The 2001 CIA World Factbook (part 16 of 17)
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Iran: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Iraq: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Ireland: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Israel: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Italy: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Jamaica: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Japan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Jersey: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Jordan: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Kazakhstan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Kenya: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Kiribati: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Korea, North: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Korea, South: at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Kuwait: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Kyrgyzstan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Laos: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Latvia: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Lebanon: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Lesotho: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Liberia: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Libya: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Liechtenstein: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Lithuania: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Luxembourg: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Macau: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Madagascar: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Malawi: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Malaysia: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Maldives: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mali: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Malta: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Man, Isle of: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Marshall Islands: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Martinique: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mauritania: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mauritius: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mayotte: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mexico: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Moldova: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Monaco: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mongolia: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Montserrat: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Morocco: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Mozambique: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Namibia: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Nauru: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Nepal: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Netherlands: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Netherlands Antilles: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
New Caledonia: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
New Zealand: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Nicaragua: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Niger: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Nigeria: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Northern Mariana Islands: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Norway: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Oman: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.55 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.3 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Pakistan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Palau: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Panama: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Papua New Guinea: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Paraguay: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Peru: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Philippines: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Poland: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Portugal: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Puerto Rico: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Qatar: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.43 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.5 male(s)/female
total population: 1.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Reunion: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Romania: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Russia: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Rwanda: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Saint Helena: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Saint Lucia: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Samoa: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.71 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
San Marino: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Saudi Arabia: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.41 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female
total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Senegal: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Seychelles: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Sierra Leone: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Singapore: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Slovakia: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Slovenia: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Solomon Islands: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Somalia: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
South Africa: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Spain: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Sri Lanka: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Sudan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.29 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suriname: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Swaziland: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Sweden: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Switzerland: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Syria: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Tajikistan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Tanzania: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Thailand: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Togo: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Tonga: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Tunisia: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Turkey: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Turkmenistan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Turks and Caicos Islands: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Tuvalu: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Uganda: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Ukraine: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
United Arab Emirates: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.73 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.36 male(s)/female
total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
United Kingdom: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
United States: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Uruguay: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Uzbekistan: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Vanuatu: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Venezuela: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Vietnam: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Virgin Islands: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
West Bank: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
World: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Yemen: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Yugoslavia: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Zambia: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Zimbabwe: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Taiwan: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
======================================================================
@Suffrage
Afghanistan: NA; previously males 15-50 years of age
Albania: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Algeria: 18 years of age; universal
American Samoa: 18 years of age; universal
Andorra: 18 years of age; universal
Angola: 18 years of age; universal
Anguilla: 18 years of age; universal
Antigua and Barbuda: 18 years of age; universal
Argentina: 18 years of age; universal and mandatory
Armenia: 18 years of age; universal
Aruba: 18 years of age; universal
Australia: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Austria: 19 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections
Azerbaijan: 18 years of age; universal
Bahamas, The: 18 years of age; universal
Bahrain: none
Bangladesh: 18 years of age; universal
Barbados: 18 years of age; universal
Belarus: 18 years of age; universal
Belgium: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Belize: 18 years of age; universal
Benin: 18 years of age; universal
Bermuda: 18 years of age; universal
Bhutan: each family has one vote in village-level elections
Bolivia: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Botswana: 18 years of age; universal
Brazil: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
British Virgin Islands: 18 years of age; universal
Brunei: none
Bulgaria: 18 years of age; universal
Burkina Faso: universal
Burma: 18 years of age; universal
Burundi: NA years of age; universal adult
Cambodia: 18 years of age; universal
Cameroon: 20 years of age; universal
Canada: 18 years of age; universal
Cape Verde: 18 years of age; universal
Cayman Islands: 18 years of age; universal
Central African Republic: 21 years of age; universal
Chad: 18 years of age; universal
Chile: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
China: 18 years of age; universal
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: NA
Colombia: 18 years of age; universal
Comoros: 18 years of age; universal
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Congo, Republic of the: 18 years of age; universal
Cook Islands: NA years of age; universal adult
Costa Rica: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Cote d'Ivoire: 18 years of age; universal
Croatia: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Cuba: 16 years of age; universal
Cyprus: 18 years of age; universal
Czech Republic: 18 years of age; universal
Denmark: 18 years of age; universal
Djibouti: NA years of age; universal adult
Dominica: 18 years of age; universal
Dominican Republic: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Ecuador: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Egypt: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
El Salvador: 18 years of age; universal
Equatorial Guinea: 18 years of age; universal adult
Eritrea: 18 years of age; universal
Estonia: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Ethiopia: 18 years of age; universal
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): 18 years of age; universal
Faroe Islands: 18 years of age; universal
Fiji: 21 years of age; universal
Finland: 18 years of age; universal
France: 18 years of age; universal
French Guiana: 18 years of age; universal
French Polynesia: 18 years of age; universal
Gabon: 21 years of age; universal
Gambia, The: 18 years of age; universal
Georgia: 18 years of age; universal
Germany: 18 years of age; universal
Ghana: 18 years of age; universal
Gibraltar: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more
Greece: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Greenland: 18 years of age; universal
Grenada: 18 years of age; universal
Guadeloupe: 18 years of age; universal
Guam: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Guatemala: 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote)
Guernsey: 18 years of age; universal
Guinea: 18 years of age; universal
Guinea-Bissau: 18 years of age; universal
Guyana: 18 years of age; universal
Haiti: 18 years of age; universal
Holy See (Vatican City): limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Honduras: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Hong Kong: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
Hungary: 18 years of age; universal
Iceland: 18 years of age; universal
India: 18 years of age; universal
Indonesia: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age
Iran: 15 years of age; universal
Iraq: 18 years of age; universal
Ireland: 18 years of age; universal
Israel: 18 years of age; universal
Italy: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Jamaica: 18 years of age; universal
Japan: 20 years of age; universal
Jersey: NA years of age; universal adult
Jordan: 20 years of age; universal
Kazakhstan: 18 years of age; universal
Kenya: 18 years of age; universal
Kiribati: 18 years of age; universal
Korea, North: 17 years of age; universal
Korea, South: 20 years of age; universal
Kuwait: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time
Kyrgyzstan: 18 years of age; universal
Laos: 18 years of age; universal
Latvia: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Lebanon: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
Lesotho: 18 years of age; universal
Liberia: 18 years of age; universal
Libya: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Liechtenstein: 20 years of age; universal
Lithuania: 18 years of age; universal
Luxembourg: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Macau: direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 18 years of age; universal
Madagascar: 18 years of age; universal
Malawi: 18 years of age; universal
Malaysia: 21 years of age; universal
Maldives: 21 years of age; universal
Mali: 21 years of age; universal
Malta: 18 years of age; universal
Man, Isle of: 18 years of age; universal
Marshall Islands: 18 years of age; universal
Martinique: 18 years of age; universal
Mauritania: 18 years of age; universal
Mauritius: 18 years of age; universal
Mayotte: 18 years of age; universal
Mexico: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Micronesia, Federated States of: 18 years of age; universal
Moldova: 18 years of age; universal
Monaco: 21 years of age; universal
Mongolia: 18 years of age; universal
Montserrat: 18 years of age; universal
Morocco: 21 years of age; universal
Mozambique: 18 years of age; universal
Namibia: 18 years of age; universal
Nauru: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Nepal: 18 years of age; universal
Netherlands: 18 years of age; universal
Netherlands Antilles: 18 years of age; universal
New Caledonia: 18 years of age; universal
New Zealand: 18 years of age; universal
Nicaragua: 16 years of age; universal
Niger: 18 years of age; universal
Nigeria: 18 years of age; universal
Niue: 18 years of age; universal
Norfolk Island: 18 years of age; universal
Northern Mariana Islands: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Norway: 18 years of age; universal
Oman: in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura
Pakistan: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims
Palau: 18 years of age; universal
Panama: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Papua New Guinea: 18 years of age; universal
Paraguay: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Peru: 18 years of age; universal
Philippines: 18 years of age; universal
Pitcairn Islands: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Poland: 18 years of age; universal
Portugal: 18 years of age; universal
Puerto Rico: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Qatar: suffrage is limited to municipal elections
Reunion: 18 years of age; universal
Romania: 18 years of age; universal
Russia: 18 years of age; universal
Rwanda: 18 years of age; universal adult
Saint Helena: NA years of age
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 18 years of age; universal
Saint Lucia: 18 years of age; universal
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 18 years of age; universal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 18 years of age; universal
Samoa: 21 years of age; universal
San Marino: 18 years of age; universal
Sao Tome and Principe: 18 years of age; universal
Saudi Arabia: none
Senegal: 18 years of age; universal
Seychelles: 17 years of age; universal
Sierra Leone: 18 years of age; universal
Singapore: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Slovakia: 18 years of age; universal
Slovenia: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Solomon Islands: 21 years of age; universal
Somalia: 18 years of age; universal
South Africa: 18 years of age; universal
Spain: 18 years of age; universal
Sri Lanka: 18 years of age; universal
Sudan: 17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Suriname: 18 years of age; universal
Swaziland: 18 years of age
Sweden: 18 years of age; universal
Switzerland: 18 years of age; universal
Syria: 18 years of age; universal
Tajikistan: 18 years of age; universal
Tanzania: 18 years of age; universal
Thailand: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Togo: NA years of age; universal adult
Tokelau: 21 years of age; universal
Tonga: 21 years of age; universal
Trinidad and Tobago: 18 years of age; universal
Tunisia: 20 years of age; universal
Turkey: 18 years of age; universal
Turkmenistan: 18 years of age; universal
Turks and Caicos Islands: 18 years of age; universal
Tuvalu: 18 years of age; universal
Uganda: 18 years of age; universal
Ukraine: 18 years of age; universal
United Arab Emirates: none
United Kingdom: 18 years of age; universal
United States: 18 years of age; universal
Uruguay: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Uzbekistan: 18 years of age; universal
Vanuatu: 18 years of age; universal
Venezuela: 18 years of age; universal
Vietnam: 18 years of age; universal
Virgin Islands: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Wallis and Futuna: 18 years of age; universal
Western Sahara: none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
Yemen: 18 years of age; universal
Yugoslavia: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Zambia: 18 years of age; universal
Zimbabwe: 18 years of age; universal
Taiwan: 20 years of age; universal
======================================================================
@Telephone system
Afghanistan: general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
domestic: in 1997, telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and microwave systems
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni
Albania: general assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service
domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences
international: inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
Algeria: general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines has been increased in the last few years to a little more than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned)
international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)
American Samoa: general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Andorra: general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges
international: landline circuits to France and Spain
Angola: general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Anguilla: general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)
Antarctica: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
Antigua and Barbuda: general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Argentina: general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998", Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take some time
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding
international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)
Armenia: general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
Aruba: general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate
international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Australia: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones
international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)
Austria: general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons and the system is nearly 100% digital; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 2 Eutelsat (1999)
Azerbaijan: general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 8.6 main lines per 100 persons is very low
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other industrial centers - about 700 villages still do not have public telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)
Bahamas, The: general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Bahrain: general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)
Bangladesh: general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
Barbados: general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Belarus: general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly
domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
Belgium: general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Belize: general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Benin: general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Bermuda: general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Bhutan: general assessment: NA
domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use
international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)
Bolivia: general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: general assessment: telephone and telegraph network is in need of modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average when compared with services in other former Yugoslav republics
domestic: NA
international: no satellite earth stations
Botswana: general assessment: sparse system
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations
international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Brazil: general assessment: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to MERCOSUR Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station
British Indian Ocean Territory: general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet
international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
British Virgin Islands: general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA
international: submarine cable to Bermuda
Brunei: general assessment: service throughout country is excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia
domestic: every service available
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines (2001)
Bulgaria: general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay
international: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Burkina Faso: general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Burma: general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Burundi: general assessment: primitive system
domestic: sparse system of open wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Cambodia: general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little telephone service
domestic: NA
international: adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Cameroon: general assessment: available only to business and government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Canada: general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Cape Verde: general assessment: effective system, being improved
domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system which was scheduled for completion in 1998
international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cayman Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Central African Republic: general assessment: fair system
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chad: general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chile: general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
China: general assessment: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)
Christmas Island: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type
Colombia: general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities
international: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables
Comoros: general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: general assessment: NA
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Congo, Republic of the: general assessment: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out-of-order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cook Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Costa Rica: general assessment: very good domestic telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available
international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
Cote d'Ivoire: general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)
Croatia: general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk
international: digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project which consists of two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)
Cuba: general assessment: NA
domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old, US-built; the other newer, Soviet-built); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Cyprus: general assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas
domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Czech Republic: general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
Denmark: general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)
Djibouti: general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network
Dominica: general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Dominican Republic: general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Ecuador: general assessment: NA
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Egypt: general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)
El Salvador: general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Equatorial Guinea: general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
domestic: NA
international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Eritrea: general assessment: NA
domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system
international: NA
Estonia: general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; Internet services available throughout most of the country; about 150,000 unfilled subscriber requests
domestic: local - the Ministry of Transport and Communications is expanding cellular telephone services to form rural networks; intercity - highly developed fiber-optic backbone (double loop) system presently serving at least 16 major cities (1998)
international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn
Ethiopia: general assessment: open wire and microwave radio relay system adequate for government use
domestic: open wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide the national trunk service
international: open wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries
Faroe Islands: general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable
Fiji: general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center
domestic: NA
international: access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Finland: general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs
international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
France: general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
French Guiana: general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
French Polynesia: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Gabon: general assessment: NA
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Gambia, The: general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open wire
international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Gaza Strip: general assessment: NA
domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open wire system
international: NA
Georgia: general assessment: NA
domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available
international: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available
Germany: general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available and includes roaming service to many foreign countries
international: satellite earth stations - 14 Intelsat (12 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), 2 Intersputnik (1 Atlantic Ocean region and 1 Indian Ocean region); 7 submarine cable connections; 2 HF radiotelephone communication centers; tropospheric scatter links
Ghana: general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors
Gibraltar: general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Greece: general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Greenland: general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)
Grenada: general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad
Guadeloupe: general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique
Guam: general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)
Guatemala: general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Guernsey: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable
Guinea: general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Guinea-Bissau: general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications
international: NA
Guyana: general assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Haiti: general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Holy See (Vatican City): general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: uses Italian system
Honduras: general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Hong Kong: general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Hungary: general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals
Iceland: general assessment: adequate domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
India: general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network in order to keep pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very long time
domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided in four metropolitan cities
international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah, UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)
Indonesia: general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Iran: general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches
international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat; Internet service available but limited to electronic mail to promote Iranian culture
Iraq: general assessment: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt
domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
Ireland: general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Israel: general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Italy: general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Jamaica: general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
Japan: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)
Jersey: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables
Johnston Atoll: general assessment: 13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines; adequate telecommunications
domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite
international: NA
Jordan: general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use is made of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Kazakhstan: general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay; with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
Kenya: general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Kiribati: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service
Korea, North: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing
Korea, South: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Kuwait: general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open wire, and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones
international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat
Kyrgyzstan: general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region
international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line
Laos: general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving, with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Latvia: general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications
international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Lebanon: general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables
Lesotho: general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Liberia: general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Libya: general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)
Liechtenstein: general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Lithuania: general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications
international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite
Luxembourg: general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
Macau: general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
Madagascar: general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Malawi: general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Malaysia: general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)
Maldives: general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Mali: general assessment: domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Malta: general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Man, Isle of: general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable
Marshall Islands: general assessment: telex services
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
Martinique: general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA
international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Mauritania: general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat
Mauritius: general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries
Mayotte: general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros and other international connections
Mexico: general assessment: low telephone density with about 11 main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 has brightened prospects for development
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service
international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)
Micronesia, Federated States of: general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Moldova: general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau, some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced
international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik
Monaco: general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system
Mongolia: general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Montserrat: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
Morocco: general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay
international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)
Mozambique: general assessment: fair system but not available generally (telephone density is only 3.5 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Namibia: general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital
international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Nauru: general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Nepal: general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Netherlands: general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in the year 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)
Netherlands Antilles: general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
New Caledonia: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
New Zealand: general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
domestic: NA
international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Nicaragua: general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Niger: general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Nigeria: general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made
domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19 earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular facilities and the Internet are available
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); coaxial submarine cable SAFE (South African Far East)
Niue: general assessment: primitive system
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: NA
Norfolk Island: general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Northern Mariana Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Norway: general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed wire systems
international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)
Oman: general assessment: modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable
domestic: open wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Pakistan: general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)
Palau: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Panama: general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed
domestic: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System
Papua New Guinea: general assessment: services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service
Paraguay: general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Peru: general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable
Philippines: general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan
Pitcairn Islands: general assessment: only party line telephone service is available for this small, closely related community
domestic: party line service only
international: radiotelephone
Poland: general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aimed to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun; in 1998 there were over 2 million applicants on the waiting list for telephone service
domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Portugal: general assessment: undergoing rapid development in recent years, Portugal's telephone system, by the end of 1998, achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53%
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned
Puerto Rico: general assessment: modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US
Qatar: general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Reunion: general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network
international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Romania: general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several international telecommunication network projects (1999)
Russia: general assessment: the telephone system has undergone significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy; however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: Russia is connected internationally by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems
Rwanda: general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay; the remainder of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone
international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)
Saint Helena: general assessment: can communicate with any place in the world
domestic: automatic network
international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: general assessment: good interisland and international connections
domestic: interisland links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone
international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat
Saint Lucia: general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines
international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Samoa: general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
San Marino: general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system
international: connected to Italian international network
Sao Tome and Principe: general assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Saudi Arabia: general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems
international: microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Senegal: general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Seychelles: general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Sierra Leone: general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: national microwave radio relay trunk system, made unserviceable by military activities, is now operating from Freetown to Bo and Kenema (April 2001)
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Singapore: general assessment: major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities
international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Slovakia: general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality
domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added
international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services
Slovenia: general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: NA
Solomon Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Somalia: general assessment: the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend on their own private systems
domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
South Africa: general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa
domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Spain: general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
domestic: NA
international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Sri Lanka: general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; some hope for improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999)
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Sudan: general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)
Suriname: general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Svalbard: general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)
Swaziland: general assessment: not a modern system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Sweden: general assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels
international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)
Switzerland: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Syria: general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Tajikistan: general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network
domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat
Tanzania: general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal) system under construction
domestic: trunk service provided by open wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Thailand: general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Togo: general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system
domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie
Tokelau: general assessment: adequate
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997
Tonga: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Trinidad and Tobago: general assessment: excellent international service; good local service
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Tunisia: general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available
domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches
Turkey: general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially cellular telephones
domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
international: international service is provided by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia, by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems
Turkmenistan: general assessment: poorly developed
domestic: NA
international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
Turks and Caicos Islands: general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Tuvalu: general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
international: NA
Uganda: general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular systems for short range traffic
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania
Ukraine: general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system
domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair; more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system is expanding at a high rate
international: two new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project which connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems
United Arab Emirates: general assessment: modern system consisting of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
United Kingdom: general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems
international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers
United States: general assessment: a very large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country
international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)
Uruguay: general assessment: some modern facilities
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Uzbekistan: general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)
Vanuatu: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Venezuela: general assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services
international: 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network
Vietnam: general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors
domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; since 1991, main lines in use have been substantially increased and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Virgin Islands: general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA
Wake Island: general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA
Wallis and Futuna: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
West Bank: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank
Western Sahara: general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA
international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
World: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
Yemen: general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network
domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone systems
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
Yugoslavia: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Zambia: general assessment: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Zimbabwe: general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)
Taiwan: general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)
======================================================================
@Telephones - main lines in use
Afghanistan: 29,000 (1996)
note: there were 21,000 main lines in service in Kabul in 1998
Albania: 87,000 (1997)
Algeria: 2.3 million (1998)
American Samoa: 13,000 (1997)
Andorra: 32,946 (December 1998)
Angola: 62,000 (1997)
Anguilla: 5,000 (1997)
Antarctica: 0
note: information for US bases only (2001)
Antigua and Barbuda: 28,000 (1996)
Argentina: 7.5 million (1998)
Armenia: 568,000 (1997)
Aruba: 33,000 (1997)
Australia: 9.58 million (1998)
Austria: 4 million (3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 ISDN or Integrated Services Digital Network connections) (1999)
Azerbaijan: 663,000 (1997)
Bahamas, The: 96,000 (1997)
Bahrain: 152,000 (1997)
Bangladesh: 500,000 (2000)
Barbados: 108,000 (1997)
Belarus: 2.313 million (1997)
Belgium: 4.769 million (1997)
Belize: 31,000 (1997)
Benin: 36,000 (1997)
Bermuda: 52,000 (1997)
Bhutan: 6,000 (1997)
Bolivia: 327,600 (1996)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 303,000 (1997)
Botswana: 86,000 (1997)
Brazil: 17.039 million (1997)
British Indian Ocean Territory: NA
British Virgin Islands: 10,000 (1996)
Brunei: 79,000 (1996)
Bulgaria: 3.255 million (2000)
Burkina Faso: 36,000 (1997)
Burma: 250,000 (2000)
Burundi: 16,000 (1997)
Cambodia: 21,800 (mid-1998)
Cameroon: 75,000 (1997)
Canada: 18.5 million (1999)
Cape Verde: 45,644 (2000)
Cayman Islands: 19,000 (1995)
Central African Republic: 10,000 (1997)
Chad: 7,000 (1997)
Chile: 2.603 million (1998)
China: 135 million (2000)
Christmas Island: NA
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: NA (1999)
Colombia: 5,433,565 (December 1997)
Comoros: 6,000 (1997)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 21,000 (1997)
Congo, Republic of the: 22,000 (1997)
Cook Islands: 5,000 (1997)
Costa Rica: 450,000 (1998)
note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use 1998
Cote d'Ivoire: 219,283 (31 December 1999)
Croatia: 1.488 million (1997)
Cuba: 473,031 (2000)
Cyprus: Greek Cypriot area: 405,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 83,162 (1998)
Czech Republic: 3.869 million (2000)
Denmark: 4.785 million (1997)
Djibouti: 8,000 (1997)
Dominica: 19,000 (1996)
Dominican Republic: 709,000 (1997)
Ecuador: 899,000 (1997)
Egypt: 3,971,500 (December 1998)
El Salvador: 380,000 (1998)
Equatorial Guinea: 4,000 (1996)
Eritrea: 23,578 (2000)
Estonia: 476,078 (yearend 1998)
Ethiopia: 157,000 (1997)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): NA
Faroe Islands: 24,851 (1999)
Fiji: 72,000 (1997)
Finland: 2.861 million (1997)
France: 34.86 million (yearend 1998)
French Guiana: 47,000 (1997)
French Polynesia: 52,000 (1997)
Gabon: 37,000 (1997)
Gambia, The: 31,900 (2000)
Gaza Strip: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)
Georgia: 620,000 (1997)
Germany: 45.2 million (1997)
note: 46.5 million main lines were installed by yearend 1998
Ghana: 200,000 (1998)
Gibraltar: 19,000 (1997)
Greece: 5.431 million (1997)
Greenland: 25,617 (end 1999)
Grenada: 27,000 (1997)
Guadeloupe: 171,000 (1996)
Guam: 84,134 (1998)
Guatemala: 665,061 (June 2000)
Guernsey: 44,000 (1996)
Guinea: 20,000 (1997)
Guinea-Bissau: 8,000 (1997)
Guyana: 70,000 (2000)
Haiti: 60,000 (1997)
Holy See (Vatican City): NA
Honduras: 234,000 (1997)
Hong Kong: 3.839 million (1999)
Hungary: 3.095 million (1997)
Iceland: 168,000 (1997)
India: 27.7 million (October 2000)
Indonesia: 5,588,310 (1998)
Iran: 6.313 million (1997)
Iraq: 675,000 (1997)
Ireland: 1.59 million (2001)
Israel: 2.8 million (1999)
Italy: 25 million (1999)
Jamaica: 353,000 (1996)
Japan: 60.381 million (1997)
Jersey: 65,500 (1997)
Jordan: 403,000 (1997)
Kazakhstan: 1.818 million (1997)
Kenya: 290,000 (1998)
Kiribati: 2,000 (1997)
Korea, North: 1.1 million (1997)
Korea, South: 24 million (1999)
Kuwait: 412,000 (1997)
Kyrgyzstan: 351,000 (1997)
Laos: 25,000 (1997)
Latvia: 748,000 (1997)
Lebanon: 700,000 (1999)
Lesotho: 20,000 (1997)
Liberia: 6,000 (1997)
Libya: 380,000 (1996)
Liechtenstein: 20,000 (1997)
Lithuania: 1.048 million (1997)
Luxembourg: 314,700 (1999)
Macau: 176,837 (2000)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 408,000 (1997)
Madagascar: 43,000 (1997)
Malawi: 37,000 (1997)
Malaysia: 4.5 million (1999)
Maldives: 21,000 (1999)
Mali: 23,000 (1997)
Malta: 187,000 (1997)
Man, Isle of: 51,000 (1999)
Marshall Islands: 3,000 (1996)
Martinique: 170,000 (1997)
Mauritania: 26,000 (2000)
Mauritius: 223,000 (1997)
Mayotte: 9,314 (1997)
Mexico: 9.6 million (1998)
Micronesia, Federated States of: 11,000 (2001)
Moldova: 627,000 (1997)
Monaco: 31,027 (1995)
Mongolia: 104,100 (1999)
Montserrat: 4,000 (1997)
Morocco: 1.391 million (1998)
Mozambique: 65,354 (2000)
Namibia: 100,848 (1997)
Nauru: 2,000 (1996)
Nepal: 236,816 (January 2000)
Netherlands: 9,132,400 (1999)
Netherlands Antilles: 76,000 (1995)
New Caledonia: 47,000 (1997)
New Zealand: 1.84 million (1997)
Nicaragua: 140,000 (1996)
Niger: 16,000 (1997)
Nigeria: 500,000 (2000)
Niue: 376 (1991)
Norfolk Island: 1,087 (1983)
Northern Mariana Islands: 21,000 (1996)
Norway: 2.735 million (1998)
Oman: 201,000 (1997)
Pakistan: 2.861 million (March 1999)
Palau: 1,500 (1988)
Panama: 396,000 (1997)
Papua New Guinea: 47,000 (1996)
Paraguay: 290,475 (2001)
Peru: 1.509 million (1998)
Philippines: 1.9 million (1997)
Pitcairn Islands: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line) (1997)
Poland: 8.07 million (1998)
Portugal: 5.3 million (end 1998)
Puerto Rico: 1.322 million (1997)
Qatar: 142,000 (1997)
Reunion: 236,500 (1997)
Romania: 3.777 million (1997)
Russia: 30 million (1998)
Rwanda: 15,000 (1995)
Saint Helena: 2,000 (1997)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 17,000 (1997)
Saint Lucia: 37,000 (1997)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 4,000 (1997)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 20,500 (1998)
Samoa: 8,000 (1997)
San Marino: 18,000 (1998)
Sao Tome and Principe: 3,000 (1997)
Saudi Arabia: 3.1 million (1998)
Senegal: 116,000 (1997)
Seychelles: 19,635 (1997)
Sierra Leone: 17,000 (1997)
Singapore: 1.928 million (November 2000)
Slovakia: 1,934,558 (1998)
Slovenia: 722,000 (1997)
Solomon Islands: 8,000 (1997)
Somalia: NA
South Africa: 5.075 million (1999)
Spain: 17.336 million (1999)
Sri Lanka: 494,509 (1998)
Sudan: 400,000 (2000)
Suriname: 64,000 (1997)
Svalbard: NA
Swaziland: 33,500 (2000)
Sweden: 6.017 million (December 1998)
Switzerland: 4.82 million (1998)
Syria: 1.313 million (1997)
Tajikistan: 363,000 (1997)
Tanzania: 127,000 (1998)
Thailand: 5.4 million (1998)
Togo: 25,000 (1997)
Tokelau: NA
Tonga: 8,000 (1996)
Trinidad and Tobago: 243,000 (1997)
Tunisia: 654,000 (1997)
Turkey: 19.5 million (1999)
Turkmenistan: 363,000 (1997)
Turks and Caicos Islands: 3,000 (1994)
Tuvalu: 1,000 (1997)
Uganda: 50,074; however, 80,868 main lines were installed (1998)
Ukraine: 9.45 million (April 1999)
United Arab Emirates: 915,223 (1998)
United Kingdom: 34.878 million (1997)
United States: 194 million (1997)
Uruguay: 850,000 (2000)
Uzbekistan: 1.98 million (1999)
Vanuatu: 4,000 (1996)
Venezuela: 2,600,000.00; however, 3,500,000 were installed (1998)
Vietnam: 2.6 million (2000)
Virgin Islands: 62,000 (1997)
Wallis and Futuna: 1,125 (1994)
West Bank: 95,729 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (1997)
Western Sahara: about 2,000 (1999 est.)
World: NA
Yemen: 291,359 (1999)
Yugoslavia: 2.017 million (1995)
Zambia: 77,935 (in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)
Zimbabwe: 212,000 (in addition there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)
Taiwan: 12.49 million (September 2000)
======================================================================
@Telephones - mobile cellular
Afghanistan: NA
Albania: 3,100 (1999)
Algeria: 33,500 (1999)
American Samoa: 2,550 (1997)
Andorra: 14,117 (December 1998)
Angola: 7,052 (1997)
Anguilla: NA
Antarctica: NA
Antigua and Barbuda: 1,300 (1996)
Argentina: 3 million (December 1999)
Armenia: 6,220 (1997)
Aruba: 3,402 (1997)
Australia: 6.4 million (1998)
Austria: 4.5 million (2000)
Azerbaijan: 40,000 (1997)
Bahamas, The: 6,152 (1997)
Bahrain: 58,543 (1997)
Bangladesh: 283,000 (2000)
Barbados: 8,013 (1997)
Belarus: 8,167 (1997)
Belgium: 974,494 (1997)
Belize: 3,023 (1997)
Benin: 4,295 (1997)
Bermuda: 7,980 (1996)
Bhutan: NA
Bolivia: 116,000 (1997)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 9,000 (1997)
Botswana: NA
Brazil: 4.4 million (1997)
British Virgin Islands: NA
Brunei: 43,524 (1996)
Bulgaria: 596,000 (2000)
Burkina Faso: 1,503 (1997)
Burma: 8,492 (1997)
Burundi: 619 (1997)
Cambodia: 80,000 (2000)
Cameroon: 4,200 (1997)
Canada: 4.207 million (1997)
Cape Verde: 19,729 (1997)
Cayman Islands: 2,534 (1995)
Central African Republic: 570 (1997)
Chad: NA
Chile: 944,225 (1998)
China: 65 million (January 2001)
Christmas Island: 0 (1999)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: 0 (1999)
Colombia: 1,800,229 (December 1998)
Comoros: NA
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 8,900 (1997)
Congo, Republic of the: 1,000 (1996)
Cook Islands: 0 (1994)
Costa Rica: 143,000 (2000)
Cote d'Ivoire: 322,500 (May 2000)
Croatia: 187,000 (yearend 1998)
Cuba: 2,994 (1997)
Cyprus: Greek Cypriot area: 68,000 (1998); Turkish Cypriot area: 70,000 (1999)
Czech Republic: 4.346 million (2000)
Denmark: 1,444,016 (1997)
Djibouti: 203 (1997)
Dominica: 461 (1996)
Dominican Republic: 130,149 (1997)
Ecuador: 160,061 (1997)
Egypt: 380,000 (1999)
El Salvador: 40,163 (1997)
Equatorial Guinea: NA
Eritrea: NA
Estonia: 475,000 (yearend 2000)
Ethiopia: 4,000 (1999)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): NA
Faroe Islands: 10,761 (1999)
Fiji: 5,200 (1997)
Finland: 2,162,574 (1997)
France: 11.078 million (yearend 1998)
French Guiana: NA
French Polynesia: 5,427 (1997)
Gabon: 9,500 (1997)
Gambia, The: 5,624 (2000)
Gaza Strip: NA
Georgia: 30,000 (1997)
Germany: 15.318 million (April 1999)
Ghana: 30,000 (yearend 1998)
Gibraltar: 1,620 (1997)
Greece: 937,700 (1997)
Greenland: 12,676 (end 1999)
Grenada: 976 (1997)
Guadeloupe: NA
Guam: 55,000 (1998)
Guatemala: 663,296 (September 2000)
Guernsey: 12,000 (1997)
Guinea: 2,868 (1997)
Guinea-Bissau: NA
Guyana: 6,100 (2000)
Haiti: 0 (1995)
Holy See (Vatican City): NA
Honduras: 14,427 (1997)
Hong Kong: 3.7 million (December 1999)
Hungary: 1.269 million (July 1999)
Iceland: 65,746 (1997)
India: 2.93 million (November 2000)
Indonesia: 1.07 million (1998)
Iran: 265,000 (August 1998)
Iraq: NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)
Ireland: 2 million (2001)
Israel: 2.5 million (1999)
Italy: 20.5 million (1999)
Jamaica: 54,640 (1996)
Japan: 63.88 million (2000)
Jersey: 4,400 (1997)
Jordan: 11,500 (1995)
Kazakhstan: 11,202 (1997)
Kenya: 5,345 (1997)
Kiribati: NA
Korea, North: NA
Korea, South: 27 million (June 2000)
Kuwait: 210,000 (1997)
Kyrgyzstan: NA
Laos: 4,915 (1997)
Latvia: 77,100 (1997)
Lebanon: 580,000 (1999)
Lesotho: 1,262 (1996)
Liberia: 0 (1995)
Libya: NA
Liechtenstein: NA
Lithuania: 297,500 (November 1998)
Luxembourg: 215,741 (2000)
Macau: 120,957 (2000)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 12,362 (1997)
Madagascar: 4,000 (1997)
Malawi: 7,000 (1997)
Malaysia: 2.698 million (1999)
Maldives: 1,290 (1997)
Mali: 2,842 (1997)
Malta: 17,691 (1997)
Man, Isle of: NA
Marshall Islands: 365 (1996)
Martinique: 15,000 (1997)
Mauritania: NA
Mauritius: 37,000 (1997)
Mayotte: 0 (2000)
Mexico: 2.02 million (1998)
Micronesia, Federated States of: NA
Moldova: 2,200 (1997)
Monaco: NA
Mongolia: 110,000 (2001)
Montserrat: 70 (1994)
Morocco: 116,645 (1998)
Mozambique: 18,500 (2000)
Namibia: NA
Nauru: 450 (1994)
Nepal: NA
Netherlands: 4,081,891 (April 1999)
Netherlands Antilles: 13,977 (1996)
New Caledonia: 13,040 (1998)
New Zealand: 588,000 (1998)
Nicaragua: 7,911 (1997)
Niger: 13,000 (1995)
Nigeria: 26,700 (1997)
Niue: 0 (1991)
Norfolk Island: 0 (1983)
Northern Mariana Islands: 1,200 (1995)
Norway: 2,080,408 (1998)
Oman: 59,822 (1997)
Pakistan: 158,000 (1998)
Palau: 0 (1988)
Panama: 17,000 (1997)
Papua New Guinea: 3,053 (1996)
Paraguay: 510,000 (2001)
Peru: 504,995 (1998)
Philippines: 1.959 million (1998)
Poland: 1.78 million (1998)
Portugal: 3,074,194 (1999)
Puerto Rico: 169,265 (1996)
Qatar: 43,476 (1997)
Reunion: 85,000 (1999)
Romania: 645,500 (1999)
Russia: 2.5 million (October 2000)
Rwanda: NA
note: however, Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2000)
Saint Helena: 0 (1997)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 205 (1997)
Saint Lucia: 1,600 (1997)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 0 (1994)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: NA
Samoa: 1,545 (February 1998)
San Marino: 3,010 (1998)
Sao Tome and Principe: 6,942 (1997)
Saudi Arabia: 1 million
note: in 1998, the government contracted for the installation of 575,000 additional Group Speciale Mobile (GSM) cellular telephone lines over 15 months to raise the total number of subscribers to more than one million; Riyadh planned to further expand the GSM system in 1999 by adding an additional one million lines (1998)
Senegal: 1,149 (1996)
Seychelles: 16,316 (1999)
Sierra Leone: 650 (1999)
Singapore: 2.333 million (November 2000)
Slovakia: 736,662 (April 1999)
Slovenia: 1 million (2000)
Solomon Islands: 658 (1997)
Somalia: NA
South Africa: over 2,000,000 (1999)
Spain: 8.394 million (1999)
Sri Lanka: 228,604 (1999)
Sudan: 20,000 (2000)
Suriname: 4,090 (1997)
Svalbard: NA
Swaziland: 30,000 (2000)
Sweden: 3.835 million (October 1998)
Switzerland: 1.967 million (1999)
Syria: NA
Tajikistan: 2,500 (1997)
Tanzania: 30,000 (1999)
Thailand: 2.3 million (1998)
Togo: 2,995 (1997)
Tokelau: 0 (2001)
Tonga: 302 (1996)
Trinidad and Tobago: 17,411 (1997)
Tunisia: 50,000 (1998)
Turkey: 12.1 million (1999)
Turkmenistan: 4,300 (1998)
Turks and Caicos Islands: 0 (1994)
Tuvalu: 0 (1994)
Uganda: 9,000 (1998)
Ukraine: 236,000 (1998)
United Arab Emirates: 1 million (1999)
United Kingdom: 13 million (yearend 1998)
United States: 69.209 million (1998)
Uruguay: 300,000 (2000)
Uzbekistan: 26,000 (1998)
Vanuatu: 154 (1996)
Venezuela: 2 million (1998)
Vietnam: 730,155 (2000)
Virgin Islands: 2,000 (1992)
Wallis and Futuna: 0 (1994)
West Bank: NA
Western Sahara: 0 (1999)
World: NA
Yemen: 32,042 (2000)
Yugoslavia: 87,000 (1997)
Zambia: 6,000 (1998)
Zimbabwe: 70,000 (1999)
Taiwan: 16 million (September 2000)
======================================================================
@Television broadcast stations
Afghanistan: at least 10 (one government run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998)
Albania: 9 (plus 264 repeaters) (1995)
Algeria: 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)
American Samoa: 1 (1997)
Andorra: 0 (1997)
Angola: 7 (1999)
Anguilla: 1 (1997)
Antarctica: 1 (the US Navy Antarctic Support Group operates a cable system with six channels for the American Forces Antarctic Network-McMurdo)
note: information for US bases only (2000)
Antigua and Barbuda: 2 (1997)
Argentina: 42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)
Armenia: 4 (1998)
Aruba: 1 (1997)
Australia: 104 (1997)
Austria: 45 (plus 960 repeaters) (1995)
Azerbaijan: 2 (1997)
Bahamas, The: 1 (1997)
Bahrain: 4 (1997)
Bangladesh: 15 (1999)
Barbados: 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Belarus: 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Belgium: 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Belize: 2 (1997)
Benin: 2 (one privately-owned) (1997)
Bermuda: 3 (1997)
Bhutan: 0 (1997)
Bolivia: 48 (1997)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)
Botswana: 0 (1997)
Brazil: 138 (1997)
British Indian Ocean Territory: 1 (1997)
British Virgin Islands: 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Brunei: 2 (1997)
Bulgaria: 96 (plus 1,030 repeaters) (1995)
Burkina Faso: 1 (1997)
Burma: 2 (1998)
Burundi: 1 (1999)
Cambodia: 5 (1999)
Cameroon: 1 (1998)
Canada: 80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)
Cape Verde: 1 (1997)
Cayman Islands: NA
Central African Republic: NA
Chad: 1 (1997)
Chile: 63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)
China: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)
Christmas Island: NA
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: 0 (1997)
Colombia: 60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)
Comoros: 0 (1998)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 20 (1999)
Congo, Republic of the: 1 (1999)
Cook Islands: 2 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Costa Rica: 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Cote d'Ivoire: 14 (1999)
Croatia: 36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)
Cuba: 58 (1997)
Cyprus: Greek Cypriot area: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September 1995); Turkish Cypriot area: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)
Czech Republic: 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)
Denmark: 26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)
Djibouti: 1 (plus 5 low-power repeaters) (1998)
Dominica: 0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)
Dominican Republic: 25 (1997)
Ecuador: 15 (including one station on the Galapagos Islands) (1997)
Egypt: 98 (September 1995)
El Salvador: 5 (1997)
Equatorial Guinea: 1 (1997)
Eritrea: 1 (2000)
Estonia: 31 (plus five repeaters) (September 1995)
Ethiopia: 25 (1999)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) (1997)
Faroe Islands: 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)
Fiji: NA
Finland: 130 (plus 385 repeaters) (1995)
France: 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
French Guiana: 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
French Polynesia: 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Gabon: 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997)
Gambia, The: 1 (government-owned) (1997)
Gaza Strip: 2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)
Georgia: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998)
Germany: 373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)
Ghana: 11 (1999)
Gibraltar: 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)
Greece: 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
Greenland: 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)
Grenada: 2 (1997)
Guadeloupe: 5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Guam: 5 (1997)
Guatemala: 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
Guernsey: 1 (1997)
Guinea: 6 (1997)
Guinea-Bissau: 2 (1997)
Guyana: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Haiti: 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Holy See (Vatican City): 1 (1996)
Honduras: 11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)
Hong Kong: 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Hungary: 35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Iceland: 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
India: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)
Indonesia: 41 (1999)
Iran: 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Iraq: 13 (1997)
Ireland: 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)
Israel: 17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Italy: 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Jamaica: 7 (1997)
Japan: 7,108 (plus 441 repeaters; note - in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services) (1999)
Jersey: 1 (1997)
Johnston Atoll: commercial satellite television system, with 16 channels (1997)
Jordan: 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Kazakhstan: 12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)
Kenya: 8 (1997)
Kiribati: 1 (1997)
Korea, North: 38 (1999)
Korea, South: 121 (plus 850 repeater stations and the eight-channel American Forces Korea Network) (1999)
Kuwait: 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)
Kyrgyzstan: NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)
Laos: 4 (1999)
Latvia: 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Lebanon: 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Lesotho: 1 (2000)
Liberia: 2 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2000)
Libya: 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1998)
Liechtenstein: NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Lithuania: 20 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Luxembourg: 5 (1999)
Macau: 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)
Madagascar: 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (1997)
Malawi: 1 (1999)
Malaysia: 27 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (1999)
Maldives: 1 (1997)
Mali: 1 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Malta: 6 (2000)
Man, Isle of: 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)
Marshall Islands: 3 (of which two are US military stations) (1997)
Martinique: 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)
Mauritania: 1 (1997)
Mauritius: 2 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Mayotte: 3 (1997)
Mexico: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997)
Micronesia, Federated States of: 2 (1997)
Moldova: 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Monaco: 5 (1998)
Mongolia: 4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low powered repeaters) (1999)
Montserrat: 1 (1997)
Morocco: 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)
Mozambique: 1 (2000)
Namibia: 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Nauru: 1 (1997)
Nepal: 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Netherlands: 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)
Netherlands Antilles: 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)
New Caledonia: 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
New Zealand: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Nicaragua: 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Niger: 10 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Nigeria: 2 government-controlled; note - in addition, in 1993, 14 licenses to operate private television stations were granted (1999)
Niue: 1 (1997)
Norfolk Island: 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)
Northern Mariana Islands: 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Norway: 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)
Oman: 13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)
Pakistan: 22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Palau: 1 (1997)
Panama: 38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Papua New Guinea: 3 (1997)
Paraguay: 4 (2001)
Peru: 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)
Philippines: 31 (1997)
Pitcairn Islands: 0 (1997)
Poland: 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)
Portugal: 62 (plus 166 repeaters)
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)
Puerto Rico: 18 (plus three stations of the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997)
Qatar: 2 (plus three repeaters) (1997)
Reunion: 22 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Romania: 48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
Russia: 7,306 (1998)
Rwanda: 2 (1997)
Saint Helena: 0 (1997)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)
Saint Lucia: 3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)
Samoa: 6 (1997)
San Marino: 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)
Sao Tome and Principe: 2 (1997)
Saudi Arabia: 117 (1997)
Senegal: 1 (1997)
Seychelles: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Sierra Leone: 2 (1999)
Singapore: 6 (2000)
Slovakia: 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)
Slovenia: 48 (2001)
Solomon Islands: 0 (1997)
Somalia: 1 (1997)
South Africa: 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: 0 (1997)
Spain: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)
note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)
Sri Lanka: 21 (1997)
Sudan: 3 (1997)
Suriname: 3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)
Svalbard: NA
Swaziland: 10 (2000)
Sweden: 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)
Switzerland: 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Syria: 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Tajikistan: 0 (there are, however, repeaters that relay programs from Russia, Iran, and Turkey) (1997)
Tanzania: 3 (1999)
Thailand: 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)
Togo: 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Tokelau: NA
Tonga: 1 (2001)
Trinidad and Tobago: 4 (1997)
Tunisia: 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Turkey: 635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)
Turkmenistan: 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997)
Turks and Caicos Islands: 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)
Tuvalu: 0 (1997)
Uganda: 8 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)
Ukraine: at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from Russia) (1997)
United Arab Emirates: 15 (1997)
United Kingdom: 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)
United States: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)
Uruguay: 26 (plus ten low-power repeaters for the Montevideo station) (1997)
Uzbekistan: 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tadzhik programs) (1997)
Vanuatu: 1 (1997)
Venezuela: 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)
Vietnam: at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)
Virgin Islands: 2 (1997)
Wake Island: 0 (1997)
Wallis and Futuna: 2 (2000)
West Bank: NA
Western Sahara: NA
World: NA
Yemen: 7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Yugoslavia: more than 771 (including 86 strong stations and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)
Zambia: 9 (1997)
Zimbabwe: 16 (1997)
Taiwan: 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
======================================================================
@Televisions
Afghanistan: 100,000 (1999)
Albania: 405,000 (1997)
Algeria: 3.1 million (1997)
American Samoa: 14,000 (1997)
Andorra: 27,000 (1997)
Angola: 150,000 (1997)
Anguilla: 1,000 (1997)
Antarctica: several hundred at McMurdo Sound
note: information for US bases only (2001)
Antigua and Barbuda: 31,000 (1997)
Argentina: 7.95 million (1997)
Armenia: 825,000 (1997)
Aruba: 20,000 (1997)
Australia: 10.15 million (1997)
Austria: 4.25 million (1997)
Azerbaijan: 170,000 (1997)
Bahamas, The: 67,000 (1997)
Bahrain: 275,000 (1997)
Bangladesh: 770,000 (1997)
Barbados: 76,000 (1997)
Belarus: 2.52 million (1997)
Belgium: 4.72 million (1997)
Belize: 41,000 (1997)
Benin: 60,000 (1997)
Bermuda: 66,000 (1997)
Bhutan: 11,000 (1997)
Bolivia: 900,000 (1997)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: NA
Botswana: 31,000 (1997)
Brazil: 36.5 million (1997)
British Indian Ocean Territory: NA
British Virgin Islands: 4,000 (1997)
Brunei: 201,900 (1998)
Bulgaria: 3.31 million (1997)
Burkina Faso: 100,000 (1997)
Burma: 320,000 (2000)
Burundi: 25,000 (1997)
Cambodia: 94,000 (1997)
Cameroon: 450,000 (1997)
Canada: 21.5 million (1997)
Cape Verde: 2,000 (1997)
Cayman Islands: 7,000 (1997)
Central African Republic: 18,000 (1997)
Chad: 10,000 (1997)
Chile: 3.15 million (1997)
China: 400 million (1997)
Christmas Island: 600 (1997)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: NA
Colombia: 4.59 million (1997)
Comoros: 1,000 (1997)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 6.478 million (1997)
Congo, Republic of the: 33,000 (1997)
Cook Islands: 4,000 (1997)
Costa Rica: 525,000 (1997)
Cote d'Ivoire: 900,000 (1997)
Croatia: 1.22 million (1997)
Cuba: 2.64 million (1997)
Cyprus: Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994)
Czech Republic: 3,405,834 (December 2000)
Denmark: 3.121 million (1997)
Djibouti: 28,000 (1997)
Dominica: 6,000 (1997)
Dominican Republic: 770,000 (1997)
Ecuador: 1.55 million (1997)
Egypt: 7.7 million (1997)
El Salvador: 600,000 (1990)
Equatorial Guinea: 4,000 (1997)
Eritrea: 1,000 (1997)
Estonia: 605,000 (1997)
Ethiopia: 320,000 (1997)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): 1,000 (1997)
Faroe Islands: 15,000 (1997)
Fiji: 21,000 (1997)
Finland: 3.2 million (1997)
France: 34.8 million (1997)
French Guiana: 30,000 (1997)
French Polynesia: 40,000 (1997)
Gabon: 63,000 (1997)
Gambia, The: 5,000 (2000)
Gaza Strip: NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)
Georgia: 2.57 million (1997)
Germany: 51.4 million (1998)
Ghana: 1.73 million (1997)
Gibraltar: 10,000 (1997)
Greece: 2.54 million (1997)
Greenland: 30,000 (1998 est.)
Grenada: 33,000 (1997)
Guadeloupe: 118,000 (1997)
Guam: 106,000 (1997)
Guatemala: 1.323 million (1997)
Guernsey: NA
Guinea: 85,000 (1997)
Guinea-Bissau: NA
Guyana: 46,000 (1997)
Haiti: 38,000 (1997)
Holy See (Vatican City): NA
Honduras: 570,000 (1997)
Hong Kong: 1.84 million (1997)
Hungary: 4.42 million (1997)
Iceland: 98,000 (1997)
India: 63 million (1997)
Indonesia: 13.75 million (1997)
Iran: 4.61 million (1997)
Iraq: 1.75 million (1997)
Ireland: 1.82 million (2001)
Israel: 1.69 million (1997)
Italy: 30.3 million (1997)
Jamaica: 460,000 (1997)
Japan: 86.5 million (1997)
Jersey: NA
Jordan: 500,000 (1997)
Kazakhstan: 3.88 million (1997)
Kenya: 730,000 (1997)
Kiribati: 1,000 (1997)
Korea, North: 1.2 million (1997)
Korea, South: 15.9 million (1997)
Kuwait: 875,000 (1997)
Kyrgyzstan: 210,000 (1997)
Laos: 52,000 (1997)
Latvia: 1.22 million (1997)
Lebanon: 1.18 million (1997)
Lesotho: 54,000 (1997)
Liberia: 70,000 (1997)
Libya: 730,000 (1997)
Liechtenstein: 12,000 (1997)
Lithuania: 1.7 million (1997)
Luxembourg: 285,000 (1998 est.)
Macau: 49,000 (1997)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 510,000 (1997)
Madagascar: 325,000 (1997)
Malawi: 0 (1999)
Malaysia: 10.8 million (1999)
Maldives: 10,000 (1999)
Mali: 45,000 (1997)
Malta: 280,000 (1997)
Man, Isle of: 27,490 (1999)
Marshall Islands: NA
Martinique: 66,000 (1997)
Mauritania: 87,000 (1998)
Mauritius: 258,000 (1997)
Mayotte: 3,500 (1994)
Mexico: 25.6 million (1997)
Micronesia, Federated States of: NA
Moldova: 1.26 million (1997)
Monaco: 25,000 (1997)
Mongolia: 168,800 (1999)
Montserrat: 3,000 (1997)
Morocco: 3.1 million (1997)
Mozambique: 67,600 (2000)
Namibia: 60,000 (1997)
Nauru: 500 (1997)
Nepal: 130,000 (1997)
Netherlands: 8.1 million (1997)
Netherlands Antilles: 69,000 (1997)
New Caledonia: 52,000 (1997)
New Zealand: 1.926 million (1997)
Nicaragua: 320,000 (1997)
Niger: 125,000 (1997)
Nigeria: 6.9 million (1997)
Niue: NA
Norfolk Island: 1,200 (1996)
Northern Mariana Islands: NA
Norway: 2.03 million (1997)
Oman: 1.6 million (1997)
Pakistan: 3.1 million (1997)
Palau: 11,000 (1997)
Panama: 510,000 (1997)
Papua New Guinea: 42,000 (1997)
Paraguay: 990,000 (2001)
Peru: 3.06 million (1997)
Philippines: 3.7 million (1997)
Pitcairn Islands: NA
Poland: 13.05 million (1997)
Portugal: 3.31 million (1997)
Puerto Rico: 1.021 million (1997)
Qatar: 230,000 (1997)
Reunion: 127,000 (1997)
Romania: 5.25 million (1997)
Russia: 60.5 million (1997)
Rwanda: NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)
Saint Helena: 2,000 (1997)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 10,000 (1997)
Saint Lucia: 32,000 (1997)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 4,000 (1997)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 18,000 (1997)
Samoa: 11,000 (1997)
San Marino: 9,000 (1997)
Sao Tome and Principe: 23,000 (1997)
Saudi Arabia: 5.1 million (1997)
Senegal: 361,000 (1997)
Seychelles: 11,000 (1997)
Sierra Leone: 53,000 (1997)
Singapore: 1.33 million (1997)
Slovakia: 2.62 million (1997)
Slovenia: 710,000 (1997)
Solomon Islands: 3,000 (1997)
Somalia: 135,000 (1997)
South Africa: 5.2 million (1997)
Spain: 16.2 million (1997)
Sri Lanka: 1.53 million (1997)
Sudan: 2.38 million (1997)
Suriname: 63,000 (1997)
Svalbard: NA
Swaziland: 21,000 (1997)
Sweden: 4.6 million (1997)
Switzerland: 3.31 million (1997)
Syria: 1.05 million (1997)
Tajikistan: 860,000 (1991)
Tanzania: 103,000 (1997)
Thailand: 15.19 million (1997)
Togo: 73,000 (1997)
Tokelau: NA
Tonga: 2,000 (1997)
Trinidad and Tobago: 425,000 (1997)
Tunisia: 920,000 (1997)
Turkey: 20.9 million (1997)
Turkmenistan: 820,000 (1997)
Turks and Caicos Islands: NA
Tuvalu: 800
Uganda: 315,000 (1997)
Ukraine: 18.05 million (1997)
United Arab Emirates: 310,000 (1997)
United Kingdom: 30.5 million (1997)
United States: 219 million (1997)
Uruguay: 782,000 (1997)
Uzbekistan: 6.4 million (1997)
Vanuatu: 2,000 (1997)
Venezuela: 4.1 million (1997)
Vietnam: 3.57 million (1997)
Virgin Islands: 68,000 (1997)
Wallis and Futuna: NA
West Bank: NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)
Western Sahara: 6,000 (1997)
World: NA
Yemen: 470,000 (1997)
Yugoslavia: 2.75 million (1997)
Zambia: 277,000 (1997)
Zimbabwe: 370,000 (1997)
Taiwan: 8.8 million (1998)
======================================================================
@Terrain
Afghanistan: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Albania: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Algeria: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
American Samoa: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Andorra: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Angola: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Anguilla: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Antarctica: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
Antigua and Barbuda: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
Arctic Ocean: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)
Argentina: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Armenia: Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Aruba: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Ashmore and Cartier Islands: low with sand and coral
Atlantic Ocean: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin
Australia: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Austria: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Azerbaijan: large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Bahamas, The: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Bahrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Baker Island: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Bangladesh: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Barbados: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Bassas da India: volcanic rock
Belarus: generally flat and contains much marshland
Belgium: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Belize: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Benin: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Bermuda: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Bhutan: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Bolivia: rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Bosnia and Herzegovina: mountains and valleys
Botswana: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
Bouvet Island: volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 m; coast is mostly inaccessible
Brazil: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
British Indian Ocean Territory: flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
British Virgin Islands: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Brunei: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Bulgaria: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Burkina Faso: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Burma: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Burundi: hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Cambodia: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Cameroon: diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Canada: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Cape Verde: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Cayman Islands: low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Central African Republic: vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Chad: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
Chile: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
China: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east
Christmas Island: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Clipperton Island: coral atoll
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: flat, low-lying coral atolls
Colombia: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Comoros: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Congo, Republic of the: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Cook Islands: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Coral Sea Islands: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Costa Rica: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Cote d'Ivoire: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Croatia: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Cuba: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Cyprus: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
Czech Republic: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Denmark: low and flat to gently rolling plains
Djibouti: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Dominica: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Dominican Republic: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Ecuador: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Egypt: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
El Salvador: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Equatorial Guinea: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Eritrea: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Estonia: marshy, lowlands
Ethiopia: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley
Europa Island: low and flat
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Faroe Islands: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
Fiji: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Finland: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
French Polynesia: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
French Southern and Antarctic Lands: volcanic
Gabon: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Gambia, The: flood plain of the Gambia river flanked by some low hills
Gaza Strip: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Georgia: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Germany: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Ghana: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Gibraltar: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands: low and flat
Greece: mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Greenland: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Grenada: volcanic in origin with central mountains
Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Guam: volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in south
Guatemala: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
Guernsey: mostly level with low hills in southwest
Guinea: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Guinea-Bissau: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Guyana: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Haiti: mostly rough and mountainous
Heard Island and McDonald Islands: Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Holy See (Vatican City): low hill
Honduras: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Hong Kong: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Howland Island: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Hungary: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border
Iceland: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
India: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Indian Ocean: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge
Indonesia: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
Iran: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Iraq: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Ireland: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Israel: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Italy: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Jamaica: mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Jan Mayen: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Japan: mostly rugged and mountainous
Jarvis Island: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Jersey: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Johnston Atoll: mostly flat
Jordan: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Juan de Nova Island: low and flat
Kazakhstan: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Kenya: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
Kingman Reef: low and nearly level
Kiribati: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Korea, North: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Korea, South: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
Kuwait: flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Kyrgyzstan: peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation
Laos: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Latvia: low plain
Lebanon: narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Lesotho: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Liberia: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Libya: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Liechtenstein: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Lithuania: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Luxembourg: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Macau: generally flat
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
Madagascar: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Malawi: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Malaysia: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Maldives: flat, with white sandy beaches
Mali: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Malta: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Man, Isle of: hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Marshall Islands: low coral limestone and sand islands
Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Mauritania: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Mauritius: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Mexico: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
Micronesia, Federated States of: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk
Midway Islands: low, nearly level
Moldova: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Monaco: hilly, rugged, rocky
Mongolia: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Montserrat: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Morocco: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains
Mozambique: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Namibia: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Nauru: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Navassa Island: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Nepal: Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Netherlands: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Netherlands Antilles: generally hilly, volcanic interiors
New Caledonia: coastal plains with interior mountains
New Zealand: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Nicaragua: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Niger: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Nigeria: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Niue: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Norfolk Island: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Northern Mariana Islands: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Norway: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Oman: central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Pacific Ocean: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest
Pakistan: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west
Palau: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
Palmyra Atoll: very low
Panama: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Papua New Guinea: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Paracel Islands: mostly low and flat
Paraguay: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Peru: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Philippines: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Pitcairn Islands: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Poland: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Portugal: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Puerto Rico: mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Qatar: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Romania: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Russia: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions
Rwanda: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east
Saint Helena: Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
Saint Kitts and Nevis: volcanic with mountainous interiors
Saint Lucia: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: mostly barren rock
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: volcanic, mountainous
Samoa: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior
San Marino: rugged mountains
Sao Tome and Principe: volcanic, mountainous
Saudi Arabia: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Senegal: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
Seychelles: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Sierra Leone: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Singapore: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Slovakia: rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Slovenia: a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
Solomon Islands: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Somalia: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
South Africa: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Southern Ocean: the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep - its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Spain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Spratly Islands: flat
Sri Lanka: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Sudan: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west
Suriname: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Svalbard: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts
Swaziland: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Sweden: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Switzerland: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Syria: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Tajikistan: Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Tanzania: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Thailand: central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere
Togo: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Tokelau: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Tonga: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Trinidad and Tobago: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Tromelin Island: low, flat, and sandy
Tunisia: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Turkey: mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau (Anatolia)
Turkmenistan: flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
Turks and Caicos Islands: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Tuvalu: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Uganda: mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Ukraine: most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south
United Arab Emirates: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
United Kingdom: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
United States: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Uruguay: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Uzbekistan: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Sirdaryo (Syr Darya), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Vanuatu: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Venezuela: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Vietnam: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Virgin Islands: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Wake Island: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Wallis and Futuna: volcanic origin; low hills
West Bank: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Western Sahara: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
World: the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean
Yemen: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Yugoslavia: extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands off the coast
Zambia: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Zimbabwe: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Taiwan: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
======================================================================
@Total fertility rate
Afghanistan: 5.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Albania: 2.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Algeria: 2.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
American Samoa: 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Andorra: 1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Angola: 6.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Anguilla: 1.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda: 2.31 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Argentina: 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Armenia: 1.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Aruba: 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Australia: 1.77 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Austria: 1.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Azerbaijan: 2.24 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bahamas, The: 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bahrain: 2.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bangladesh: 2.78 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Barbados: 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Belarus: 1.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Belgium: 1.61 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Belize: 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Benin: 6.23 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bermuda: 1.81 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bhutan: 5.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bolivia: 3.51 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1.71 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Botswana: 3.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Brazil: 2.09 children born/woman (2001 est.)
British Virgin Islands: 1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Brunei: 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Bulgaria: 1.13 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Burkina Faso: 6.35 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Burma: 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Burundi: 6.16 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cambodia: 4.74 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cameroon: 4.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Canada: 1.6 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cape Verde: 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cayman Islands: 2.04 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Central African Republic: 4.86 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Chad: 6.56 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Chile: 2.16 children born/woman (2001 est.)
China: 1.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Christmas Island: NA children born/woman
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: NA children born/woman
Colombia: 2.66 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Comoros: 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 6.84 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Congo, Republic of the: 5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Costa Rica: 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire: 5.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Croatia: 1.94 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cuba: 1.6 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Cyprus: 1.93 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Czech Republic: 1.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Denmark: 1.73 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Djibouti: 5.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Dominica: 2.03 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Dominican Republic: 2.97 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Ecuador: 3.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Egypt: 3.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)
El Salvador: 3.34 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Equatorial Guinea: 4.88 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Eritrea: 5.87 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Estonia: 1.21 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Ethiopia: 7 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): NA children born/woman
Faroe Islands: 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Fiji: 2.86 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Finland: 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)
France: 1.75 children born/woman (2001 est.)
French Guiana: 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.)
French Polynesia: 2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Gabon: 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Gambia, The: 5.68 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Gaza Strip: 6.42 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Georgia: 1.45 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Germany: 1.38 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Ghana: 3.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Gibraltar: 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Greece: 1.33 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Greenland: 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Grenada: 2.54 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guadeloupe: 1.93 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guam: 3.85 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guatemala: 4.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guernsey: 1.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guinea: 5.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guinea-Bissau: 5.2 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Guyana: 2.1 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Haiti: 4.4 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Honduras: 4.15 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Hong Kong: 1.29 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Hungary: 1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Iceland: 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)
India: 3.04 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Indonesia: 2.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Iran: 2.02 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Iraq: 4.75 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Ireland: 1.9 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Israel: 2.57 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Italy: 1.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Jamaica: 2.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Japan: 1.41 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Jersey: 1.56 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Jordan: 3.29 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Kazakhstan: 2.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Kenya: 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Kiribati: 4.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Korea, North: 2.26 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Korea, South: 1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Kuwait: 3.2 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Kyrgyzstan: 3.19 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Laos: 5.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Latvia: 1.15 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Lebanon: 2.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Lesotho: 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Liberia: 6.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Libya: 3.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Liechtenstein: 1.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Lithuania: 1.37 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Luxembourg: 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Macau: 1.31 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 1.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Madagascar: 5.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Malawi: 5.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Malaysia: 3.24 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Maldives: 5.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mali: 6.81 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Malta: 1.92 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Man, Isle of: 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Marshall Islands: 6.55 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Martinique: 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mauritania: 6.22 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mauritius: 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mayotte: 6.24 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mexico: 2.62 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Moldova: 1.67 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Monaco: 1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mongolia: 2.39 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Montserrat: 1.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Morocco: 3.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Mozambique: 4.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Namibia: 4.83 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Nauru: 3.61 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Nepal: 4.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Netherlands: 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Netherlands Antilles: 2.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)
New Caledonia: 2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)
New Zealand: 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Nicaragua: 3.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Niger: 7.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Nigeria: 5.57 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Niue: NA children born/woman
Norfolk Island: NA children born/woman
Northern Mariana Islands: 1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Norway: 1.81 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Oman: 6.04 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Pakistan: 4.41 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Palau: 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Panama: 2.27 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Papua New Guinea: 4.3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Paraguay: 4.11 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Peru: 2.96 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Philippines: 3.42 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Pitcairn Islands: NA children born/woman
Poland: 1.37 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Portugal: 1.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Puerto Rico: 1.9 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Qatar: 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Reunion: 2.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Romania: 1.35 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Russia: 1.27 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Rwanda: 4.89 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Saint Helena: 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 2.41 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Saint Lucia: 2.38 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 2.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 2.06 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Samoa: 3.4 children born/woman (2001 est.)
San Marino: 1.3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe: 6.02 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Saudi Arabia: 6.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Senegal: 5.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Seychelles: 1.83 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Sierra Leone: 6.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Singapore: 1.22 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Slovakia: 1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Slovenia: 1.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Solomon Islands: 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Somalia: 7.11 children born/woman (2001 est.)
South Africa: 2.43 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Spain: 1.15 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Sri Lanka: 1.95 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Sudan: 5.35 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Suriname: 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Svalbard: NA children born/woman
Swaziland: 5.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Sweden: 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Switzerland: 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Syria: 3.95 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Tajikistan: 4.29 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Tanzania: 5.42 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Thailand: 1.87 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Togo: 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Tokelau: NA children born/woman
Tonga: 3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago: 1.81 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Tunisia: 1.99 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Turkey: 2.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Turkmenistan: 3.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Turks and Caicos Islands: 3.22 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Tuvalu: 3.09 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Uganda: 6.88 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Ukraine: 1.29 children born/woman (2001 est.)
United Arab Emirates: 3.23 children born/woman (2001 est.)
United Kingdom: 1.73 children born/woman (2001 est.)
United States: 2.06 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Uruguay: 2.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Uzbekistan: 3.06 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Vanuatu: 3.19 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Venezuela: 2.46 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Vietnam: 2.49 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Virgin Islands: 2.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Wallis and Futuna: NA children born/woman
West Bank: 4.9 children born/woman (2001 est.)
World: 2.73 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Yemen: 6.97 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Yugoslavia: 1.75 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Zambia: 5.53 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Zimbabwe: 3.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Taiwan: 1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.)
======================================================================
@Transportation - note
Arctic Ocean: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways
Atlantic Ocean: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US
Baker Island: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Georgia: transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair
Howland Island: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART
Jarvis Island: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Pacific Ocean: Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)
Southern Ocean: Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
Wake Island: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings
======================================================================
@Unemployment rate
Afghanistan: NA%
Albania: 16% (2000 est.) officially; may be as high as 25%
Algeria: 30% (1999 est.)
American Samoa: 16% (1993)
Andorra: 0%
Angola: extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2000 est.)
Anguilla: 7% (1992 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda: 7% (1999 est.)
Argentina: 15% (December 2000)
Armenia: 20% (1998 est.)
note: official rate is 9.3% for 1998
Aruba: 0.6% (1999 est.)
Australia: 6.4% (2000)
Austria: 5.4% (2000 est.)
Azerbaijan: 20% (1999 est.)
Bahamas, The: 9% (1998 est.)
Bahrain: 15% (1998 est.)
Bangladesh: 35.2% (1996)
Barbados: 11% (1999 est.)
Belarus: 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Belgium: 8.4% (2000 est.)
Belize: 12.8% (1999)
Benin: NA%
Bermuda: NEGL% (1995)
Bhutan: NA%
Bolivia: 11.4% (1997)
note: widespread underemployment
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 35%-40% (1999 est.)
Botswana: 40% (2000 est.)
Brazil: 7.1% (2000 est.)
British Virgin Islands: 3% (1995)
Brunei: 4.9% (1995 est.)
Bulgaria: 17.7% (2000 est.)
Burkina Faso: NA%
Burma: 7.1% (official FY97/98 est.)
Burundi: NA%
Cambodia: 2.8% (1999 est.)
Cameroon: 30% (1998 est.)
Canada: 6.8% (2000 est.)
Cape Verde: 24% (1999 est.)
Cayman Islands: 4.1% (1997)
Central African Republic: 6% (1993)
Chad: NA%
Chile: 9% (December 2000)
China: urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2000 est.)
Christmas Island: NA%
Colombia: 20% (2000 est.)
Comoros: 20% (1996 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: NA%
Congo, Republic of the: NA%
Cook Islands: NA%
Costa Rica: 5.2% (2000 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire: 13% in urban areas (1998 est.)
Croatia: 22% (October 2000)
Cuba: 5.5% (2000 est.)
Cyprus: Greek Cypriot area: 3.6% (2000 est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 6% (1998 est.)
Czech Republic: 8.7% (2000 est.)
Denmark: 5.3% (2000)
Djibouti: 50% (2000 est.)
Dominica: 20% (1999 est.)
Dominican Republic: 13.8% (1999 est.)
Ecuador: 13%; note - widespread underemployment (2000 est.)
Egypt: 11.5% (2000 est.)
El Salvador: 10% (2000 est.)
Equatorial Guinea: 30% (1998 est.)
Eritrea: NA%
Estonia: 11.7% (1999 est.)
Ethiopia: NA%
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): full employment; labor shortage
Faroe Islands: 1% (October 2000)
Fiji: 6% (1997 est.)
Finland: 9.8% (2000 est.)
France: 9.7% (2000 est.)
French Guiana: 21.4% (1998)
French Polynesia: 15% (1992 est.)
Gabon: 21% (1997 est.)
Gambia, The: NA%
Gaza Strip: 40% (includes West Bank) (yearend 2000)
Georgia: 14.9% (1999 est.)
Germany: 9.9% (2000 est.)
Ghana: 20% (1997 est.)
Gibraltar: 13.5% (1996)
Greece: 11.3% (2000 est.)
Greenland: 7% (1999 est.)
Grenada: 15% (1997)
Guadeloupe: 27.8% (1998)
Guam: 15% (2000 est.)
Guatemala: 7.5% (1999 est.)
Guernsey: 0.5% (1999 est.)
Guinea: NA%
Guinea-Bissau: NA%
Guyana: 12% (1992 est.)
Haiti: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (1999)
Honduras: 28% (2000 est.)
Hong Kong: 4.5% (2000 est.)
Hungary: 9.4% (2000 est.)
Iceland: 2.7% (January 2001)
India: NA%
Indonesia: 15%-20% (1998 est.)
Iran: 14% (1999 est.)
Iraq: NA%
Ireland: 4.1% (2000)
Israel: 9% (2000 est.)
Italy: 10.4% (2000 est.)
Jamaica: 16% (2000 est.)
Japan: 4.7% (2000)
Jersey: 0.7% (1998 est.)
Jordan: 15% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (1999 est.)
Kazakhstan: 13.7% (1998 est.)
Kenya: 50% (1998 est.)
Kiribati: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Korea, North: NA%
Korea, South: 4.1% (2000 est.)
Kuwait: 1.8% (official 1996 est.)
Kyrgyzstan: 6% (1998 est.)
Laos: 5.7% (1997 est.)
Latvia: 7.8% (2000 est.)
Lebanon: 18% (1997 est.)
Lesotho: 45% (2000 est.)
Liberia: 70%
Libya: 30% (2000 est.)
Liechtenstein: 1.8% (February 1999)
Lithuania: 10.8% (2000)
Luxembourg: 2.7% (2000 est.)
Macau: 6.6% (2000)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: 32% (2000)
Madagascar: NA%
Malawi: NA%
Malaysia: 2.8% (2000 est.)
Maldives: NEGL%
Mali: NA%
Malta: 4.5% (3rd Quarter 2000)
Man, Isle of: 0.6% (August 2000)
Marshall Islands: 16% (1991 est.)
Martinique: 27.2% (1998)
Mauritania: 23% (1995 est.)
Mauritius: 6.4% (1999 est.)
Mayotte: 45% (1997)
Mexico: urban - 2.2% (2000); plus considerable underemployment
Micronesia, Federated States of: 16% (1999 est.)
Moldova: 1.9% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers) (November 2000)
Monaco: 3.1% (1998)
Mongolia: NA%
Montserrat: 20% (1996 est.)
Morocco: 23% (1999 est.)
Mozambique: 21% (1997 est.)
Namibia: 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.)
Nauru: 0%
Nepal: NA%; substantial underemployment (1999)
Netherlands: 2.6% (2000 est.)
Netherlands Antilles: 14.9% (1998 est.)
New Caledonia: 19% (1996)
New Zealand: 6.3% (2000 est.)
Nicaragua: 20% plus considerable underemployment (1999 est.)
Niger: NA%
Nigeria: 28% (1992 est.)
Niue: NA%
Norfolk Island: NA%
Northern Mariana Islands: NA%
Norway: 3% (2000 est.)
Oman: NA%
Pakistan: 6% (FY99/00 est.)
Palau: 2.3% (2000 est.)
Panama: 13% (2000 est.)
Papua New Guinea: NA%
Paraguay: 16% (2000 est.)
Peru: 7.7%; extensive underemployment (1997)
Philippines: 10% (2000)
Pitcairn Islands: NA%
Poland: 12% (1999)
Portugal: 4.3% (2000 est.)
Puerto Rico: 9.5% (2000)
Qatar: NA%
Reunion: 42.8% (1998)
Romania: 11.5% (1999)
Russia: 10.5% (2000 est.), plus considerable underemployment
Rwanda: NA%
Saint Helena: 14% (1998 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 4.5% (1997)
Saint Lucia: 15% (1996 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 9.8% (1997)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 22% (1997 est.)
Samoa: NA%; note - substantial underemployment
San Marino: 3% (1999)
Sao Tome and Principe: NA%
Saudi Arabia: NA%
Senegal: NA%; urban youth 40%
Seychelles: NA%
Sierra Leone: NA%
Singapore: 3% (2000 est.)
Slovakia: 17% (2000 est.)
Slovenia: 7.1% (1997 est.)
Solomon Islands: NA%
Somalia: NA%
South Africa: 30% (2000 est.)
Spain: 14% (2000 est.)
Sri Lanka: 8.8% (1999 est.)
Sudan: 4% (1996 est.)
Suriname: 20% (1997)
Swaziland: 22% (1995 est.)
Sweden: 6% (2000 est.)
Switzerland: 1.9% (2000 est.)
Syria: 20% (2000 est.)
Tajikistan: 5.7% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1998)
Tanzania: NA%
Thailand: 3.7% (2000 est.)
Togo: NA%
Tokelau: NA%
Tonga: 13.3% (FY96/97)
Trinidad and Tobago: 12.8% (2000)
Tunisia: 15.6% (2000 est.)
Turkey: 5.6% (plus underemployment of 5.6%) (2000 est.)
Turkmenistan: NA%
Turks and Caicos Islands: 10% (1997 est.)
Tuvalu: NA%
Uganda: NA%
Ukraine: 4.3% officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers (December 1999)
United Arab Emirates: NA%
United Kingdom: 5.5% (2000 est.)
United States: 4% (2000)
Uruguay: 14% (2000 est.)
Uzbekistan: 10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)
Vanuatu: NA%
Venezuela: 14% (2000 est.)
Vietnam: 25% (1995 est.)
Virgin Islands: 4.9% (March 1999)
Wallis and Futuna: NA%
West Bank: 40% (includes Gaza Strip) (yearend 2000)
Western Sahara: NA%
World: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12% unemployment (2000 est.)
Yemen: 30% (1995 est.)
Yugoslavia: 30% (2000 est.)
Zambia: 50% (2000 est.)
Zimbabwe: 50% (2000 est.)
Taiwan: 3% (2000 est.)
======================================================================
@Waterways
Afghanistan: 1,200 km
note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels with DWT up to about 500 (2001)
Albania: 43 km
note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
Algeria: none
American Samoa: none
Andorra: none
Angola: 1,295 km
Anguilla: none
Antigua and Barbuda: none
Argentina: 10,950 km
Armenia: NA km
Aruba: none
Ashmore and Cartier Islands: none
Australia: 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)
Austria: 358 km (1999)
Azerbaijan: none
Bahamas, The: none
Bahrain: none
Baker Island: none
Bangladesh: up to 8,046 km depending on season
note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
Barbados: none
Bassas da India: none
Belarus: NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
Belgium: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Belize: 825 km (river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable)
Benin: streams navigable along small sections, important only locally
Bermuda: none
Bhutan: none
Bolivia: 10,000 km (commercially navigable)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: NA km; large sections of the Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris
Botswana: none
Bouvet Island: none
Brazil: 50,000 km
British Indian Ocean Territory: none
British Virgin Islands: none
Brunei: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m
Bulgaria: 470 km (1987)
Burkina Faso: none
Burma: 12,800 km
note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Burundi: Lake Tanganyika
Cambodia: 3,700 km
note: navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m
Cameroon: 2,090 km (of decreasing importance)
Canada: 3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway)
Cape Verde: none
Cayman Islands: none
Central African Republic: 900 km
note: traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m
Chad: 2,000 km
Chile: 725 km
China: 110,000 km (1999)
Christmas Island: none
Clipperton Island: none
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: none
Colombia: 18,140 km (navigable by river boats) (April 1996)
Comoros: none
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)
Congo, Republic of the: 1,120 km
note: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only
Cook Islands: none
Coral Sea Islands: none
Costa Rica: 730 km (seasonally navigable)
Cote d'Ivoire: 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
Croatia: 785 km
note: (perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris)
Cuba: 240 km
Cyprus: none
Czech Republic: 303 km
note: (the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river) (2000)
Denmark: 417 km
Djibouti: none
Dominica: none
Dominican Republic: none
Ecuador: 1,500 km
Egypt: 3,500 km
note: including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water
El Salvador: Rio Lempa partially navigable
Equatorial Guinea: none
Eritrea: none
Estonia: 320 km (perennially navigable)
Ethiopia: none
Europa Island: none
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): none
Faroe Islands: none
Fiji: 203 km
note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
Finland: 6,675 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships
France: 14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)
French Guiana: 3,300 km navigable by native craft
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
French Polynesia: none
French Southern and Antarctic Lands: none
Gabon: 1,600 km (perennially navigable)
Gambia, The: 400 km
Gaza Strip: none
Georgia: none
Germany: 7,500 km
note: major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea (1999)
Ghana: 1,293 km
note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways
Gibraltar: none
Glorioso Islands: none
Greece: 80 km
note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers
Greenland: none
Grenada: none
Guadeloupe: none
Guam: none
Guatemala: 990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during highwater season
Guernsey: none
Guinea: 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)
Guinea-Bissau: several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping
Guyana: 5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways)
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Haiti: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable
Heard Island and McDonald Islands: none
Holy See (Vatican City): none
Honduras: 465 km (navigable by small craft)
Hong Kong: none
Howland Island: none
Hungary: 1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)
Iceland: none
India: 16,180 km
note: 3,631 km navigable by large vessels
Indonesia: 21,579 km total
note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km
Iran: 904 km
note: the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use
Iraq: 1,015 km
note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war
Ireland: 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)
Israel: none
Italy: 2,400 km
note: for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value
Jamaica: none
Jan Mayen: none
Japan: 1,770 km approximately
note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Jarvis Island: none
Jersey: none
Johnston Atoll: none
Jordan: none
Juan de Nova Island: none
Kazakhstan: 3,900 km
note: on the Syrdariya (Syr Darya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers
Kenya: NA
note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya
Kingman Reef: none
Kiribati: 5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands)
Korea, North: 2,253 km
note: mostly navigable by small craft only
Korea, South: 1,609 km
note: restricted to small native craft
Kuwait: none
Kyrgyzstan: 600 km (1990)
Laos: 4,587 km approximately
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
Latvia: 300 km (perennially navigable)
Lebanon: none
Lesotho: none
Liberia: none
Libya: none
Liechtenstein: none
Lithuania: 600 km (perennially navigable)
Luxembourg: 37 km (on the Moselle)
Macau: none
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of: note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders
Madagascar: note: of local importance only
Malawi: 144 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall
Malaysia: 7,296 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km
Maldives: none
Mali: 1,815 km
Malta: none
Man, Isle of: none
Marshall Islands: none
Martinique: none
Mauritania: note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Mauritius: none
Mayotte: none
Mexico: 2,900 km
note: navigable rivers and coastal canals
Micronesia, Federated States of: none
Midway Islands: none
Moldova: 424 km (1994)
Monaco: none
Mongolia: 400 km (1999)
Montserrat: none
Morocco: none
Mozambique: 3,750 km (navigable routes)
Namibia: none
Nauru: none
Navassa Island: none
Nepal: none
Netherlands: 5,046 km
note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger
Netherlands Antilles: none
New Caledonia: none
New Zealand: 1,609 km
note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation requirements
Nicaragua: 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)
Niger: 300 km
note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March
Nigeria: 8,575 km
note: consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks
Niue: none
Norfolk Island: none
Northern Mariana Islands: none
Norway: 1,577 km (along west coast)
note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels
Oman: none
Pakistan: none
Palau: none
Palmyra Atoll: none
Panama: 882 km
note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Papua New Guinea: 10,940 km
Paracel Islands: none
Paraguay: 3,100 km
Peru: 8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca
Philippines: 3,219 km
note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m
Pitcairn Islands: none
Poland: 3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996)
Portugal: 820 km
note: relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton or less cargo capacity
Puerto Rico: none
Qatar: none
Reunion: none
Romania: 1,724 km (1984)
Russia: 95,900 km (total routes in general use)
note: routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet-95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids-60,400 km; man-made navigable routes-16,900 km (Jan 1994)
Rwanda: note: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
Saint Helena: none
Saint Kitts and Nevis: none
Saint Lucia: none
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: none
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: none
Samoa: none
San Marino: none
Sao Tome and Principe: none
Saudi Arabia: none
Senegal: 897 km
note: 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river
Seychelles: none
Sierra Leone: 800 km (of which 600 km navigable year round)
Singapore: none
Slovakia: 172 km (all on the Danube)
Slovenia: NA
Solomon Islands: none
Somalia: none
South Africa: NA
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: none
Spain: 1,045 km (of minor economic importance)
Spratly Islands: none
Sri Lanka: 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)
Sudan: 5,310 km
Suriname: 1,200 km
note: most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways
Svalbard: none
Swaziland: none
Sweden: 2,052 km
note: navigable for small steamers and barges
Switzerland: 65 km
note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes
Syria: 870 km (minimal economic importance)
Tajikistan: none
Tanzania: note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principal avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes
Thailand: 4,000 km
note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats with drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serve shallow-draft native craft
Togo: 50 km (Mono river)
Tokelau: none
Tonga: none
Trinidad and Tobago: none
Tromelin Island: none
Tunisia: none
Turkey: 1,200 km (approximately)
Turkmenistan: the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands: none
Tuvalu: none
Uganda: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile
Ukraine: 4,499 km
note: (1,672 km are on the Pryp'yat' and Dnistr) (1990)
United Arab Emirates: none
United Kingdom: 3,200 km
United States: 41,009 km
note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes
Uruguay: 1,600 km ( used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)
Uzbekistan: 1,100 km (1990)
Vanuatu: none
Venezuela: 7,100 km
note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels
Vietnam: 17,702 km
note: more than 5,149 km are navigable at all times by vessels up to 1.8 m draft
Virgin Islands: none
Wake Island: none
Wallis and Futuna: none
West Bank: none
Western Sahara: none
Yemen: none
Yugoslavia: 587 km
note: The Danube River, which connects Europe with the Black Sea, runs through Serbia; since early 2000, a pontoon bridge, replacing a destroyed conventional bridge, has obstructed river traffic at Novi Sad; the obstruction can be bypassed by a canal system but inadequate lock size limits the size of vessels which may pass (2001)
Zambia: 2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers
Zimbabwe: the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique
Taiwan: NA
======================================================================
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 Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
AL: Arab League
AMF: Arab Monetary Fund
AMU: Arab Maghreb Union
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol: Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
ANZUS: Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty
APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Arabsat: Arab Satellite Communications Organization
ARF: ASEAN Regional Forum
AsDB: Asian Development Bank
ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Autodin: Automatic Digital Network
Benelux: Benelux Economic Union
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
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
Comsat: Communications Satellite Corporation
CP: Colombo Plan
CY: calendar year
DC: developed country
Desertification: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
DSN: Defense Switched Network
DWT: deadweight ton
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
EFTA: European Free Trade Association
EIB: European Investment Bank
EMU: European Monetary Union
Endangered Species: Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Entente: Council of the Entente
Environmental Modification: Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
ESA: European Space Agency
ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
ESCWA: Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
est.: estimate
EU: European Union
Euratom: European Atomic Energy Community
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
FLS: Front Line States
FRG: Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91
FSU: former Soviet Union
FY: fiscal year
FYROM: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
FZ: Franc Zone
G-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-11: Group of 11
G-15: Group of 15
G-19: Group of 19
G-24: Group of 24
G-30: Group of 30
G-33: Group of 33
G-77: Group of 77
GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; 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
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
IADB: Inter-American Development Bank
IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency
IBEC: International Bank for Economic Cooperation
IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)
ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
ICC: International Chamber of Commerce
ICJ: International Court of Justice (World Court)
ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross
ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
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 Mobile 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
ITU: International Telecommunication Union
kHz: kilohertz
km: kilometer
kW: kilowatt
kWh: kilowatt-hour
LAES: Latin American Economic System
LAIA: Latin American Integration Association
Law of the Sea: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
LDC: less developed country
LLDC: least developed country
London Convention: see Marine Dumping
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
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
NAM: Nonaligned Movement
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NC: Nordic Council
NEA: Nuclear Energy Agency
NEGL: negligible
NIB: Nordic Investment Bank
NIC: newly industrializing country
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
OAU: Organization of African Unity
ODA: official development assistance
OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OECS: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
OIC: Organization of the Islamic Conference
OOF: other official flows
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
Ramsar: see Wetlands
RG: Rio Group
SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SACU: Southern African Customs Union
SADC: Southern African Development Community
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
UHF: ultra-high-frequency
UK: United Kingdom
UN: United Nations
UNAMIR: United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
UNAVEM III: United Nations Angola Verification Mission III
UNCRO: United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia
UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
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
UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNHCRHR: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund
UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
UNIDIR: United Nations 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
UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
UNMOP: United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka
UNMOT: United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan
UNMOVIC: United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission
UNOMIG: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia
UNOMSIL: United Nations Mission of Observers in Sierra Leone
UNRISD: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
UNSMIH: United Nations Support Mission in Haiti
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
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
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
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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 which 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 - also known as Banque Africaine de Developpement (BAD)
established - 4 August 1963
aim - to promote economic and social development
regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
nonregional members - (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
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 - (41) Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam
associate members - (7) Albania, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mauritania, Morocco, Saint Lucia
observers - (4) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia
participating governments - (2) New Brunswick (Canada), Quebec (Canada)
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL): note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)
established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification of the treaty
aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons
members - (32) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela; note - Cuba signed the treaty but did not ratify it
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
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 League (AL): note - also known as League of Arab States (LAS)
established - 22 March 1945
aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation
members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): 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 - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): established - 7 November 1989
aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin
members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam
observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference, South Pacific Forum
Asian Development Bank (AsDB): established - 19 December 1966
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation
regional members - (43) Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam
nonregional members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, 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 non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia
members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
observer - (1) Papua New Guinea
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 - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
dialogue partners - (13) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, US
Australia Group: established - NA 1984
aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons
members - (33) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, 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
observer - (1) Singapore
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 - (49) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Yugoslavia
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 - (7) Austria, Egypt, 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 - (14) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
associate members - (3) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
observers - (10) Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela; note - when Haiti has deposited an appropriate instrument of accession with the Secretary General, it will become a full member of the Community
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 - (9) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait
Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE): note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico
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 present name 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, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia
centrally planned economies : a term applied mainly to the traditionally communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market- oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia
Colombo Plan (CP): established - NA May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations
aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific
members - (24) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US
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 - (54) 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, Zimbabwe
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 which focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East- West control of advanced technology
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA): note - also known as CMEA or Comecon
established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)
Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU): 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 - (43) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK
guests - (2) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
observers - (5) Canada, 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, EU, 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; recently published IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia
Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): note - also known as World Customs Organization (WCO)
established - 15 December 1950
aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters
members - (153) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 35 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" which adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey
developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; recently published IMF statistics include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara
East African Development Bank (EADB): 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 9 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"
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 - (61) 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, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan; note - includes all 25 members of the OECD; also includes the EU as a single entity
European Community (or European Communities, EC): was established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK
European Free Trade Association (EFTA): 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 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; time table - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted
members - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain; note - Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join
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 state - (1) Canada
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
membership applicants - (13) Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey
First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945
aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products, as a UN specialized agency
members - (180) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, 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, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
applicant member - (1) Yugoslavia
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 - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note - France includes metropolitan France, the four overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion), the two territorial collectivities of France (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), and the three overseas territories of France (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)
Front Line States (FLS): established to achieve black majority rule in South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): 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
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 - (9) Canada, EU (as one member), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US
Group of 9 (G-9): established - NA
aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis
members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Yugoslavia
Group of 10 (G-10): note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984
established - NA October 1962
aim - to coordinate credit policy
members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
nonstate participants - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD
Group of 11 (G-11): note - also known as the Cartagena Group
established - 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia
aim - to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America
members - (11) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Group of 15 (G-15): note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement
established - NA September 1989
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement
members - (15) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Venezuela, former Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
Group of 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, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
Group of 77 (G-77): established - 15 June 1964 was set up; NA October 1967 first ministerial meeting
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership
members - (131 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
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
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 - (6) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957
aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy
members - (130) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, 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 - (182) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): established - NA 1919
aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels
members - (78 national councils) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): established - 7 December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947
aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency
members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): established - 17 February 1863
aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime
members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU): established - NA December 1949
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (221 affiliated organizations in the following 148 countries) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Basque Country, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Court of Justice (ICJ): note - also known as the World Court
established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice
aim - primary judicial organ of the UN
members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol): established - NA September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted
aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime
members - (178) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands
International Development Association (IDA): established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960
aim - UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate that provides economic loans for low-income countries
members - (161)
Part I - (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US
Part II - (134 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974
aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD
members - (25) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
observers - (15) Commission of the European Communities, Iceland, South Korea, Mexico, Poland
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS)
established - 5 May 1919
aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs
members - (176) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (4) Comoros, Cyprus, Gabon, Tuvalu
International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956
aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate
members - (174) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established - NA November 1974
aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency
members - (161)
Category I - (22 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
Category III - (127 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970
established - NA June 1919; effective - NA June 1921
aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanography
members - (68) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
membership pending - (5) Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Jamaica, Mauritania, Qatar
International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN
aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency
members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982
established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958
aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency
members - (158) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia
associate members - (2) Hong Kong, Macau
International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat): note - formerly International Maritime Satellite Organization
established - 3 September 1976; effective - 16 July 1979
aim - to provide worldwide communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications, at sea, in the air, and on land
members - (86) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vietnam, Yugoslavia
International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945
aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency
members - (183) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894
aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States; 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy
National Olympic Committees - (199 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989
established - 5 December 1951
aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration
members - (79) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia
observers - (43) Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Holy See, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established - NA February 1947
aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity
members - (91 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
correspondent members - (34) Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brunei, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uganda
subscriber members - (11) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Comoros, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Lesotho, Mali, Saint Lucia
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established - NA 1928
aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime
National Societies - (176 countries); note - same as membership for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name
effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947
aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency
members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat): established - 20 August 1964 set up as the Telecommunications Satellite Consortium; 12 February 1973 adopted present name
aim - to develop and operate a global commercial telecommunications satellite system
members - (143) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
nonsignatory users - (42) Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Belarus, Belize, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Eritrea, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kiribati, North Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Nauru, Niue, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Vanuatu
Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974
aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development
members - (52 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)
established - 17 October 1975
aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation
members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (21) Andean Promotion Corporation, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, EEC, Guatemala, Honduras, IADB, Inter- American Institute for Agricultural Cooperation, Italy, Nicaragua, OAS, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, UN Development Program, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981
aim - to promote freer regional trade
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (22) China, Commission of the European Communities, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter- American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Latin America Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen
less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara
low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
middle-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)
Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)
established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966
aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market
members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all those countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)
newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil
Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961
aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs
members - (113 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (16) Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay
guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12 February 1953
aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation
members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden
Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden
North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949
aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members - (19) Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US
Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
established - 1 February 1958
aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD
members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975
aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability
members - (39) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961
aim - to promote economic cooperation and development
members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US
special member - (1) EU
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975
established - 1 January 1995
aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures
members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia
partners for cooperation - (9) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997
aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention
members - (174) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Organization of African Unity (OAU): established - 25 May 1963
aim - to promote unity and cooperation among African states
members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951
aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development
members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (50) Algeria, Angola, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC): established - 9 January 1968
aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members - (10) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981
aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation
members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
associate members - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14 September 1960
aim - to coordinate petroleum policies
members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25 September 1969
aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members - (55 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (12) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, ECO, LAS, NAM, Moro National Liberation Front of the Philippines, OAU, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kirbris, "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", UN
Pacific Community: note - formerly known as the South Pacific Commission (SPC)
established - 6 February 1947; effective - 29 July 1948
aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters
members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna
Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994
aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO
members - (29) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (78) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group
established - NA 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies
socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for communist countries
South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established - 8 December 1985
aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
South Pacific Forum (SPF): established - 5 August 1971
aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters
members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca): established - NA 1981
aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region
members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969
aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters
members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland
Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)
established - 17 August 1992
aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)
established - 26 March 1991
aim - to increase regional economic cooperation
members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
associate member - (2) Bolivia, Chile
Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)
underdeveloped countries: refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)
undeveloped countries: refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)
United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems
constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:
1) Secretariat
2) General Assembly: International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), United Nations Center for Human Settlements (Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), and United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)
3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), United Nations Iraq/Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission, United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), and United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Statistical Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTrO)
5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)
6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)
UN members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - all UN members are represented in the General Assembly
observers - (2 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Switzerland, Palestine Liberation Organization
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund
established - 11 December 1946
aim - to help establish child health and welfare services
members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH): established 28 November 1997; to support the professionalization of the Haitian National Police; established by UN Security Council; members were Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US; mission ended March 2000
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): established - 30 December 1964
aim - to promote international trade
members - (191) all UN members plus Holy See, Switzerland
United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November 1965
aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development
members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31 May 1974
aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council
members - (5) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovakia
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946
aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture
members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (5) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): established - 15 December 1972
aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters
members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
United Nations General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN
members - (189) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3 December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951
aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems
members (executive committee) - (57) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967
aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members
members - (169) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, 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, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965
aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research
members (Board of Trustees) - (20) Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Ghana, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK): established - 10 June 1999
aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self- government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief
members - (49) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19 March 1978
aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council
members - (10) Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Poland, Ukraine
United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM): established - 9 April 1991
aim - to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security Council
members - (33) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP): established - 24 January 1949
aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council
members - (9) Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO): established - 29 April 1991
aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council
members - (30) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Sweden, US, Uruguay
United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH): established - 21 December 1995
aim - to establish an International Police Task Force (IPTF) to implement the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina
members - (45) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established - 22 October 1999
aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law
members - (30) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia
United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP): established - 1 February 1996
aim - to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula in southern Croatia
members - (25) Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT): established 16 December 1994; to monitor and investigate violations of the cease- fire of 17 September 1994 between Tajikistan and the Tajik opposition and to assist in the political negotiation process; established by the UN Security Council; members were Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Ukraine, Uruguay; mission ended May 2000
United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)
established - NA December 1999
aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them
members - (22) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UK, US, Venezuela
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24 August 1993
aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council
members - (22) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay
United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999
aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces
members - (36) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Tanzania, Uruguay, Zambia
United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established - 4 March 1964
aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council
members - (10) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands, Slovenia, UK
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities
established - NA July 1967
aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems
members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP): established 31 March 1995; to monitor border activity in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, US; mandate ended 25 March 1999
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): established - 8 December 1949
aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees
members (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD): established - NA 1963
aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth
members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 11 individual members
United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council
members - the UN Secretary General and staff
United Nations Security Council: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to maintain international peace and security
permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US
nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Bangladesh (2000-01), Colombia (2001-02), Ireland (2001-02), Jamaica (2000-01), Mali (2000-01), Mauritius (2001-02), Norway (2001-02), Singapore (2001-02), Tunisia (2000-01), Ukraine (2000-01)
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET): established - 25 October 1999
aim - to provide security throughout the territory of East Timor; to establish an effective administration; to ensure the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance; to support capacity-building for self-government
members - (47) Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, France, Ghana, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established - NA June 1948
aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council
members - (22) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, US
United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved
United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973
aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars
members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)
Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948
aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency
members - (189) 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, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Overseas Territories of the UK, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania
West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of WAEMU
established - 14 November 1973
aim - to promote regional economic development and integration
regional members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea- Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany
West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
established - 1 August 1994
aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market
members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo
Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955
aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification
members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK
associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey
associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden
World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), and International Finance Corporation (IFC)
World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4 October 1968
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (101 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bonaire Island, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Windward Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961
aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization
members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948
aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency
members - (191) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niue, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (2) Puerto Rico, Tokelau
observers - (2) Holy See, Liechtenstein
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970
aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency
members - (177) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951
aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency
members - (185) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Caribbean Territories, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Tourism Organization (WToO): established - 2 January 1975
aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace
members - (135) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (6) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles
observers - (2) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization
World Trade Organization (WTrO): note - succeeded General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT)
established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995
aim - to provide a means to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers
members - (140) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (34) Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cape Verde, China, Ethiopia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Holy See, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Moldova, Nepal, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Taiwan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia; note - must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers
Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s
aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)
members - (33) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US
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Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements
Air Pollution
see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
Antarctic Treaty
opened for signature - 1 December 1959
entered into force - 23 June 1961
objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees South latitude
parties - (44) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes
opened for signature - 22 March 1989
entered into force - 5 May 1992
objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate
parties - (143) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US
Biodiversity
see Convention on Biological Diversity
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals
opened for signature - NA
entered into force - NA
objective - NA
parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ
Convention on Biological Diversity
note - abbreviated as Biodiversity
opened for signature - 5 June 1992
entered into force - 29 December 1993
objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity
parties - (180) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (7) Afghanistan, Kuwait, Libya, Thailand, Tuvalu, US, Yugoslavia
Climate Change
see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas
note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation
opened for signature - 29 April 1958
entered into force - 20 March 1966
objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited
parties - (38) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution
opened for signature - 13 November 1979
entered into force - 16 March 1983
objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution
parties - (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Yugoslavia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
opened for signature - NA
entered into force - NA
objective - NA
parties - (30) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
note - abbreviated as Endangered Species
opened for signature - 3 March 1973
entered into force - 1 July 1975
objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits
parties - (152) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Ireland, Kuwait, Lesotho
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)
note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping
opened for signature - 29 December 1972
entered into force - 30 August 1975
objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention
parties - (78) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu, Yugoslavia
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification
opened for signature - 10 December 1976
entered into force - 5 October 1978
objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations
parties - (68) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (15) Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, Syria, Turkey, Uganda
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)
note - abbreviated as Wetlands
opened for signature - 2 February 1971
entered into force - 21 December 1975
objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value
parties - (123) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zambia
Desertification
see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
Endangered Species
see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Environmental Modification
see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
Hazardous Wastes
see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
note - abbreviated as Whaling
opened for signature - 2 December 1946
entered into force - 10 November 1948
objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks
parties - (41) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83
opened for signature - 18 November 1983
entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force
objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources
parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94
opened for signature - 26 January 1994
entered into force - 1 January 1997
objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective
parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Ireland
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
opened for signature - 16 March 1998, but not yet in force
objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries
parties - (32) Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Cyprus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Maldives, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Niue, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (64) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, US, Vietnam, Zambia
Law of the Sea
see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
Marine Dumping
see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)
Marine Life Conservation
see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection
opened for signature - 16 September 1987
entered into force - 1 January 1989
objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it
parties - (175) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Nuclear Test Ban
see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water
Ozone Layer Protection
see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution
opened for signature - 17 February 1978
entered into force - 2 October 1983
objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances
parties - (115) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yugoslavia
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
opened for signature - 4 October 1991
entered into force - 14 January 1998
objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty
parties - (27) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Uruguay
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (16) Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
opened for signature - 31 October 1988
entered into force - 14 February 1991
objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes
parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
opened for signature - 18 November 1991
entered into force - 29 September 1997
objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects
parties - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (7) Canada, EU, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Ukraine, US
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
opened for signature - 14 June 1994
entered into force - 5 August 1998
objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes
parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
opened for signature - 24 June 1998, but not yet in force
objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects
parties - (6) Canada, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (30) Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
opened for signature - 8 July 1985
entered into force - 2 September 1987
objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993
parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
Ship Pollution
see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water
note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban
opened for signature - 5 August 1963
entered into force - 10 October 1963
objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons
parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen
Tropical Timber 83
see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
Tropical Timber 94
see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea
opened for signature - 10 December 1982
entered into force - 16 November 1994
objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment
parties - (135) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (35) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Hungary, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue, Qatar, Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, Tuvalu, UAE
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
note - abbreviated as Desertification
opened for signature - 14 October 1994
entered into force - 26 December 1996
objective - to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements
parties - (172) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, 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, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, 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, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
note - abbreviated as Climate Change
opened for signature - 9 May 1992
entered into force - 21 March 1994
objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system
parties - (186) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Afghanistan, Liberia
Wetlands
see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)
Whaling
see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
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Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
FIPS 10-4: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS PUB 10-4) is maintained by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues (Department of State) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10-4 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.
ISO 3166: Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.
Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
Entity FIPS 10-4 --- ISO 3166 -- Internet Comment
Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 .af Albania AL AL ALB 008 .al Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 .dz American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 .as Andorra AN AD AND 020 .ad Angola AO AO AGO 024 .ao Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 .ai Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 .aq ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude
Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 .ag Argentina AR AR ARG 032 .ar Armenia AM AM ARM 051 .am Aruba AA AW ABW 533 .aw Ashmore and Cartier Islands AT - - - - ISO includes with Australia
Australia AS AU AUS 036 .au ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands
Austria AU AT AUT 040 .at Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 .az Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 .bs Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 .bh Baker Island FQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 .bd Barbados BB BB BRB 052 .bb Bassas da India BS - - - - ISO includes with the Miscellaneous(French) Indian Ocean Islands
Belarus BO BY BLR 112 .by Belgium BE BE BEL 056 .be Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 .bz Benin BN BJ BEN 204 .bj Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 .bm Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 .bt Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 .bo Bosnia and Herzegovina BK BA BIH 070 .ba Botswana BC BW BWA 072 .bw Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 .bv Brazil BR BR BRA 076 .br British Indian Ocean Territory IO IO IOT 086 .io British Virgin Islands VI VG VGB 092 .vg Brunei BX BN BRN 096 .bn Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 .bg Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 .bf Burma BM MM MMR 104 .mm ISO uses the name Myanmar
Burundi BY BI BDI 108 .bi Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 .kh Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 .cm Canada CA CA CAN 124 .ca Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 .cv Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 .ky Central African Republic CT CF CAF 140 .cf Chad CD TD TCD 148 .td Chile CI CL CHL 152 .cl China CH CN CHN 156 .cn see also Taiwan
Christmas Island KT CX CXR 162 .cx Clipperton Island IP - - - - ISO includes with French Polynesia
Cocos (Keeling) Islands CK CC CCK 166 .cc Colombia CO CO COL 170 .co Comoros CN KM COM 174 .km Congo, Democratic Republic of the CG ZR ZAR 180 .cd formerly Zaire
Congo, Republic of the CF CG COG 178 .cg Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 .ck Coral Sea Islands CR - - - - ISO includes with Australia
Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 .cr Cote d'Ivoire IV CI CIV 384 .ci Croatia HR HR HRV 191 .hr Cuba CU CU CUB 192 .cu Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 .cy Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 .cz Denmark DA DK DNK 208 .dk Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 .dj Dominica DO DM DMA 212 .dm Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 .do East Timor - TP TMP 626 .tp FIPS includes with Indonesia
Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 .ec Egypt EG EG EGY 818 .eg El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 .sv Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 .gq Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 .er Estonia EN EE EST 233 .ee Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 .et Europa Island EU - - - - ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) FA FK FLK 238 .fk Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 .fo Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 .fj Finland FI FI FIN 246 .fi France FR FR FRA 250 .fr France, Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 .fx ISO limits to the European part of France, excluding French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna
French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 .gf French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 .pf ISO includes Clipperton Island
French Southern and Antarctic Lands FS TF ATF 260 .tf FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of Antarctica (Terre Adelie)
Gabon GB GA GAB 266 .ga Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 .gm Gaza Strip GZ - - - - Georgia GG GE GEO 268 .ge Germany GM DE DEU 276 .de Ghana GH GH GHA 288 .gh Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 .gi Glorioso Islands GO - - - - ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands
Greece GR GR GRC 300 .gr Greenland GL GL GRL 304 .gl Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 .gd Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 .gp Guam GQ GU GUM 316 .gu Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 .gt Guernsey GK - - - .gg ISO includes with the United Kingdom
Guinea GV GN GIN 324 .gn Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 .gw Guyana GY GY GUY 328 .gy Haiti HA HT HTI 332 .ht Heard Island and McDonald Islands HM HM HMD 334 .hm Holy See (Vatican City) VT VA VAT 336 .va Honduras HO HN HND 340 .hn Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 .hk Howland Island HQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Hungary HU HU HUN 348 .hu Iceland IC IS ISL 352 .is India IN IN IND 356 .in Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 .id Iran IR IR IRN 364 .ir Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 .iq Ireland EI IE IRL 372 .ie Israel IS IL ISR 376 .il Italy IT IT ITA 380 .it Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 .jm Jan Mayen JN - - - - ISO includes with Svalbard
Japan JA JP JPN 392 .jp Jarvis Island DQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Jersey JE - - - .je ISO includes with the United Kingdom
Johnston Atoll JQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Jordan JO JO JOR 400 .jo Juan de Nova Island JU - - - - ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands
Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 .kz Kenya KE KE KEN 404 .ke Kingman Reef KQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 .ki Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 .kp Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 .kr Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 .kw Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 .kg Laos LA LA LAO 418 .la Latvia LG LV LVA 428 .lv Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 .lb Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 .ls Liberia LI LR LBR 430 .lr Libya LY LY LBY 434 .ly Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 .li Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 .lt Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 .lu Macau MC MO MAC 446 .mo Macedonia, The Republic of MK MK MKD 807 .mk Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 .mg Malawi MI MW MWI 454 .mw Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 .my Maldives MV MV MDV 462 .mv Mali ML ML MLI 466 .ml Malta MT MT MLT 470 .mt Man, Isle of IM - - - .im ISO includes with the United Kingdom
Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 .mh Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 .mq Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 .mr Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 .mu Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 .yt Mexico MX MX MEX 484 .mx Micronesia, Federated States of FM FM FSM 583 .fm Midway Islands MQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands - - - - - ISO includes Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island
Moldova MD MD MDA 498 .md Monaco MN MC MCO 492 .mc Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 .mn Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 .ms Morocco MO MA MAR 504 .ma Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 .mz Myanmar - - - - - see Burma
Namibia WA NA NAM 516 .na Nauru NR NR NRU 520 .nr Navassa Island BQ - - - - Nepal NP NP NPL 524 .np Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 .nl Netherlands Antilles NT AN ANT 530 .an New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 .nc New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 .nz Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 .ni Niger NG NE NER 562 .ne Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 .ng Niue NE NU NIU 570 .nu Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 .nf Northern Mariana Islands CQ MP MNP 580 .mp Norway NO NO NOR 578 .no Oman MU OM OMN 512 .om Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 .pk Palau PS PW PLW 585 .pw Palmyra Atoll LQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Panama PM PA PAN 591 .pa Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 .pg Paracel Islands PF - - - - Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 .py Peru PE PE PER 604 .pe Philippines RP PH PHL 608 .ph Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 .pn Poland PL PL POL 616 .pl Portugal PO PT PRT 620 .pt Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 .pr Qatar QA QA QAT 634 .qa Reunion RE RE REU 638 .re Romania RO RO ROM 642 .ro Russia RS RU RUS 643 .ru Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 .rw Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 .sh Saint Kitts and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 .kn Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 .lc Saint Pierre and Miquelon SB PM SPM 666 .pm Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VC VC VCT 670 .vc Samoa WS WS WSM 882 .ws San Marino SM SM SMR 674 .sm Sao Tome and Principe TP ST STP 678 .st Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 .sa Senegal SG SN SEN 686 .sn Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 .sc Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 .sl Singapore SN SG SGP 702 .sg Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 .sk Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 .si Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 .sb Somalia SO SO SOM 706 .so South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 .za South Georgia and the Islands SX GS SGS 239 .gs Spain SP ES ESP 724 .es Spratly Islands PG - - - - Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 .lk Sudan SU SD SDN 736 .sd Suriname NS SR SUR 740 .sr Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 .sj ISO includes Jan Mayen
Swaziland WZ SZ SWZ 748 .sz Sweden SW SE SWE 752 .se Switzerland SZ CH CHE 756 .ch Syria SY SY SYR 760 .sy Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 .tw Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 .tj Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 .tz Thailand TH TH THA 764 .th Togo TO TG TGO 768 .tg Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 .tk Tonga TN TO TON 776 .to Trinidad and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 .tt Tromelin Island TE - - - - ISO includes with the Miscellaneous Islands
Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 .tn Turkey TU TR TUR 792 .tr Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 .tm Turks and Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 .tc Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 .tv Uganda UG UG UGA 800 .ug Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 .ua United Arab Emirates TC AE ARE 784 .ae United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 .uk ISO includes Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey
United States US US USA 840 .us United States Minor Outlying Islands - UM UMI 581 .um ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island
Uruguay UY UY URY 858 .uy Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 .uz Vanuatu NH VU VUT 548 .vu Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 .ve Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 .vn Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 .vi Virgin Islands (UK) - - - - .vg see British Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands (US) - - - - .vi see Virgin Islands
Wake Island WQ - - - - ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands
Wallis and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 .wf West Bank WE - - - - Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 .eh Western Samoa - - - - .ws see Samoa
World - - - - - the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency
Yemen YM YE YEM 887 .ye Yugoslavia - YU YUG 891 .yu Zaire - - - - - see Democratic Republic of the Congo
Zambia ZA ZM ZWB 894 .zm Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 .zw
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Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization
IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization
ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958, published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC), United States Air Force; note - ACIC is now part of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)
DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency
The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.
Principal Oceans and Seas of the World With Hydrographic Codes by Institution
IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18
Arctic Ocean 9 17 A 5A Atlantic Ocean - - - - North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 B11 - Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W Pacific Ocean - - - - North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A South China and Eastern Archipelagic Seas 6 49, 48 D18 plus 3U plus others others
*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.
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Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names
Entry in Latitude Longitude Name The World Factbook (deg min) (deg min)