana 38.50 2003 10 Lesotho 34.10 2003 11 Belize 33.00 2003 12 Vietnam 33.00 2003 13 Angola 31.70 2003 14 Jamaica 31.60 2003 15 Congo, Republic of the 31.30 2003 16 Estonia 30.20 2003 17 Korea, South 29.60 2003 18 Yemen 29.10 2003 19 Burkina Faso 29.00 2003 20 Iran 28.60 2003 21 Nicaragua 28.10 2003 22 Croatia 27.70 2003 23 Nigeria 27.70 2003 24 Latvia 27.10 2003 25 Eritrea 26.30 2003 26 Czech Republic 26.00 2003 27 Slovakia 25.80 2003 28 Spain 25.60 2003 29 Greece 25.50 2003 30 Thailand 25.50 2003 31 Singapore 24.90 2003 32 Algeria 24.80 2003 33 Australia 24.80 2003 34 Panama 24.80 2003 35 Lebanon 24.80 2003 36 Ghana 24.50 2003 37 Tunisia 24.20 2003 38 Honduras 24.00 2003 39 Botswana 23.90 2003 40 Japan 23.90 2003 41 Kazakhstan 23.90 2003 42 Slovenia 23.30 2003 43 Bangladesh 23.20 2003 44 Qatar 23.20 2003 45 India 23.10 2003 46 Malta 23.10 2003 47 Ireland 22.90 2003 48 Mauritius 22.90 2003 49 Sri Lanka 22.70 2003 50 Gabon 22.70 2003 51 Austria 22.50 2003 52 Romania 22.50 2003 53 Hong Kong 22.30 2003 54 Portugal 22.30 2003 55 Malaysia 22.20 2003 56 United Arab Emirates 22.00 2003 57 Hungary 22.00 2003 58 Belarus 21.70 2003 59 Ecuador 21.70 2003 60 Morocco 21.70 2003 61 Iceland 21.60 2003 62 Senegal 21.30 2003 63 Chile 21.20 2003 64 Guinea 21.20 2003 65 Swaziland 21.10 2003 66 Ukraine 21.00 2003 67 New Zealand 20.90 2003 68 Lithuania 20.80 2003 69 Luxembourg 20.70 2003 70 Uganda 20.30 2003 71 Costa Rica 20.20 2003 72 Netherlands 20.10 2003 73 Switzerland 20.10 2003 74 Gambia, The 20.00 2003 75 Cyprus 19.90 2003 76 Denmark 19.90 2003 77 Dominican Republic 19.90 2003 78 Armenia 19.80 2003 79 Namibia 19.80 2003 80 Belgium 19.70 2003 81 Indonesia 19.70 2003 82 Bulgaria 19.60 2003 83 Canada 19.50 2003 84 Turkmenistan 19.50 2003 85 Cameroon 19.40 2003 86 Benin 19.30 2003 87 Mexico 19.30 2003 88 Rwanda 19.30 2003 89 France 19.20 2003 90 Italy 19.10 2003 91 Jordan 18.80 2003 92 Albania 18.70 2003 93 Poland 18.40 2003 94 Togo 18.40 2003 95 Russia 18.20 2003 96 Philippines 18.10 2003 97 Brazil 18.00 2003 98 Georgia 18.00 2003 99 Saudi Arabia 18.00 2003 100 Finland 18.00 2003 101 Norway 17.80 2003 102 Germany 17.70 2003 103 Peru 17.70 2003 104 Kyrgyzstan 17.60 2003 105 Taiwan 17.50 2003 106 Israel 17.20 2003 107 Tanzania 17.20 2003 108 Paraguay 17.20 2003 109 Moldova 17.20 2003 110 Ethiopia 17.00 2003 111 Egypt 16.70 2003 112 Cape Verde 16.50 2003 113 Macedonia 16.30 2003 114 El Salvador 16.20 2003 115 United Kingdom 16.20 2003 116 South Africa 16.00 2003 117 Cambodia 15.90 2003 118 Colombia 15.90 2003 119 Sweden 15.70 2003 120 Turkey 15.50 2003 121 Guatemala 15.20 2003 122 United States 15.20 2003 123 Argentina 15.10 2003 124 Libya 15.00 2003 125 Madagascar 14.80 2003 126 Trinidad and Tobago 14.80 2003 127 Sudan 14.80 2003 128 Kenya 14.30 2003 129 Serbia and Montenegro 14.30 2003 130 Papua New Guinea 13.90 2003 131 Syria 13.60 2003 132 Oman 13.00 2003 133 Pakistan 12.90 2003 134 Venezuela 12.60 2003 135 Bolivia 12.40 2003 136 Malawi 12.30 2003 137 Bahrain 11.90 2003 138 Burma 11.80 2003 139 Cuba 10.10 2003 140 Burundi 9.80 2003 141 Uruguay 9.70 2003 142 Zimbabwe 8.90 2003 143 Cote d'Ivoire 8.70 2003 144 Kuwait 8.00 2003 145 Tajikistan 7.50 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2186

Rank Country Public debt(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Malawi 235.70 2003 2 Lebanon 185.10 2003 3 Japan 154.60 2003 4 Jamaica 145.60 2003 5 Zambia 133.60 2003 6 Seychelles 129.30 2003 7 Nicaragua 125.30 2003 8 Serbia and Montenegro 123.20 2003 9 Israel 108.60 2003 10 Italy 106.40 2003 11 Singapore 106.40 2003 12 Sri Lanka 105.10 2003 13 Belgium 102.00 2003 est. 14 Egypt 101.80 2003 15 Greece 100.90 2003 16 Saudi Arabia 94.60 2003 17 Jordan 92.70 2003 18 Syria 89.00 2003 19 Moldova 88.40 2003 20 Sudan 87.00 2003 21 Cote d'Ivoire 82.50 2003 22 Turkey 78.70 2003 23 Canada 77.00 2003 24 Philippines 77.00 2003 25 Morocco 76.20 2003 26 Panama 73.30 2003 27 Indonesia 72.90 2003 28 Pakistan 72.70 2003 29 Qatar 72.70 2003 30 Papua New Guinea 72.40 2003 31 Croatia 69.10 2003 32 France 68.80 2003 33 Austria 67.60 2003 34 Argentina 65.70 2003 est. 35 Vietnam 64.30 2003 36 Germany 64.20 2003 37 Kenya 62.90 2003 38 Spain 62.70 2003 39 United States 62.40 2003 40 Cyprus 62.30 2003 41 Uganda 62.20 2003 42 Portugal 59.80 2003 43 India 59.70 2003 44 Tunisia 59.50 2003 45 Dominican Republic 59.40 2003 46 Brazil 58.50 2003 47 Honduras 57.80 2003 48 Bahrain 57.50 2003 49 Cameroon 57.10 2003 50 Switzerland 57.10 2003 51 Hungary 57.00 2003 52 Costa Rica 56.10 2003 53 Trinidad and Tobago 55.90 2003 54 Senegal 54.20 2003 55 Netherlands 54.10 2003 56 Ecuador 53.70 2003 57 Colombia 51.90 2003 58 Sweden 51.80 2003 59 United Kingdom 51.00 2003 60 Peru 49.20 2003 61 Finland 48.70 2003 62 Bulgaria 48.00 2003 63 Poland 47.40 2003 64 Thailand 46.60 2003 65 Malaysia 45.50 2003 66 Paraguay 45.10 2003 67 Denmark 45.00 2003 68 El Salvador 43.70 2003 69 Bangladesh 43.30 2003 70 Uzbekistan 42.30 2003 71 Algeria 41.50 2003 est. 72 Iceland 41.50 2003 73 Zimbabwe 41.30 2003 74 Yemen 39.50 2003 75 Venezuela 38.80 2003 76 South Africa 38.20 2003 77 Slovakia 37.60 2003 78 Namibia 35.60 2003 79 Russia 34.10 2003 80 Mauritius 31.90 2003 81 Slovenia 31.90 2003 82 Gabon 31.50 2003 83 Ireland 31.20 2003 84 Guatemala 30.80 2003 85 Taiwan 30.50 2003 86 Macedonia 30.20 2003 87 China 30.10 2003 88 Czech Republic 29.70 2003 89 Kuwait 29.50 2003 90 Ukraine 28.70 2003 91 Nigeria 28.60 2003 92 Iran 28.20 2003 93 New Zealand 25.60 2003 94 Romania 25.50 2003 95 Lithuania 23.60 2003 96 Mexico 23.10 2003 97 Norway 22.10 2003 98 Australia 18.20 2003 99 United Arab Emirates 18.10 2003 100 Libya 16.60 2003 101 Azerbaijan 16.30 2003 est. 102 Oman 15.60 2003 103 Kazakhstan 15.50 2003 104 Chile 14.80 2003 105 Latvia 14.40 2003 106 Korea, South 13.80 2003 107 Estonia 7.40 2003 108 Botswana 7.00 2003 109 Tanzania 6.10 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2187

Rank Country Current account balance Date of Information

1 Japan $ 135,900,000,000 2003 2 Germany $ 57,240,000,000 2003 3 Switzerland $ 36,000,000,000 2003 4 Russia $ 35,910,000,000 2003 5 China $ 31,170,000,000 2003 6 Norway $ 29,340,000,000 2003 7 Taiwan $ 28,570,000,000 2003 8 Singapore $ 26,150,000,000 2003 9 Saudi Arabia $ 22,270,000,000 2003 10 Sweden $ 19,560,000,000 2003 11 Canada $ 18,630,000,000 2003 12 Hong Kong $ 17,420,000,000 2003 13 France $ 13,800,000,000 2003 14 Malaysia $ 13,380,000,000 2003 15 United Arab Emirates $ 12,470,000,000 2003 16 Korea, South $ 12,320,000,000 2003 17 Netherlands $ 12,090,000,000 2003 18 Belgium $ 10,690,000,000 2003 19 Finland $ 10,300,000,000 2003 20 Venezuela $ 9,659,000,000 2003 21 Thailand $ 9,440,000,000 2003 22 Kuwait $ 8,652,000,000 2003 23 Argentina $ 7,855,000,000 2003 24 Algeria $ 7,836,000,000 2003 25 Indonesia $ 7,336,000,000 2003 26 Libya $ 6,641,000,000 2003 27 Denmark $ 6,397,000,000 2003 28 Qatar $ 4,149,000,000 2003 29 Iran $ 3,935,000,000 2003 30 Egypt $ 3,874,000,000 2003 31 Brazil $ 3,520,000,000 2003 32 India $ 3,410,000,000 2003 33 Pakistan $ 3,358,000,000 2003 34 Philippines $ 3,349,000,000 2003 35 Ukraine $ 2,891,000,000 2003 36 Oman $ 2,173,000,000 2003 37 Nigeria $ 1,439,000,000 2003 38 Iraq $ 1,136,000,000 2003 39 Morocco $ 963,000,000 2003 40 Turkmenistan $ 957,000,000 2003 41 Trinidad and Tobago $ 954,000,000 2003 42 Jordan $ 903,000,000 2003 43 Dominican Republic $ 867,000,000 2003 44 Botswana $ 539,000,000 2003 45 Cote d'Ivoire $ 501,000,000 2003 46 Uzbekistan $ 462,000,000 2003 47 Bangladesh $ 393,000,000 2003 48 Mauritius $ 289,000,000 2003 49 Yemen $ 157,000,000 2003 50 Paraguay $ 146,000,000 2003 51 Congo, Republic of the $ 139,200,000 2003 52 Namibia $ 123,000,000 2003 53 Ghana $ 110,000,000 2003 54 Uruguay $ 76,000,000 2003 55 Bahrain $ 53,000,000 2003 56 Bolivia $ 50,000,000 2003 57 Slovenia $ 15,100,000 2003 58 Papua New Guinea $ 12,000,000 2003 59 Sao Tome and Principe $ -8,000,000 2003 60 Burma $ -35,000,000 2003 61 Burundi $ -35,000,000 2003 62 Gambia, The $ -42,000,000 2003 63 Haiti $ -48,000,000 2003 64 Tajikistan $ -50,000,000 2003 65 Laos $ -58,000,000 2003 66 Malawi $ -58,000,000 2003 67 Kazakhstan $ -68,800,000 2003 68 Syria $ -72,000,000 2003 69 Swaziland $ -72,690,000 2003 70 Seychelles $ -73,000,000 2003 71 Gabon $ -101,000,000 2003 72 Cape Verde $ -106,300,000 2003 73 Kyrgyzstan $ -108,000,000 2003 74 Benin $ -112,000,000 2003 75 Lesotho $ -112,000,000 2003 76 Ecuador $ -117,000,000 2003 77 Moldova $ -135,000,000 2003 78 Togo $ -140,000,000 2003 79 Belize $ -142,000,000 2003 80 Guyana $ -158,000,000 2003 81 Eritrea $ -159,000,000 2003 82 Rwanda $ -163,000,000 2003 83 Israel $ -174,000,000 2003 84 Armenia $ -210,000,000 2003 85 Cambodia $ -218,100,000 2003 86 Uganda $ -237,000,000 2003 87 Malta $ -250,000,000 2003 88 Guinea $ -252,000,000 2003 89 Cuba $ -273,000,000 2003 90 Slovakia $ -277,400,000 2003 91 Sri Lanka $ -278,000,000 2003 92 Macedonia $ -278,000,000 2003 93 Honduras $ -279,600,000 2003 94 Kenya $ -306,000,000 2003 95 Zambia $ -340,000,000 2003 96 Burkina Faso $ -341,000,000 2003 97 Zimbabwe $ -346,000,000 2003 98 Georgia $ -365,000,000 2003 99 Senegal $ -389,000,000 2003 100 Madagascar $ -398,000,000 2003 101 Albania $ -407,000,000 2003 102 Ethiopia $ -408,000,000 2003 103 Panama $ -408,000,000 2003 104 Chad $ -474,000,000 2003 105 Angola $ -475,000,000 2003 106 Cyprus $ -545,000,000 2003 107 Cameroon $ -564,000,000 2003 108 Mozambique $ -566,000,000 2003 109 Iceland $ -574,000,000 2003 110 Chile $ -594,000,000 2003 111 Tanzania $ -617,000,000 2003 112 Sudan $ -718,000,000 2003 113 El Salvador $ -734,000,000 2003 114 Tunisia $ -738,600,000 2003 115 Jamaica $ -842,000,000 2003 116 Nicaragua $ -859,000,000 2003 117 Belarus $ -945,000,000 2003 118 Latvia $ -955,900,000 2003 119 Costa Rica $ -970,000,000 2003 120 Guatemala $ -1,106,000,000 2003 121 Peru $ -1,116,000,000 2003 122 Estonia $ -1,150,000,000 2003 123 Equatorial Guinea $ -1,168,000,000 2003 124 Lithuania $ -1,218,000,000 2003 125 South Africa $ -1,234,000,000 2003 126 Austria $ -1,353,000,000 2003 127 Colombia $ -1,417,000,000 2003 128 Bulgaria $ -1,666,000,000 2003 129 Vietnam $ -1,781,000,000 2003 130 Azerbaijan $ -2,021,000,000 2003 131 Croatia $ -2,039,000,000 2003 132 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ -2,195,000,000 2003 133 Serbia and Montenegro $ -2,416,000,000 2003 134 Lebanon $ -2,865,000,000 2003 135 Ireland $ -2,994,000,000 2003 136 Romania $ -3,368,000,000 2003 137 New Zealand $ -3,446,000,000 2003 138 Poland $ -4,085,000,000 2003 139 Czech Republic $ -5,570,000,000 2003 140 Turkey $ -6,806,000,000 2003 141 Hungary $ -7,347,000,000 2003 142 United Kingdom $ -7,556,000,000 2003 143 Portugal $ -7,592,000,000 2003 144 Mexico $ -9,150,000,000 2003 145 Greece $ -11,330,000,000 2003 146 Italy $ -22,280,000,000 2003 147 Spain $ -23,770,000,000 2003 148 Australia $ -30,140,000,000 2003 149 United States $ -541,800,000,000 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Rank code: @2188

Rank Country Reserves of foreign exchange & gold Date of Information

1 Japan $ 664,600,000,000 2003 2 China $ 412,700,000,000 2003 3 Taiwan $ 207,100,000,000 2003 4 Korea, South $ 155,400,000,000 2003 5 Hong Kong $ 118,400,000,000 2003 6 India $ 102,300,000,000 2003 7 Germany $ 96,840,000,000 2003 8 Singapore $ 95,750,000,000 2003 9 United States $ 85,940,000,000 2003 10 Russia $ 76,940,000,000 2003 11 France $ 70,760,000,000 2003 12 Switzerland $ 69,580,000,000 2003 13 Italy $ 63,260,000,000 2003 14 Mexico $ 59,020,000,000 2003 15 Brazil $ 49,300,000,000 2003 16 United Kingdom $ 46,050,000,000 2003 17 Malaysia $ 44,580,000,000 2003 18 Thailand $ 42,150,000,000 2003 19 Denmark $ 37,980,000,000 2003 20 Canada $ 36,270,000,000 2003 21 Indonesia $ 36,250,000,000 2003 22 Turkey $ 35,550,000,000 2003 23 Poland $ 33,960,000,000 2003 24 Algeria $ 33,420,000,000 2003 25 Australia $ 33,260,000,000 2003 26 Spain $ 26,810,000,000 2003 27 Czech Republic $ 26,800,000,000 2003 28 Israel $ 26,320,000,000 2003 29 Iran $ 25,130,000,000 2003 30 Saudi Arabia $ 22,860,000,000 2003 31 Netherlands $ 21,440,000,000 2003 32 Venezuela $ 20,670,000,000 2003 33 Sweden $ 19,990,000,000 2003 34 Libya $ 19,780,000,000 2003 35 Philippines $ 16,870,000,000 2003 36 Lebanon $ 16,350,000,000 2003 37 Chile $ 15,840,000,000 2003 38 United Arab Emirates $ 15,790,000,000 2003 39 Belgium $ 14,450,000,000 2003 40 Egypt $ 14,220,000,000 2003 41 Argentina $ 14,160,000,000 2003 42 Morocco $ 14,080,000,000 2003 43 Portugal $ 12,810,000,000 2003 44 Hungary $ 12,780,000,000 2003 45 Austria $ 12,730,000,000 2003 46 Slovakia $ 11,740,000,000 2003 47 Pakistan $ 11,670,000,000 2003 48 Finland $ 11,170,000,000 2003 49 Colombia $ 10,920,000,000 2003 50 Romania $ 10,370,000,000 2003 51 Peru $ 10,240,000,000 2003 52 Slovenia $ 8,598,000,000 2003 53 Croatia $ 8,191,000,000 2003 54 South Africa $ 7,972,000,000 2003 55 Kuwait $ 7,685,000,000 2003 56 Nigeria $ 7,128,000,000 2003 57 Ukraine $ 6,937,000,000 2003 58 Bulgaria $ 6,705,000,000 2003 59 Vietnam $ 6,357,000,000 2003 60 Greece $ 5,802,000,000 2003 61 Jordan $ 5,364,000,000 2003 62 Botswana $ 5,250,000,000 2003 63 New Zealand $ 5,083,000,000 2003 64 Yemen $ 5,009,000,000 2003 65 Kazakhstan $ 4,962,000,000 2003 66 Ireland $ 4,152,000,000 2003 67 Serbia and Montenegro $ 3,700,000,000 2003 68 Oman $ 3,594,000,000 2003 69 Cyprus $ 3,453,000,000 2003 70 Lithuania $ 3,450,000,000 2003 71 Syria $ 3,329,000,000 2003 72 Qatar $ 2,952,000,000 2003 73 Tunisia $ 2,949,000,000 2003 74 Guatemala $ 2,843,000,000 2003 75 Turkmenistan $ 2,696,000,000 2003 76 Bangladesh $ 2,624,000,000 2003 77 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,477,000,000 2003 78 Malta $ 2,429,000,000 2003 79 Sri Lanka $ 2,273,000,000 2003 80 Uruguay $ 2,087,000,000 2003 81 Tanzania $ 2,064,000,000 2003 82 El Salvador $ 2,061,000,000 2003 83 Cote d'Ivoire $ 2,005,000,000 2003 84 Costa Rica $ 1,836,000,000 2003 85 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 1,796,000,000 2003 86 Bahrain $ 1,785,000,000 2003 87 Mauritius $ 1,598,000,000 2003 88 Latvia $ 1,535,000,000 2003 89 Ghana $ 1,469,000,000 2003 90 Kenya $ 1,455,000,000 2003 91 Honduras $ 1,439,000,000 2003 92 Estonia $ 1,377,000,000 2003 93 Uzbekistan $ 1,286,000,000 2003 94 Jamaica $ 1,195,000,000 2003 95 Ecuador $ 1,161,000,000 2003 96 Bolivia $ 1,096,000,000 2003 97 Uganda $ 1,080,000,000 2003 98 Albania $ 1,038,000,000 2003 99 Panama $ 1,011,000,000 2003 100 Mozambique $ 990,000,000 2003 101 Paraguay $ 982,000,000 2003 102 Ethiopia $ 956,000,000 2003 103 Macedonia $ 935,100,000 2003 104 Cambodia $ 861,400,000 2003 105 Sudan $ 847,200,000 2003 106 Azerbaijan $ 820,900,000 2003 107 Iceland $ 818,700,000 2003 108 Senegal $ 780,000,000 2003 109 Angola $ 638,400,000 2003 110 Belarus $ 637,000,000 2003 111 Benin $ 636,000,000 2003 112 Cameroon $ 634,000,000 2003 113 Cuba $ 582,000,000 2003 114 Burma $ 562,000,000 2003 115 Papua New Guinea $ 510,500,000 2003 116 Armenia $ 509,400,000 2003 117 Nicaragua $ 502,000,000 2003 118 Lesotho $ 460,000,000 2003 119 Madagascar $ 423,000,000 2003 120 Kyrgyzstan $ 399,300,000 2003 121 Burkina Faso $ 379,000,000 2003 122 Namibia $ 325,200,000 2003 123 Moldova $ 302,300,000 2003 124 Swaziland $ 277,500,000 2003 125 Dominican Republic $ 261,000,000 2003 126 Guyana $ 257,000,000 2003 127 Togo $ 257,000,000 2003 128 Zambia $ 247,700,000 2003 129 Rwanda $ 215,000,000 2003 130 Equatorial Guinea $ 206,000,000 2003 131 Gabon $ 201,900,000 2003 132 Laos $ 201,000,000 2003 133 Chad $ 191,800,000 2003 134 Guinea $ 191,000,000 2003 135 Georgia $ 190,700,000 2003 136 Malawi $ 132,000,000 2003 137 Gambia, The $ 118,000,000 2003 138 Tajikistan $ 117,600,000 2003 139 Cape Verde $ 88,020,000 2003 140 Belize $ 84,700,000 2003 141 Zimbabwe $ 78,000,000 2003 142 Haiti $ 73,000,000 2003 143 Burundi $ 67,400,000 2003 144 Seychelles $ 66,000,000 2003 145 Congo, Republic of the $ 44,530,000 2003 146 Eritrea $ 28,000,000 2003 147 Sao Tome and Principe $ 18,000,000 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005



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Appendix A - Abbreviations

ABEDA: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACC: Arab Cooperation Council

ACCT: 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

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 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

AMF: Arab Monetary Fund

AMU: Arab Maghreb Union

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

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources: Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Antarctic Seals: Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

ANZUS: Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat: Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF: ASEAN Regional Forum

AsDB: Asian Development Bank

ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AU: African Union

Autodin: Automatic Digital Network

bbl/day: barrels per day

BCIE: Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC: Central African States Development Bank

Benelux: Benelux Economic Union

BGN: United States Board on Geographic Names

Biodiversity: Convention on Biological Diversity

BIS: Bank for International Settlements

BSEC: Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

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

CEI: Central European Initiative

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

CEMAC: Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa

CEPGL: Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CEPT: Conference Europeanne des Postes et Telecommunications

CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research

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

COCOM: Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

COMESA: Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Comsat: Communications Satellite Corporation

CP: Colombo Plan

CY: calendar year

DC: developed country

DDT: dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

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

DIA: United States Defense Intelligence Agency

DSN: Defense Switched Network

DWT: deadweight ton

EADB: East African Development Bank

EAPC: Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC: European Community

ECA: Economic Commission for Africa

ECE: Economic Commission for Europe

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

EEC: European Economic Community

EEZ: exclusive economic zone

EFTA: European Free Trade Association

EIB: European Investment Bank

EMU: Economic and 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

Eutelsat: European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im: Export-Import Bank of the United States

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX: facsimile

f.o.b.: free on board

FOC: flags of convenience

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

F.Y.R.O.M.: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

FZ: Franc Zone

G-2: Group of 2

G-3: Group of 3

G-5: Group of 5

G-6: Group of 6

G-7: Group of 7

G-8: Group of 8

G-9: Group of 9

G-10: Group of 10

G-15: Group of 15

G-24: Group of 24

G-77: Group of 77

GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTrO

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

GSM: global system for mobile cellular communications

GUUAM: acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova

GWP: gross world product

Habitat: United Nations Center for Human Settlements

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

HF: high-frequency

HIV/AIDS: human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome

IADB: Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

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 or Inuit Circumpolar Conference

ICCt: International Criminal Court

ICFTU: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

ICJ: International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICSID: International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTR: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

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

IMF: International Monetary Fund

IMO: International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat: International Maritime Satellite Organization

InOC: Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW: International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women

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

ISP: Internet Service Provider

ITU: International Telecommunication Union

kHz: kilohertz

km: kilometer

kW: kilowatt

kWh: kilowatt-hour

LAES: Latin American Economic System

LAIA: Latin American Integration Association

LAS: League of Arab States

Law of the Sea: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS), also know as UNCLOS

LDC: less developed country

LLDC: least developed country

London Convention: see Marine Dumping

LOS: see Law of the Sea

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: Southern Cone Common Market

MHz: megahertz

MICAH: International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti

MIGA: Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINURSO: United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

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

NA: not available

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

NAM: Nonaligned Movement

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC: Nordic Council

NEA: Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL: negligible

NGA: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIB: Nordic Investment Bank

NIC: newly industrializing country

NIE: newly industrializing economy

NIS: new independent states

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

OAPEC: Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS: Organization of American States

ODA: official development assistance

ODF: Official Development Finance

OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OIC: Organization of the Islamic Conference

OOF: other official flows

OPANAL: 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

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

PIF: Pacific Islands Forum

PPP: purchasing power parity

Ramsar: see Wetlands

RG: Rio Group

SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU: Southern African Customs Union

SADC: Southern African Development Community

SAFE: South African Far East Cable

SCO: Shanghai Cooperative Organization

SFRY: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

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

TAT: Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

UAE: United Arab Emirates

UDEAC: Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF: ultra-high-frequency

UK: United Kingdom

UN: United Nations

UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also known as LOS

UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP: United Nations Drug Control Program

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 Population Fund

UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCRHR: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund

UNICEP: United Nations International Comparison Program

UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

UNIDIR: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

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

UNMEE: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIBH: United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

UNMIK: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMIL: United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNMISET: United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor

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, Verification, and Inspection Commission

UNOMIG: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOPS: United Nations Office of Project Services

UNRISD: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

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

UNSC: United Nations Security Council

UNSSC: United Nations System Staff College

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

UV: ultra violet

VHF: very-high-frequency

VSAT: very small aperture terminal

WADB: West African Development Bank

WAEMU: West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL: World Confederation of Labor

WCO: World Customs Organization

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

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

ZC: Zangger Committee

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004



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Appendix B - 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 term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group): established - 6 June 1975

aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU

members - (77) 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, Cook Islands, 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, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, 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 - its predecessor was Organization of African Unity (OAU)

established - 9 September 1999

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 - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU): note - replaces Organization of African Unity (OAU)

established - 8 July 2001

aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions

members - (52) 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, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT): note - formerly Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation established - 20 March 1970; name changed 1996

aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French- speaking countries

members - (51) Albania, 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, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, New Brunswick (Canada), Niger, Quebec (Canada), Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam

observers - (5) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

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)

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 - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, 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)

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

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA): note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)

established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974

aim - to promote economic development

members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League 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; note - the ACC has remained inactive since the Gulf crisis

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD): established - 16 May 1968

aim - to promote economic and social development

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): established - 17 February 1989

aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa

members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF): established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2 February 1977

aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs

members - (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

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): 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 Council, Pacific Islands Forum

Asian Development Bank (AsDB): established - 19 December 1966

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

regional members - (44) Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, 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, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam

nonregional members - (18) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): established - 8 August 1967

aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the countries of Southeast Asia

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

dialogue partners - (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): established - NA 1994

aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern

members - (23) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Australia Group: established - NA June 1985

aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons

members - (34) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS): 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

Bank for International Settlements (BIS): established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements

members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux): note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven: 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): 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 - (9) Austria, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom): established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973

aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries

members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

associate members - (4) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

observers - (8) Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970

aim - to promote economic development and cooperation

regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela

nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC): see Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC): note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale

established - 3 December 1975

aim - to provide loans for economic development

members - (11) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), 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

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): 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 Initiative

established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, NA July 1992 its present name was adopted

aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas

members - (17) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, 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, Serbia and Montenegro, USSR, Vietnam

Colombo Plan (CP): 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 - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Commonwealth (C): note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations

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, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): 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

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

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 established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that 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): 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): established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949

aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe

members - (45) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK

observers - (6) Canada, Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): 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, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

Council of the Entente (Entente): 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 term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, 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 - see World Customs Organization (WCO)

developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

East African Development Bank (EADB): established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967

aim - to promote economic development

members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (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 nine functional commissions (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 Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL): note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs

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): 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): 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"

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): note - an integral part of the European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union

proposed - 1-2 December 1969 at summit conference of heads of government; signed - 7 February 1992 - Maastricht Treaty

aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 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 - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain; note - Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): note - began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO

established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991

aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues

members - (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, 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): 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 - (62) 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, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

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): 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): 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 Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire

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) European Commission, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

European Space Agency (ESA): established - 31 May 1975

aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

cooperating states - (2) Canada, Hungary

European Union (EU): note - evolved from the European Community (EC)

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 superseded 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

new member states - (10) Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia; note - states will be admitted into the Union 1 May 2004

membership applicants - (3) Bulgaria, Romania, 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): established - 16 October 1945

aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) 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, EC, 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, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, 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, 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, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

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

Franc Zone (FZ): note - also known as Conference des Ministres des Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc

established - NA 1964

aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc

members - (14) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note - France's three overseas territories, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna, use the Comptoires Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF)

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): see the World Trade Organization (WTrO)

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; members were Japan, US

Group of 3 (G-3): 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 - (8) Canada, 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, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden

Group of 10 (G-10): note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF which 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

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, EC, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11): note - also known as the Cartagena Group;

established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia;

aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America;

members were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15): note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement

established - NA September 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement

members - (17) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 24 (G-24): 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, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

Group of 77 (G-77): established - 15 June1964; NA October 1967 first ministerial meeting

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership

members - (133 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, North 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, Palau, 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, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

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

GUUAM: note - acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

established - 7 June 2001

aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states

members - (5) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

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

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC): 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)

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)

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

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957

aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy

members - (137) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, 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, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, 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, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): note - also known as the World Bank

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) 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, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, 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, 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, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe