A Note from the Editor

Hello,

If you paid for this book, go get your money back. The CIA World Fact Book can be had as a free download from the CIA website. The ebook you are reading can be found in multiple formats at MobileRead Forums.

About this version of the World Fact Book

There are several differences between this ebook and the source material. The first and formost difference is that I have removed a vast amount of window dressing that would be lost on most ebook readers. I also removed most of the data tables, and replaced them with simple linear list of information. Both of these changes were made so this ebook would be compatible with the largest number of software formats and screen sizes. One other change I made was to add an index in the larger sections.

Nate the Great
editor, www.mobileread.com

Table of Contents

- A Note from the Editor

- A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook

- Country Listing

- Flags of the World

- Reference Maps

- Notes and Definitions

- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

- Appendix A

- Appendix B

- Appendix C

- Appendix D

- Appendix E

- Appendix F

- Contributors and Copyright Infomation

- Purchasing Information

A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook

The Intelligence Cycle is the process by which information is acquired, converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers. Information is raw data from any source, data that may be fragmentary, contradictory, unreliable, ambiguous, deceptive, or wrong. Intelligence is information that has been collected, integrated, evaluated, analyzed, and interpreted. Finished intelligence is the final product of the Intelligence Cycle ready to be delivered to the policymaker.

The three types of finished intelligence are: basic, current, and estimative. Basic intelligence provides the fundamental and factual reference material on a country or issue. Current intelligence reports on new developments. Estimative intelligence judges probable outcomes. The three are mutually supportive: basic intelligence is the foundation on which the other two are constructed; current intelligence continually updates the inventory of knowledge; and estimative intelligence revises overall interpretations of country and issue prospects for guidance of basic and current intelligence. The World Factbook , The President's Daily Brief , and the National Intelligence Estimates are examples of the three types of finished intelligence.

The United States has carried on foreign intelligence activities since the days of George Washington but only since World War II have they been coordinated on a government-wide basis. Three programs have highlighted the development of coordinated basic intelligence since that time: (1 ) the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS), (2 ) the National Intelligence Survey ( NIS ), and (3) The World Factbook .

During World War II, intelligence consumers realized that the production of basic intelligence by different components of the US Government resulted in a great duplication of effort and conflicting information. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought home to leaders in Congress and the executive branch the need for integrating departmental reports to national policymakers. Detailed and coordinated information was needed not only on such major powers as Germany and Japan , but also on places of little previous interest. In the Pacific Theater, for example, the Navy and Marines had to launch amphibious operations against many islands about which information was unconfirmed or nonexistent. Intelligence authorities resolved that the United States should never again be caught unprepared.

In 1943, Gen. George B. Strong (G-2), Adm. H. C. Train (Office of Naval Intelligence - ONI), and Gen. William J. Donovan (Director of the Office of Strategic Services - OSS ) decided that a joint effort should be initiated. A steering committee was appointed on 27 April 1943 that recommended the formation of a Joint Intelligence Study Publishing Board to assemble, edit, coordinate, and publish the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS). JANIS was the first interdepartmental basic intelligence program to fulfill the needs of the US Government for an authoritative and coordinated appraisal of strategic basic intelligence. Between April 1943 and July 1947, the board published 34 JANIS studies. JANIS performed well in the war effort, and numerous letters of commendation were received, including a statement from Adm. Forrest Sherman, Chief of Staff, Pacific Ocean Areas, which said, "JANIS has become the indispensable reference work for the shore-based planners."

The need for more comprehensive basic intelligence in the postwar world was well expressed in 1946 by George S. Pettee, a noted author on national security. He wrote in The Future of American Secret Intelligence (Infantry Journal Press, 1946, page 46) that world leadership in peace requires even more elaborate intelligence than in war. "The conduct of peace involves all countries, all human activities - not just the enemy and his war production."

The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947 and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1 October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized the National Intelligence Survey ( NIS ) program as a peacetime replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country sections could be produced, government agencies had to develop more comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps.

The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook , map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in June 1997. The year 2008 marks the 61st anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 65th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.

The Evolution of The World Factbook

National Basic Intelligence Factbook produced semiannually until 1980. Country entries include sections on Land, Water, People, Government, Economy, Communications, and Defense Forces.

1981 – Publication becomes an annual product and is renamed The World Factbook. A total of 165 nations are covered on 225 pages.

1983 – Appendices (Conversion Factors, International Organizations) first introduced.

1984 – Appendices expanded; now include: A. The United Nations, B. Selected United Nations Organizations, C. Selected International Organizations, D. Country Membership in Selected Organizations, E. Conversion Factors.

1987 – A new Geography section replaces the former separate Land and Water sections. UN Organizations and Selected International Organizations appendices merged into a new International Organizations appendix. First multi-color-cover Factbook.

1988 – More than 40 new geographic entities added to provide complete world coverage without overlap or omission. Among the new entities are Antarctica, oceans (Arctic, Atlantic , Indian, Pacific), and the World. The front-of-the-book explanatory introduction expanded and retitled to Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations. Two new Appendices added: Weights and Measures (in place of Conversion Factors) and a Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size reaches 300 pages.

1989 – Economy section completely revised and now includes an Overview briefly describing a country's economy. New entries added under People, Government, and Communications.

1990 – The Government section revised and considerably expanded with new entries.

1991 – A new International Organizations and Groups appendix added. Factbook size reaches 405 pages.

1992 – Twenty new successor state entries replace those of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia . New countries are respectively: Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Estonia , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Russia , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Ukraine , Uzbekistan ; and Bosnia and Hercegovina , Croatia , Macedonia , Serbia and Montenegro , Slovenia . Number of nations in the Factbook rises to 188.

1993 – Czechoslovakia 's split necessitates new Czech Republic and Slovakia entries. New Eritrea entry added after it secedes from Ethiopia . Substantial enhancements made to Geography section.

1994 – Two new appendices address Selected International Environmental Agreements. The gross domestic product (GDP) of most developing countries changed to a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis rather than an exchange rate basis. Factbook size up to 512 pages.

1995 – The GDP of all countries now presented on a PPP basis. New appendix lists estimates of GDP on an exchange rate basis. Communications category split; Railroads, Highways, Inland waterways, Pipelines, Merchant marine, and Airports entries now make up a new Transportation category. The World Factbook is first produced on CD-ROM.

1996 – Maps accompanying each entry now present more detail. Flags also introduced for nearly all entities. Various new entries appear under Geography and Communications. Factbook abbreviations consolidated into a new Appendix A. Two new appendices present a Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and a Cross-Reference List of Hydrogeographic Data Codes. Geographic coordinates added to Appendix H, Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size expands by 95 pages in one year to reach 652.

1997 – A special edition for the CIA's 50 th anniversary. A schema or Guide to Country Profiles introduced. New color maps and flags now accompany each country profile. Category headings distinguished by shaded backgrounds. Number of categories expanded to nine – the current number – with the addition of an Introduction (for only a few countries) and Transnational Issues (which includes Disputes-international and Illicit drugs). The World Factbook introduced onto the Internet.

1998 – The Introduction category with two entries, Current issues and Historical perspective, expanded to more countries. Last year for the production of CD-ROM versions of the Factbook.

1999 – Historical perspective and Current issues entries in the Introduction category combined into a new Background statement. Several new Economy entries introduced. A new physical map of the world added to the back-of-the-book reference maps.

2000 – A new “country profile” added on the Southern Ocean. The Background statements dramatically expanded to over 200 countries and possessions. A number of new Communications entries added.

2001 – Background entries completed for all 267 entities in the Factbook. Several new HIV/AIDS entries introduced under the People category. Revision begun on individual country maps to include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Weights and Measures appendix deleted.

2002 – New entry on Distribution of Family income – Gini index added. Revision of individual country maps continued (process still ongoing).

2003 – In the Economy category, petroleum entries added for oil production, consumption, exports, imports, and proved reserves, as well as natural gas proved reserves.

2004 – Additional petroleum entries included for natural gas production, consumption, exports, and imports. In the Transportation category, under Merchant marine, subfields added for foreign-owned vessels and those registered in other countries. Descriptions of the many forms of government mentioned in the Factbook incorporated into the Notes and Definitions.

2005 – In the People category, a Major infectious diseases field added for countries deemed to pose a higher risk for travelers. In the Economy category, entries included for Current account balance, Investment, Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category expanded to include Refugees and internally displaced persons. Category headings receive distinctive colored backgrounds. These distinguishing colors are used in both the printed and online versions of the Factbook. Size of the printed Factbook reaches 702 pages.

2006 – In the Economy category, national GDP figures now presented at Official Exchange Rates (OER) in addition to GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP).

2007 – In the Government category, the Capital entry significantly expanded with up to four subfields, including new information having to do with time. The subfields consist of the name of the capital itself, its geographic coordinates , the time difference at the capital from coordinated universal time (UTC), and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note is added to highlight those countries with multiple time zones. A Trafficking in persons entry added to the Transnational issues category. A new appendix, Weights and Measures, (re)introduced to the online version of the Factbook.

2008 – In the Geography category, two fields focus on the increasingly vital resource of water: Total renewable water resources and Freshwater withdrawal. In the Economy category, three fields added for: Stock of direct foreign investment – at home, Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad, and Market value of publicly traded shares. Concise descriptions of the major religions mentioned in the Factbook included in the Notes and Definitions.

Country Listing

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- Y

- Z

A

- Afghanistan

- Akrotiri

- Albania

- Algeria

- American Samoa

- Andorra

- Angola

- Anguilla

- Antarctica

- Antigua and Barbuda

- Arctic Ocean

- Argentina

- Armenia

- Aruba

- Ashmore and Cartier Islands

- Atlantic Ocean

- Australia

- Austria

- Azerbaijan

B

- Bahamas, The

- Bahrain

- Baker Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Bangladesh

- Barbados

- Bassas da India description under Iles Eparses

- Belarus

- Belgium

- Belize

- Benin

- Bermuda

- Bhutan

- Bolivia

- Bosnia and Herzegovina

- Botswana

- Bouvet Island

- Brazil

- British Indian Ocean Territory

- British Virgin Islands

- Brunei

- Bulgaria

- Burkina Faso

- Burma

- Burundi

C

- Cambodia

- Cameroon

- Canada

- Cape Verde

- Cayman Islands

- Central African Republic

- Chad

- Chile

- China

- Christmas Island

- Clipperton Island

- Cocos (Keeling) Islands

- Colombia

- Comoros

- Congo, Democratic Republic of the

- Congo, Republic of the

- Cook Islands

- Coral Sea Islands

- Costa Rica

- Cote d'Ivoire

- Croatia

- Cuba

- Cyprus

- Czech Republic

D

- Denmark

- Dhekelia

- Djibouti

- Dominica

- Dominican Republic

E

- Ecuador

- Egypt

- El Salvador

- Equatorial Guinea

- Eritrea

- Estonia

- Ethiopia

- Europa Island description under Iles Eparses

- European Union entry follows Taiwan

F

- Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

- Faroe Islands

- Fiji

- Finland

- France

- French Polynesia

- French Southern and Antarctic Lands

G

- Gabon

- Gambia, The

- Gaza Strip

- Georgia

- Germany

- Ghana

- Gibraltar

- Glorioso Islands description under Iles Eparses

- Greece

- Greenland

- Grenada

- Guam

- Guatemala

- Guernsey

- Guinea

- Guinea-Bissau

- Guyana

H

- Haiti

- Heard Island and McDonald Islands

- Holy See (Vatican City)

- Honduras

- Hong Kong

- Howland Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Hungary

I

- Iceland

- Iles Eparses

- India

- Indian Ocean

- Indonesia

- Iran

- Iraq

- Ireland

- Isle of Man

- Israel

- Italy

J

- Jamaica

- Jan Mayen

- Japan

- Jarvis Island description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Jersey

- Johnston Atoll description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Jordan

- Juan de Nova Island description under Iles Eparses

K

- Kazakhstan

- Kenya

- Kingman Reef description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Kiribati

- Korea, North

- Korea, South

- Kosovo

- Kuwait

- Kyrgyzstan

L

- Laos

- Latvia

- Lebanon

- Lesotho

- Liberia

- Libya

- Liechtenstein

- Lithuania

- Luxembourg

M

- Macau

- Macedonia

- Madagascar

- Malawi

- Malaysia

- Maldives

- Mali

- Malta

- Marshall Islands

- Mauritania

- Mauritius

- Mayotte

- Mexico

- Micronesia, Federated States of

- Midway Islands description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Moldova

- Monaco

- Mongolia

- Montenegro

- Montserrat

- Morocco

- Mozambique

N

- Namibia

- Nauru

- Navassa Island

- Nepal

- Netherlands

- Netherlands Antilles

- New Caledonia

- New Zealand

- Nicaragua

- Niger

- Nigeria

- Niue

- Norfolk Island

- Northern Mariana Islands

- Norway

O

- Oman

P

- Pacific Ocean

- Pakistan

- Palau

- Palmyra Atoll description under United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Panama

- Papua New Guinea

- Paracel Islands

- Paraguay

- Peru

- Philippines

- Pitcairn Islands

- Poland

- Portugal

- Puerto Rico

Q

- Qatar

R

- Romania

- Russia

- Rwanda

S

- Saint Helena

- Saint Kitts and Nevis

- Saint Lucia

- Saint Pierre and Miquelon

- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

- Samoa

- San Marino

- Sao Tome and Principe

- Saudi Arabia

- Senegal

- Serbia

- Seychelles

- Sierra Leone

- Singapore

- Slovakia

- Slovenia

- Solomon Islands

- Somalia

- South Africa

- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

- Southern Ocean

- Spain

- Spratly Islands

- Sri Lanka

- Sudan

- Suriname

- Svalbard

- Swaziland

- Sweden

- Switzerland

- Syria

T

- Taiwan entry follows Zimbabwe
- Tajikistan

- Tanzania

- Texas

- Thailand

- Timor-Leste

- Togo

- Tokelau

- Tonga

- Trinidad and Tobago

- Tunisia

- Turkey

- Turkmenistan

- Turks and Caicos Islands

- Tuvalu

U

- Uganda

- Ukraine

- United Arab Emirates

- United Kingdom

- United States

- United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

- Uruguay

- Uzbekistan

V

- Vanuatu

- Venezuela

- Vietnam

- Virgin Islands

W

- Wake Island

- Wallis and Futuna

- West Bank

- Western Sahara

Y

- Yemen

Z

- Zambia

- Zimbabwe

- Taiwan

- European Union

Flags of the World

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

Afghanistan

Akrotiri

Albania

Algeria

American Samoa

Andorra

Angola

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas, The

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Bouvet Island

Brazil

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burma

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Cayman Islands

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Christmas Island

Clipperton Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia

Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Republic of the

Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Dhekelia

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands

Fiji

Finland

France

French Polynesia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Gabon

Gambia, The

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Gibraltar

Greece

Greenland

Grenada

Guam

Guatemala

Guernsey

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Holy See (Vatican City)

Honduras

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Isle of Man

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Jan Mayen

Japan

Jersey

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Korea, North

Korea, South

Kosovo

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mayotte

Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Montserrat

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Nauru

Navassa Island

Nepal

Netherlands

Netherlands Antilles

New Caledonia

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Niue

Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Pitcairn Islands

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Barthelemy

Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Martin

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Svalbard

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Texas

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Togo

Tokelau

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Vietnam

Virgin Islands

Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Taiwan

European Union

Reference Maps

Africa

Antarctic Region

Arctic Region

Asia

Central America and the Caribbean

Europe

Middle East

North America

South America

Southeast Asia

Oceania

Physical Map of the World

Political Map of the World

Standard Time Zones of the World

United States

Notes and Definitions

In addition to the regular information updates, The World Factbook 2008 features several new additions. In the Geography category, two new fields focus on the increasingly vital resource of water: "Total renewable water resources" and "Freshwater withdrawal." In the Economy category, the Factbook has added three fields: "Stock of direct foreign investment – at home", "Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad", and "Market value of publicly traded shares."

Additionally, the data for GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) has been rebased using new PPP conversion rates, benchmarked to the year 2005, which were released on 17 December 2007 by the International Comparison Program (ICP). The 2005 PPP data replace previous estimates, many from studies dating to 1993 or earlier. The preliminary ICP report provides estimates of internationally comparable price levels and the relative purchasing power of currencies for 146 countries. The 2005 benchmark revises downward the size of the world economy in PPP terms from the previous estimates, and changes the relative sizes of many of the world's economies.

Concise descriptions of the major religions mentioned in the Factbook have been added to the Definitions and Notes. France 's redesignation of some of its overseas possessions caused the five former Indian Ocean island possessions making up Iles Eparses to be incorporated into the French Southern and Antarctic Lands , while two new Caribbean entities, St. Barthelemy and St. Martin , were created.

Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. The revised maps include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

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

Acronyms
An acronym is an abbreviation coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered in all capital letters (NATO from North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an exception would be ASEAN for Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement). Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms (ICC for International Chamber of Commerce and ICCt for International Criminal Court).

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

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

Agriculture - products
This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.

Airports
This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) but may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

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

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

Appendixes
This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

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

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

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

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

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

Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.

Central bank discount rate
This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.

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

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate
This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.

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

Communications - note
This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere.
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
UTC is the international atomic time scale that serves as the basis of timekeeping for most of the world. The hours, minutes, and seconds expressed by UTC represent the time of day at the Prime Meridian (0º longitude) located near Greenwich, England as reckoned from midnight. UTC is calculated by the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM) in Sevres, France. The BIPM averages data collected from more than 200 atomic time and frequency standards located at about 50 laboratories worldwide. UTC is the basis for all civil time with the Earth divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC. UTC is also referred to as "Zulu time." See the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps.
Country data codes
see Data codes.
Country map
Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps were produced from the best information available at the time of preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
Crude oil
See entry for oil.
Current account balance
This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Data codes
This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes.
Date of information
In general, information available as of 1 January 2007 was used in the preparation of this edition.
Daylight Saving Time (DST)
This entry is included for those entities that have adopted a policy of adjusting the official local time forward, usually one hour, from Standard Time during summer months. Such policies are most common in mid-latitude regions.
Death rate
This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.
Debt - external
This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Dependency status
This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
Dependent areas
This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.
Diplomatic representation
The US Government has diplomatic relations with 189 independent states, including 187 of the 192 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 2 independent states that are not in the UN, the Holy See and Kosovo, as well as with the EU.
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Disputes - international
This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its Lorenz curve to the 45 degree line and the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more unequal a country's income distribution, the farther its Lorenz curve from the 45 degree line and the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub-Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the 45 degree line and the index would be zero; if income were distributed with perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the horizontal axis and the right vertical axis and the index would be 100.
Economy
This category includes the entries dealing with the size, development, and management of productive resources, i.e., land, labor, and capital.
Economy - overview
This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
Education expenditures
This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent of GDP
Electricity - consumption
This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
Electricity - exports
This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
Electricity - imports
This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
Electricity - production
This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
Elevation extremes
This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.
Entities
Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 266 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:

INDEPENDENT STATES
194 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, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

OTHER
2 Taiwan, European Union

DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY
6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island
2 China - Hong Kong, Macau
2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland
9 France - Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna
2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
17 UK - Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island*, Guam, Howland Island*, Jarvis Island*, Johnston Atoll*, Kingman Reef*, Midway Islands*, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll*, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (* consolidated in United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges entry)

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

OTHER ENTITIES
5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean
1 World
266 total

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

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

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

Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog.

Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.

Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form.

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

Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat.

Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume.

Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Effluent
s - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it.

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

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

Greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.

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

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

Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.

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

Noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings.

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

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

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

Pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste.

Potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.

Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops.

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

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

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

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

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

Waterborne diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.
Environment - international agreements
This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
Environmental agreements
This information is presented in Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties by category.
Ethnic groups
This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
Exchange rates
This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis.
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.
Exports
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Exports - commodities
This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Exports - partners
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Flag graphic
Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at the beginning of the country profile. The flag graphics were produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time of preparation. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
This entry provides the annual quantity of water in cubic kilometers removed from available sources for use in any purpose. Water drawn-off is not necessarily entirely consumed and some portion may be returned for further use downstream. Domestic sector use refers to water supplied by public distribution systems. Note that some of this total may be used for small industrial and/or limited agricultural purposes. Industrial sector use is the quantity of water used by self-supplied industries not connected to a public distribution system. Agricultural sector use includes water used for irrigation and livestock watering, and does not account for agriculture directly dependent on rainfall. Included are figures for total annual water withdrawal and per capita water withdrawal.
GDP (official exchange rate)
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-à-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artificially fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home-currency-denominated GDP changed.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the wealthy industrialized countries are generally much smaller.
GDP - composition by sector
This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
GDP - per capita (PPP)
This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
GDP - real growth rate
This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.
GDP methodology
In the Economy category, GDP dollar estimates for countries are reported both on an official exchange rate (OER) and a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. Both measures contain information that is useful to the reader. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method probably provide the best available starting point for comparisons of economic strength and well-being between countries. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that may not capture the value of domestic output. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough approximations. In developing countries with weak currencies, the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Most of the GDP estimates for developing countries are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. GDP derived using the OER method should be used for the purpose of calculating the share of items such as exports, imports, military expenditures, external debt, or the current account balance, because the dollar values presented in the Factbook for these items have been converted at official exchange rates, not at PPP. One should use the OER GDP figure to calculate the proportion of, say, Chinese defense expenditures in GDP, because that share will be the same as one calculated in local currency units. Comparison of OER GDP with PPP GDP may also indicate whether a currency is over- or under-valued. If OER GDP is smaller than PPP GDP, the official exchange rate may be undervalued, and vice versa. However, there is no strong historical evidence that market exchange rates move in the direction implied by the PPP rate, at least not in the short- or medium-term. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data should not be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices.
GNP
Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic production. The Factbook, following current practice, uses GDP rather than GNP to measure national production. However, the user must realize that in certain countries net remittances from citizens working abroad may be important to national well-being.
GWP
This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value of all final goods and services produced worldwide in a given year.
Geographic coordinates
This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
Geographic names
This information is presented in Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. It includes a listing of various alternate names, former names, local names, and regional names referenced to one or more related Factbook entries. Spellings are normally, but not always, those approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names and additional information are included in parentheses.
Geography
This category includes the entries dealing with the natural environment and the effects of human activity.
Geography - note
This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
Gini index
See entry for Distribution of family income - Gini index

Government
This category includes the entries dealing with the system for the adoption and administration of public policy.
Government - note
This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere.
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.):

Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition.

Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.

Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives.

Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good.

Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society).

Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government.

Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government.

Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution.

Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.

Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.

Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.

Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws).

Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church.

Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.

Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units.

Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives.

Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam.

Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people.

Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism.

Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries.

Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.

Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power.

Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament.

Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function.

Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament).

Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable).

Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation.

Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite.

Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.

Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority.

Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
The mean solar time at the Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich, England, with the hours and days, since 1925, reckoned from midnight. GMT is now a historical term having been replaced by UTC on 1 January 1972. See Coordinated Universal Time
.
Gross domestic product
see GDP

Gross national product
see GNP

Gross world product
see GWP

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.
HIV/AIDS - deaths
This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.
Heliports
This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.
Hydrographic data codes
see Data codes
Illicit drugs
This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heroin
is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poppy straw
is the entire cut and dried opium poppy-plant material, other than the seeds. Opium is extracted from poppy straw in commercial operations that produce the drug for medical use.

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

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

Stimulants
are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor, Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).
Imports
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Imports - commodities
This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Imports - partners
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Industrial production growth rate
This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
Industries
This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
Infant mortality rate
This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
International disputes
see Disputes - international

International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
International organizations
This information is presented in Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, date established, aim, and members by category.
Internet country code
This entry includes the two-letter codes 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).
Internet hosts
This entry lists the number of Internet hosts available within a country. An Internet host is a computer connected directly to the Internet; normally an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) computer is a host. Internet users may use either a hard-wired terminal, at an institution with a mainframe computer connected directly to the Internet, or may connect remotely by way of a modem via telephone line, cable, or satellite to the Internet Service Provider's host computer. The number of hosts is one indicator of the extent of Internet connectivity.
Internet users
This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.
Introduction
This category includes one entry, Background.
Investment (gross fixed)
This entry records total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital.
Irrigated land
This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Labor force
This entry contains the total labor force figure.
Labor force - by occupation
This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
Land boundaries
This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.
Land use
This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest; permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest; includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber; other - any land not arable or under permanent crops; includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.
Languages
This entry provides a rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Life expectancy at birth
This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
Literacy
This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
Location
This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
Major infectious diseases
This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk
is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden experienced by the local population.
The risk to an individual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines.
Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note: The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions.
food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy:
Hepatitis A - viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available.
Hepatitis E - water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine.
Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%.
vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod:
Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases.
Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%.
Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%.
African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection.
Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%.
Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases.
Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis.
water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers:
Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months.
Schistosomiasis - caused by parasitic trematode flatworm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as intermediate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contaminated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite.
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine:
Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks.
respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person:
Meningococcal meningitis - bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the "Meningitis Belt" which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia.
animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals:
Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.
Manpower available for military service
This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.
Manpower fit for military service
This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults.
Map references
This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
Maritime claims
This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions:
territorial sea
- the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the mean low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states.
contiguous zone
- according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state's territorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (e.g. the US has claimed a 12-nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea).
exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
- the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
continental shelf
- the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter isobath; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof.
exclusive fishing zone
- while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g., the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles.
Market value of publicly traded shares
This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.
Median age
This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a higher median age.
Merchant marine
Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries.
Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT. Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers. Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another. Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another.
Military
This category includes the entries dealing with a country's military structure, manpower, and expenditures.
Military - note
This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.
Military branches
This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
Military expenditures
This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).
Military service age and obligation
This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.
Money figures
All money figures are expressed in contemporaneous US dollars unless otherwise indicated.
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
Nationality
This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
Natural gas - consumption
This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
Natural gas - exports
This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).
Natural gas - imports
This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).
Natural gas - production
This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
Natural gas - proved reserves
This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
Natural hazards
This entry lists potential natural disasters.
Natural resources
This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
Net migration rate
This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving).
Oil - consumption
This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
Oil - exports
This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
Oil - imports
This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
Oil - production
This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
Oil - proved reserves
This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
People
This category includes the entries dealing with the characteristics of the people and their society.
People - note
This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
Personal Names - Capitalization
The Factbook capitalizes the surname or family name of individuals for the convenience of our users who are faced with a world of different cultures and naming conventions. The need for capitalization, bold type, underlining, italics, or some other indicator of the individual's surname is apparent in the following examples: MAO Zedong, Fidel CASTRO Ruz, George W. BUSH, and TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah. By knowing the surname, a short form without all capital letters can be used with confidence as in President Castro, Chairman Mao, President Bush, or Sultan Tunku Salahuddin. The same system of capitalization is extended to the names of leaders with surnames that are not commonly used such as Queen ELIZABETH II. For Vietnamese names, the given name is capitalized because officials are referred to by their given name rather than by their surname. For example, the president of Vietnam is Tran Duc LUONG. His surname is Tran, but he is referred to by his given name - President LUONG.
Personal Names - Spelling
The romanization of personal names in the Factbook normally follows the same transliteration system used by the US Board on Geographic Names for spelling place names. At times, however, a foreign leader expressly indicates a preference for, or the media or official documents regularly use, a romanized spelling that differs from the transliteration derived from the US Government standard. In such cases, the Factbook uses the alternative spelling.
Personal Names - Titles
The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it) immediately preceding a person's name. A title standing alone is not capitalized. Examples: President PUTIN and President BUSH are chiefs of state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both chief of state and head of government.
Petroleum
See entries under Oil
.
Petroleum products
See entries under Oil
.
Pipelines
This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.
Population
This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Population growth rate
The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.
Ports and terminals
This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered.
Public debt
This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
Radio broadcast stations
This entry includes the total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.
Railways
This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note.
Reference maps
This section includes world and regional maps.
Refugees and internally displaced persons
This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state.
Religions
This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below.
Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times, and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia.
Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). Buddhism focuses on the goal of spiritual enlightenment centered on an understanding of Gautama Buddha's Four Noble Truths on the nature of suffering, and on the Eightfold Path of spiritual and moral practice, to break the cycle of suffering of which we are a part. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Several schools and sects of Buddhism exist, differing often on the nature of the Buddha, the extent to which enlightenment can be achieved - for one or for all, and by whom - religious orders or laity.
Basic Groupings
Theravada Buddhism: The oldest Buddhist school, Theravada is practiced mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Thailand, with minority representation elsewhere in Asia and the West. Theravadans follow the Pali Canon of Buddha's teachings, and believe that one may escape the cycle of rebirth, worldly attachment, and suffering for oneself; this process may take one or several lifetimes.
Mahayana Buddhism, including subsets Zen and Tibetan Buddhism: Forms of Mahayana Buddhism are common in East Asia and Tibet, and parts of the West. Mahayanas have additional scriptures beyond the Pali Canon and believe the Buddha is eternal and still teaching. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment.

Christianity - Descending from Judaism, Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for the world. Christianity is one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, along with Islam and Judaism, which traces its spiritual lineage to Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels).
Basic Groupings
Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. Eastern-Rite Churches, such as the Maronite Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church, are in communion with Rome although they preserve their own worship traditions and their immediate hierarchy consists of clergy within their own rite. The Catholic Church has a comprehensive theological and moral doctrine specified for believers in its catechism, which makes it unique among most forms of Christianity.
Mormonism (including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Originating in 1830 in the United States under Joseph Smith, Mormonism is not characterized as a form of Protestant Christianity because it claims additional revealed Christian scriptures after the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The Book of Mormon maintains there was an appearance of Jesus in the New World following the Christian account of his resurrection, and that the Americas are uniquely blessed continents. Mormonism believes earlier Christian traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reform faiths, are apostasies and that Joseph Smith's revelation of the Book of Mormon is a restoration of true Christianity. Mormons have a hierarchical religious leadership structure, and actively proselytize their faith; they are located primarily in the Americas and in a number of other Western countries.
Orthodox Christianity: The oldest established eastern form of Christianity, the Holy Orthodox Church, has a ceremonial head in the Bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), also known as a Patriarch, but its various regional forms (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox) are autocephalous (independent of Constantinople's authority, and have their own Patriarchs). Orthodox churches are highly nationalist and ethnic. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope.
Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. It encompasses several forms or denominations which are extremely varied in structure, beliefs, relationship to state, clergy, and governance. Many protestant theologies emphasize the primary role of scripture in their faith, advocating individual interpretation of Christian texts without the mediation of a final religious authority such as the Roman Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianities include Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians), which have established liturgies, governing structure, and formal clergy. Other variants on Protestant Christianity, including Pentecostal movements and independent churches, may lack one or more of these elements, and their leadership and beliefs are individualized and dynamic.

Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C.), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. Hindus may worship one or many deities, usually with prayer rituals within their own home. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. Most Hindus believe the soul, or atman, is eternal, and goes through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one's positive or negative karma, or the consequences of one's actions. The goal of religious life is to learn to act so as to finally achieve liberation (moksha) of one's soul, escaping the rebirth cycle.

Islam - The third of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets (beginning with Abraham) and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. In order to live an Islamic life, believers must follow the five pillars, or tenets, of Islam, which are the testimony of faith (shahada), daily prayer (salah), giving alms (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).
Basic Groupings
The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, which split from each other over a religio-political leadership dispute about the rightful successor to Muhammad. The Shia believe Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, was the only divinely ordained Imam (religious leader), while the Sunni maintain the first three caliphs after Muhammad were also legitimate authorities. In modern Islam, Sunnis and Shia continue to have different views of acceptable schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and who is a proper Islamic religious authority. Islam also has an active mystical branch, Sufism, with various Sunni and Shia subsets.
Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Sunni has four schools of Islamic doctrine and law - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali - which uniquely interpret the Hadith, or recorded oral traditions of Muhammad. A Sunni Muslim may elect to follow any one of these schools, as all are considered equally valid.
Shia Islam represents 10-20% of Muslims worldwide, and its distinguishing feature is its reverence for Ali as an infallible, divinely inspired leader, and as the first Imam of the Muslim community after Muhammad. A majority of Shia are known as "Twelvers," because they believe that the 11 familial successor imams after Muhammad culminate in a 12th Imam (al-Mahdi) who is hidden in the world and will reappear at its end to redeem the righteous.
Variants
Ismaili faith: A sect of Shia Islam, its adherents are also known as "Seveners," because they believe that the rightful seventh Imam in Islamic leadership was Isma'il, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. Ismaili tradition awaits the return of the seventh Imam as the Mahdi, or Islamic messianic figure. Ismailis are located in various parts of the world, particularly South Asia and the Levant.
Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. Alawites are a closed, secretive religious group who assert they are Shia Muslims, although outside scholars speculate their beliefs may have a syncretic mix with other faiths originating in the Middle East. Alawis live mostly in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Druze faith: A highly secretive tradition and a closed community that derives from the Ismaili sect of Islam; its core beliefs are thought to emphasize a combination of Gnostic principles believing that the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakin, is the one who embodies the key aspects of goodness of the universe, which are, the intellect, the word, the soul, the preceder, and the follower. The Druze have a key presence in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.

Jainism - Originating in India, Jain spiritual philosophy believes in an eternal human soul, the eternal universe, and a principle of "the own nature of things." It emphasizes compassion for all living things, seeks liberation of the human soul from reincarnation through enlightenment, and values personal responsibility due to the belief in the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society.

Judaism - One of the first known monotheistic religions, likely dating to between 2000-1500 B.C., Judaism is the native faith of the Jewish people, based upon the belief in a covenant of responsibility between a sole omnipotent creator God and Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism's Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. Divine revelation of principles and prohibitions in the Hebrew Scriptures form the basis of Jewish law, or halakhah, which is a key component of the faith. While there are extensive traditions of Jewish halakhic and theological discourse, there is no final dogmatic authority in the tradition. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Modern Judaism has three basic categories of faith: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform/Liberal. These differ in their views and observance of Jewish law, with the Orthodox representing the most traditional practice, and Reform/Liberal communities the most accommodating of individualized interpretations of Jewish identity and faith.

Shintoism - A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its own spirit or kami. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Shintoism has no fixed tradition of prayers or prescribed dogma, but is characterized by individual ritual. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor.

Sikhism - Founded by the Guru Nanak (born 1469), Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one's devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth. Sikhs follow the teachings of Nanak and nine subsequent gurus. Their scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib - also known as the Adi Granth - is considered the living Guru, or final authority of Sikh faith and theology. Sikhism emphasizes equality of humankind and disavows caste, class, or gender discrimination.

Taoism - Chinese philosophy or religion based upon Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which centers on belief in the Tao, or the way, as the flow of the universe and the nature of things. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. Taoists believe the esoteric world is made up of a perfect harmonious balance and nature, while in the manifest world - particularly in the body - balance is distorted. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics.

Zoroastrianism - Originating from the teachings of Zoroaster in about the 9th or 10th century B.C., Zoroastrianism may be the oldest continuing creedal religion. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. The key ethical tenets of Zoroastrianism expressed in its scripture, the Avesta, are based on a dualistic worldview where one may prevent chaos if one chooses to serve God and exercises good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Zoroastrianism is generally a closed religion and members are almost always born to Zoroastrian parents. Prior to the spread of Islam, Zoroastrianism dominated greater Iran. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India, and Pakistan.
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
Roadways
This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary)
School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or quality as a year or grade completed in another country. SLE represents the expected number of years of schooling that will be completed, including years spent repeating one or more grades.
Sex ratio
This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually, it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
Stock of domestic credit
This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
Stock of money
This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
Stock of quasi money
This entry comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Telephone numbers
All telephone numbers in The World Factbook consist of the country code in brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and the local number. The one component that is not presented is the international access code, which varies from country to country. For example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows: 011 [34] (1) 577-xxxx, where 011 is the international access code for station-to-station calls; 01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls, [34] is the country code for Spain, (1) is the city code for Madrid, 577 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number. An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country to the US would be as follows: international access code + [1] (202) 939-xxxx, where [ 1] is the country code for the US, (202) is the area code for Washington, DC, 939 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number.
Telephone system
This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

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

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

CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications.

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

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

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

Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US).

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

Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT).

SAFE - South African Far East Cable

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

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

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

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

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

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

Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications.

Submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range.
Telephones - main lines in use
This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.
Telephones - mobile cellular
This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers.
Television broadcast stations
This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus any repeater stations.
Terminology
Due to the highly structured nature of the Factbook database, some collective generic terms have to be used. For example, the word Country in the Country name entry refers to a wide variety of dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states. Military is also used as an umbrella term for various civil defense, security, and defense activities in many entries. The Independence entry includes the usual colonial independence dates and former ruling states as well as other significant nationhood dates such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession that are not strictly independence dates. Dependent areas have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.
Terrain
This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
Time difference
This entry is expressed in The World Factbook in two ways. First, it is stated as the difference in hours between the capital of an entity and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
during Standard Time. Additionally, the difference in time between the capital of an entity and that observed in Washington, D.C. is also provided. Note that the time difference assumes both locations are simultaneously observing Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time.
Time zones
Ten countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, and the United States) and the island of Greenland observe more than one official time depending on the number of designated time zones within their boundaries. An illustration of time zones throughout the world and within countries can be seen in the Standard Time Zones of the World map included in the Reference Maps
section of The World Factbook.
Total fertility rate
This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe, where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the next 50 years.
Total renewable water resources
This entry provides the long-term average water availability for a country in cubic kilometers of precipitation, recharged ground water, and surface inflows from surrounding countries. The values have been adjusted to account for overlap resulting from surface flow recharge of groundwater sources. Total renewable water resources provides the water total available to a country but does not include water resource totals that have been reserved for upstream or downstream countries through international agreements. Note that these values are averages and do not accurately reflect the total available in any given year. Annual available resources can vary greatly due to short-term and long-term climatic and weather variations.
Trafficking in persons
Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law's key components is the creation of the US Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response (i.e., the current situation) in some 150 countries with a significant number of victims trafficked across their borders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following tier rating definitions:

Tier 2 Watch List
countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria:
1. they display high or significantly increasing number of victims,
2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or,
3. they have committed to take action over the next year.
Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking nor demonstrate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions.
Transnational issues
This category includes four entries - Disputes - international, Refugees and internally displaced persons, Trafficking in persons, and Illicit drugs - that deal with current issues going beyond national boundaries.
Transportation
This category includes the entries dealing with the means for movement of people and goods.
Transportation - note
This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere.
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
See entry for Coordinated Universal Time.
Unemployment rate
This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
Waterways
This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
Weights and Measures This information is presented in Appendix G: Weights and Measures and includes mathematical notations (mathematical powers and names), metric interrelationships (prefix; symbol; length, weight, or capacity; area; volume), and standard conversion factors.
Years
All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as fiscal year (FY). The calendar year is an accounting period of 12 months from 1 January to 31 December. The fiscal year is an accounting period of 12 months other than 1 January to 31 December.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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General
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General

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Geography

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The World Factbook is not a gazetteer (a dictionary or index of places, usually with descriptive or statistical information) and cannot provide more than the names of the administrative divisions (in the Government category) and major cities/towns (on the country maps). Our expanded Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names, however, includes many of the world’s major geographic features as well as historic (former) names of countries and cities mentioned in The World Factbook.

Why are Taiwan and the European Union listed out of alphabetical order at the end of the Factbook entries?
Taiwan is listed after the regular entries because even though the mainland People's Republic of China claims Taiwan, elected Taiwanese authorities de facto administer the island and reject mainland sovereignty claims. With the establishment of diplomatic relations with China on January 1, 1979, the US Government recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China.

The European Union (EU) is not a country, but it has taken on many nation-like attributes and these are likely to be expanded in the future. A more complete explanation on the inclusion of the EU into the Factbook may be found in the Preliminary statement.

Since we have an ambassador who represents the US at the Vatican, why is this entity not listed in the Factbook?
Vatican City is found under Holy See. The term "Holy See" refers to the authority, jurisdiction, and sovereignty vested in the Pope and his advisors to direct the worldwide Catholic Church. The Holy See has a legal personality that allows it to enter into treaties as the juridical equal of a state and to send and receive diplomatic representatives. Vatican City, created in 1929 to administer properties belonging to the Holy See in Rome, is recognized under international law as a sovereign state, but it does not send or receive diplomatic representatives. Consequently, Holy See is included as a Factbook entry, with Vatican City cross-referenced in the Geographic Names appendix.

Why is Palestine not listed in The World Factbook?
The areas that could potentially form a future Palestinian state - the West Bank and Gaza Strip - do appear in the Factbook. These areas are presently Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian 1995 Interim Agreement; their permanent status is to be determined through further negotiation.

Why are the Golan Heights not shown as part of Israel or Northern Cyprus with Turkey?
Territorial occupations/annexations not recognized by the United States Government are not shown on US Government maps.

Why don’t you include information on entities such as Tibet or Kashmir?
The World Factbook provides information on the administrative divisions of a country as recommended by the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is a component of the US Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names - domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to have access to uniform names of geographic features.

Also included in the Factbook are entries on parts of the world whose status has not yet been resolved (e.g., West Bank, Spratly Islands). Specific regions within a country or areas in dispute among countries are not covered.

What do you mean when you say that a country is "doubly landlocked"?
A doubly landlocked country is one that is separated from an ocean or an ocean-accessible sea by two intervening countries. Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the only countries that fit this definition.

Why is the area of the United States described as “slightly larger than China” in the Factbook , while other sources list China as larger in area than the United States?
It all depends on whether one is looking at total area (land and water) when making the comparison (which is the criterion used by the Factbook) or just land area (which excludes inland water features such as rivers or lakes).

Total area (combining land and water)

United States = 9,826,630 sq km
China = 9,596,960 sq km

Land only (without any water features)

United States = 9,161,923 sq km
China = 9,326,410 sq km

Why has The World Factbook dropped the four French departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, and French Guiana?
The reason the four entities are no longer in The World Factbook is because their status has changed. While they are overseas departments of France, they are also now recognized as French regions, having equal status to the 22 metropolitan regions that make up European France. In other words, they are now recognized as being part of France proper. Their status is somewhat analogous to Alaska and Hawaii vis-a-vis the contiguous United States. Although separated from the larger geographic entity, they are still considered to be an integral part of it.

Spelling and Pronunciation

Why is the spelling of proper names such as rulers, presidents, and prime ministers in The World Factbook different than their spelling in my country?
The Factbook staff applies the names and spellings from the Chiefs of State link on the CIA Web site. The World Factbook is prepared using the standard American English computer keyboard and does not use any special characters, symbols, or most diacritical markings in its spellings. Surnames are always spelled with capital letters; they may appear first in some cultures.

The spelling of geographic names, features, cities, administrative divisions, etc. in the Factbook differs from those used in my country. Why is this?
The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) recommends and approves names and spellings. The BGN is the component of the United States Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names - domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to use uniform names of geographic features. (A note is usually included where changes may have occurred but have not yet been approved by the BGN). The World Factbook is prepared using the standard American English computer keyboard and does not use any special characters, symbols, or most diacritical markings in its spellings.

Why doesn’t The World Factbook include pronunciations of country or leader names?
There are too many variations in pronunciation among English-speaking countries, not to mention English renditions of non-English names, for pronunciations to be included. American English pronunciations are included for some countries like Qatar and Kiribati.

Why is the name of the Labour party misspelled?
When American and British spellings of common English words differ, The World Factbook always uses the American spelling, even when these common words form part of a proper name in British English.

Policies and Procedures

What is The World Factbook’s source for a specific subject field?
The Factbook staff uses many different sources to publish what we judge are the most reliable and consistent data for any particular category. Space considerations preclude a listing of these various sources.

The names of some geographic features provided in the Factbook differ from those used in other publications. For example, in Asia the Factbook has Burma as the country name, but in other publications Myanmar is used; also, the Factbook uses Sea of Japan whereas other publications label it East Sea. What is your policy on naming geographic features?
The Factbook staff follows the guidance of the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is the component of the United States Government that develops policies, principles, and procedures governing the spelling, use, and application of geographic names - domestic, foreign, Antarctic, and undersea. Its decisions enable all departments and agencies of the US Government to have access to uniform names of geographic features. The position of the BGN is that the names Burma and Sea of Japan be used in official US Government maps and publications.

Why is most of the statistical information in the Factbook given in metric units, rather than the units standard to US measure?
US Federal agencies are required by the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-168) and by Executive Order 12770 of July 1991 to use the International System of Units, commonly referred to as the metric system or SI. In addition, the metric system is used by over 95 percent of the world's population.

Why don’t you include information on minimum and maximum temperature extremes?
The Factbook staff judges that this information would only be useful for some (generally smaller) countries. Larger countries can have large temperature extremes that do not represent the landmass as a whole. In the future, such a category may be adopted listing the extremes, but also adding a normal temperature range found throughout most of a country’s territory.

What information sources are used for the country flags?
Flag designs used in The World Factbook are those recognized by the protocol office of the US Department of State.

Why do your GDP (Gross Domestic Product) statistics differ from other sources?
We have two sets of GDP dollar estimates in The World Factbook , one derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations and the other derived using official exchange rates (OER). Other sources probably use one of the two. See the Notes and Definitions section on GDP and GDP methodology for more information.

On the CIA Web site, Chiefs of State is updated weekly, but the last update for the Factbook was an earlier date. Why the discrepancy?
Although Chiefs of State and The World Factbook both appear on the CIA Web site, they are produced and updated by separate staffs. Chiefs of State includes fewer countries but more leaders, and is updated more frequently than The World Factbook, which has a much larger database, and includes all countries.

Some percentage distributions do not add to 100. Why not?
Because of rounding, percentage distributions do not always add precisely to 100%. Rounding of numbers always results in a loss of precision - i.e., error. This error becomes apparent when percentage data are totaled, as the following two examples show:

Original Data

Rounded to whole integer

Example 1

43.2

43

30.4

30

26.4

26

100.0

99

Example 2

42.8

43

31.6

32

25.6

26

100.0

101

When this occurs, we do not force the numbers to add exactly to 100, because doing so would introduce additional error into the distribution.

What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?
In deciding on the number of digits to present, the Factbook staff assesses the accuracy of the original data and the needs of US Government officials. All of the economic data are processed by computer - either at the source or by the Factbook staff. The economic data presented in The Factbook, therefore, follow the rounding convention used by virtually all numerical software applications, namely, any digit followed by a "5" is rounded up to the next higher digit, no matter whether the original digit is even or odd. Thus, for example, when rounded to the nearest integer, 2.5 becomes 3, rather than 2, as occurred in some pre-computer rounding systems.

Why do you list “Independence” dates for countries like France, Germany, and the United Kingdom?
For most countries, this entry presents the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For other countries, the date may be some other significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession and so may not strictly be an “Independence” date. Dependent entities have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.

Technical

Does The World Factbook comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act regarding accessibility of Web pages?
The World Factbook home page has a link entitled "Text/Low Bandwidth Version." The country data in the text version is fully accessible. We believe The World Factbook is compliant with the Section 508 law in both fact and spirit. If you are experiencing difficulty, please use our comment form to provide us details of the specific problem you are experiencing and the assistive software and/or hardware that you are using so that we can work with our technical support staff to find and implement a solution. We welcome visitors' suggestions to improve accessibility of The World Factbook and the CIA Web site.

I am using the Factbook online and it is not working. What is wrong?
Hundreds of “Factbook” look-alikes exist on the Internet. The Factbook site at: www.cia.gov is the only official site.

When I attempt to download a PDF (Portable Document Format) map file (or some other map) the file has no image. Can you fix this?
Some of the files on The World Factbook Web site are large and could take several minutes to download on a dial-up connection. The screen might be blank during the download process.

When I open a map on The World Factbook site, it is fuzzy or granular, or too big or too small. Why?
Adjusting the resolution setting on your monitor should correct this problem.

Is The World Factbook country data available in machine-readable format? All I can find is HTML, but I’m looking for simple tabular data.
The Factbook Web site now features "Rank Order" pages for selected Factbook entries. "Rank Order" pages are available for those data fields identified with a small bar chart icon located next to the title of the data entry. In addition, all of the "Rank Order" pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files that can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases.

Appendix A

Abbreviations

B International Organizations and Groups
C Selected InternationalEnvironmental Agreements
D Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
E Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
F Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

ABEDA
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACCT
Agency for the French-Speaking Community (see International Organization of the French-speaking World)

ACP Group
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB
African Development Bank

AFESD
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Air Pollution
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

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

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

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

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

AMF
Arab Monetary Fund
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

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

Antarctic Seals
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

ANZUS
Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat
Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF
ASEAN Regional Forum

ADB
Asian Development Bank

ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AU
African Union

Autodin
Automatic Digital Network

BA
Baltic Assembly

bbl/day
barrels per day

BCIE
Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC
Central African States Development Bank

Benelux
Benelux Economic Union

BIMSTEC
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation

Biodiversity
Convention on Biological Diversity

BGN
United States Board on Geographic Names

BIS
Bank for International Settlements

BSEC
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C
Commonwealth

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

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

CEMAC
Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa

CEPGL
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CERN
European Organization for Nuclear Research

CEPT
Conference Europeanne des Poste et Telecommunications

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

COMESA
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

CP
Colombo Plan

CPLP
Comunidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa

CSTO
Collective Security Treaty Organization

CTBTO
Preparation commission for the Nuclear-Ban-Treaty Operation

CY
calendar year

DC
developed country

DDT
dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

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

DIA
United States Defense Intelligence Agency

DSN
Defense Switched Network

DST
daylight savings time

DWT
deadweight ton

EAC
East African Community

EADB
East African Development Bank

EAEC
Eurasian Economic Community

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

ECSC
European Coal and Steel Community

EEC
European Economic Community

EFTA
European Free Trade Association

EEZ
exclusive economic zone

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

f.o.b.
free on board

FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX
facsimile

FLS
Front Line States

FOC
flags of convenience

FSU
former Soviet Union

FY
fiscal year

FZ
Franc Zone

G-2
Group of 2

G-3
Group of 3

G-5
Group of 5

G-6
Group of 6

G-7
Group of 7

G-8
Group of 8

G-9
Group of 9

G-10
Group of 10

G-15
Group of 15

G-11
Group of 11

G-24
Group of 24

G-77
Group of 77

GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO

GCC
Gulf Cooperation Council

GCTU
General Confederation of Trade Unions

GDP
gross domestic product

GMT
Greenwich Mean Time

GNP
gross national product

GRT
gross register ton

GSM
global system for mobile cellular communications

GUAM
Organization for Democracy and Economic Development; acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

GWP
gross world product

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

HF
high-frequency

HIV/AIDS
human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome

IADB
Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

IBRD
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)

ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC
International Chamber of Commerce

ICCt
International Criminal Court

ICJ
International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICRC
International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICSID
International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTR
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

IDA
International Development Association

IDB
Islamic Development Bank

IDP
Internally Displaced Person

IEA
International Energy Agency

IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC
International Finance Corporation

IFRCS
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IGAD
Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IHO
International Hydrographic Organization

ILO
International Labor Organization

IMF
International Monetary Fund

IMO
International Maritime Organization

IMSO
International Mobile Satellite Organization

Inmarsat
International Maritime Satellite Organization

InOC
Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women

Intelsat
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol
International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik
International Organization of Space Communications

IOC
International Olympic Committee

IOM
International Organization for Migration

IPU
Inter-parliamentary Union

ISO
International Organization for Standardization

ISP
Internet Service Provider

ITSO
International Telecommunications Satellites Organization

ITU
International Telecommunication Union

ITUC
International Trade Union Confederation, the successor to ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) and the WCL (World Confederation of Labor)

kHz
kilohertz

km
kilometer

kW
kilowatt

kWh
kilowatt-hour

LAES
Latin American Economic System

LAIA
Latin American Integration Association

LAS
League of Arab States

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

LDC
less developed country

LLDC
least developed country

London Convention
see Marine Dumping

LOS
see Law of the Sea

m
meter

Marecs
Maritime European Communications Satellite

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

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

MARPOL
see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel
Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union

Mercosur
Southern Cone Common Market

MHz
megahertz

MICAH
International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti

MINURSO
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MIGA
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINUSTAH
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

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

NA
not available

NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement

NAM
Nonaligned Movement

NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC
Nordic Council

NEA
Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL
negligible

NGA
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIB
Nordic Investment Bank

NIC
newly industrializing country

NIE
newly industrializing economy

NIS
new independent states

nm
nautical mile

NMT
Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG
Nuclear Suppliers Group

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

NZ
New Zealand

OAPEC
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS
Organization of American States

OAU
Organization of African Unity; see African Union

ODA
official development assistance

OECD
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OHCHR
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

OIC
Organization of the Islamic Conference

OIF
International Organization of the French-speaking World

ONUB
United Nations Operation in Burundi

OOF
other official flows

OPANAL
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean

OPCW
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

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

PCA
Permanent Court of Arbitration

PFP
Partnership for Peace

PIF
Pacific Islands Forum

PPP
purchasing power parity

Ramsar
see Wetlands

RG
Rio Group

SAARC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU
Southern African Customs Union

SACEP
South Asia Co-opeative Environment Programme

SADC
Southern African Development Community

SCO
Shanghai Cooperation Organization

SAFE
South African Far East Cable

SECI
Southeast European Cooperative Initiative

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
Secretariat of the Pacific Communities

SPF
South Pacific Forum

sq km
square kilometer

sq mi
square mile

TAT
Trans-Atlantic Telephone

TEU
Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit

Tropical Timber 83
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

UAE
United Arab Emirates

UDEAC
Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF
ultra-high-frequency

UK
United Kingdom

UMA
Arab Maghreb Union

UN
United Nations

UNAMSIL
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

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

UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP
United Nations Drug Control Program

UNDOF
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP
United Nations Development Program

UNEP
United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

UNFICYP
United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund

UNICRI
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

UNIDIR
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNITAR
United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMEE
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIK
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMIL
United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNMIT
United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste

UNMOGIP
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOVIC
United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission

UNOCI
United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire

UNOMIG
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOPS
United Nations Office of Project Services

UNRISD
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

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

UNSC
United Nations Security Council

UNSSC
Untied Nations System Staff College

UNTSO
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU
United Nations University

UNWTO
World Tourism Organization

UPU
Universal Postal Union

US
United States

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

UTC
Coordinated Universal Time

UV
ultra violet

VHF
very-high-frequency

VSAT
very small aperture terminal

WADB
West African Development Bank

WAEMU
West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL
World Confederation of Labor

WCO
World Customs Organization

Wetlands
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat

WEU
Western European Union

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
World Trade Organization

ZC
Zangger Committee

Appendix B

International Organizations and Groups

A Abbreviations
C Selected InternationalEnvironmental Agreements
D Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
E Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
F Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

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

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

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
note - regional multilateral development finance institution temporarily located in Tunis, Tunisia; the Bank Group consists of the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Nigerian Trust Fund
established - 10 September 1964
aim - to promote economic development and social progress
regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU)
note - replaces Organization of African Unity (OAU)
established - 8 July 2001
aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions
members - (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 (Western Sahara), Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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 - (79) 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, Cuba, 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, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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
aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons
members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Community of Nations (CAN)
note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG) and 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 - (4) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
associate members - (5) Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay
observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

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 Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
established - 16 May 1968
aim - to promote economic and social development
members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
established - 17 February 1989
aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa
members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)
established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2 February 1977
aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs
members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arctic Council
established - 18 September 1996
aim - to address the common concerns and challenges faced by Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic; to protect the Arctic environment
members - (8) Canada, Denmark (Greenland, Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, US
permanent participants - (6) Aleut International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich'in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Russian Association of Indigenous People of the North, Saami Council
observers - (8) China, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
established - 25 July 1994
aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern
members - (26) Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, US, Vietnam

Asian Development Bank (ADB)
established - 19 December 1966
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation
members - (48) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam
nonregional members - (19) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
established - 7 November 1989
aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin
members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam
observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

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
dialogue partners - (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP; note - ASEAN promotes cooperation with Pakistan in some areas of mutual interest
observers - (1) Papua New Guinea

Australia Group (AG)
established - June 1985
aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons
members - (41) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)
established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952
aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings
members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

Baltic Assembly (BA)
established - 12 May 1990
aim - to thoroughly discuss various cooperation issues between Baltic states
members - (3) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930
aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements
members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Central Bank, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
established - June 1997
aim - to foster socio-economic cooperation among members
members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand

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 - 1975
aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies
members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)
established - 25 June 1992
aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation
members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; note - Macedonia is in the process of joining
observers - (17) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Commission of the EC, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy Charter Secretariat, France, Germany, International Black Sea Club, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, US; note - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia have applied for observer status

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)
established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973
aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries
members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
associate members - (5) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
observers - (7) Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970
aim - to promote economic development and cooperation
regional members - (21) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, 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 Economic and Monetary 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 - (10) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, 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 - (7) Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Spain, 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, July 1992 its present name was adopted
aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas
members - (18) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

centrally planned economies
a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, USSR, Vietnam

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
established - 7 October 2002
aim - to coordinate military and political cooperation, to develop multilateral structures and mechanisms of cooperation for ensuring national security of the member states
members - (7) Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Colombo Plan (CP)
established - May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations
aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific
members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
note - formerly known as Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA)
established - 5 November 1993
aim - recognizing, promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, commitment to the principles of liberty and rule of law, maintaining peace and stability through the promotion and strengthening of good neighborliness, commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes among member states
members - (19) Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Commonwealth (C)
note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations
established - 31 December 1931
aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire
members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji (suspended), The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (reinstated 2004), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991
aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR
members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

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

Comuinidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLP)
established - 1996
aim - to establish a forum for friendship among Portuguese-speaking nations where Portuguese is an official language
members - (8) Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste
associate observers - (3) Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Senegal

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM)
established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East-West control of advanced technology

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

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU)
established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964
aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations
members - (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, 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 - (47) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK
observers - (5) Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
established - 6 March 1992
aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication
members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden
observers - (7) France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Ukraine, UK, US

Council of the Entente (Entente)
established - 29 May 1959
aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination
members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

countries in transition
a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)
note - see World Customs Organization (WCO)

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

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

Developing Eight (D-8)
established - 15 June 1997
aim - to improve developing countries' positions in the world economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at the international level, provide better standards of living
member - (8) Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey

East African Community (EAC)
note - originally established in 1967, it was disbanded in 1977
established - January 2001
aim - to establish a political and economic union among the countries
members - (5) Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

East African Development Bank (EADB)
established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967
aim - to promote economic development
members - (4) Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

East Asia Summit (EAS)
established - 14 December 2005
aim - to promote cooperation in political and security issues; to promote development, financial stability, energy security, economic integration and growth; to eradicate poverty and narrow the development gap in East Asia, and to promote deeper cultural understanding
members - (16) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, NZ, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Economic and Monetary 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

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
note - an integral part of the European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union
established - 1-2 December 1969 (proposed at summit conference of heads of government; 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed)
aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted
members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945
aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice)
members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs
established - 20 September 1976
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration
members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda; note - organization collapsed because of fighting in 1998; reactivated in 2006

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
established - 28 May 1975
aim - to promote regional economic cooperation
members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, 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

Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC or EurasEC) note - merged with Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) in 2005
established - May 2001
aim - to create a common economic and energy policy
members - (6) Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
observers - (3) Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine

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 - (50) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, 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 - (63) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EC, European Investment Bank (EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Community (or European Communities, EC)
established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), 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 - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire
established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954
aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only
members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
observers - (8) EC, India, 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 - (17) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
cooperating states - (5) Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania

European Union (EU)
note - see European Union entry at the end of the "country" listings

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

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
established - 16 October 1945
aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency
members - (192) includes all UN member countries except Brunei, Liechtenstein, and Singapore (189 total); plus Cook Islands, EC, Faroe Islands, and Niue

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, 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 - 1964
aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies were 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

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 (WTO)

General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU)
established - 16 April 1992
aim - to consolidate trade union actions to protect citizens' social and labor rights and interests, to help secure trade unions' rights and guarantees, and to strengthen international trade union solidarity
members - (11) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

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

Group of 3 (G-3)
established - September 1990
aim - mechanism for policy coordination
members - (2) Colombia, Mexico; note - Panama shows interest in joining

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)
also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement (not to be confused with the Big Six) was established in 22 May 1984 with the aim of achieving nuclear disarmament; its members were 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 - 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 December 1975 and 3 June 1977
members - (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

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

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 despite increased membership
established - October 1962
aim - to coordinate credit policy
members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
observers - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

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

Group of 15 (G-15)
note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement; name persists despite increased membership
established - September 1989
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement
members - (18) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 20 (G-20)
established - created 1999; inaugurated 15-16 December 1999
aim - to promote open and constructive discussion between industreial and emerging-market countries on any issues related to global economic stability; helps to support growth and development across the globe
members - (19) Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US

Group of 24 (G-24)
established - 1 August 1989
aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF
members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
observers - (1) China

Group of 77 (G-77)
established - 15 June1964; October 1967 first ministerial meeting
aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership
members - (129 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, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, 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, 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, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
established - 25 May 1981
aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs
members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)
note-acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova; formerly known as GUUAM before Uzbekistan withdrew in 5 May 2005
established - 7 June 2001
aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states
members - (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

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 and Mayotte), 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 - (47) 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, South Korea, 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, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda; note - Eritrea declared its suspension in 2007

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
established - 1889
aim - fosters contacts among parliamentarians, considers and expresses views of international interest and concern with the purpose of bringing about action by parliaments and parliamentarians, contributes to the defense and promotion of human rights, contributes to better knowledge of representative institutions
members - (154 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 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, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Somalia, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
associate members - (8) Andean Parliament, Central American Parliament, East African Legislative Assembly, European Parliament, Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, Latin American Parliament, Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957
aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy
members - (145) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - membership pending for Bahrain, Burundi, Cape Verde, Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Oman, Nepal until the necessary legal instruments are deposited with the IAEA

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 - (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, and Tuvalu

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
established - 1919
aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels
members - (91 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela; note - Peru is restructuring

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 - (190) includes all UN member countries except Dominica, Liechtenstein, and Tuvalu (189 total); plus Cook Islands

International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH)
established 17 December 1999 to promote respect for human rights; members included Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US; closed 2001

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
established - 17 February 1863
aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime
members - (15-25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

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 Court (ICCt)
established - 11 April 2002
aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice
members (countries that have ratified the treaty) - (108) Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
established - 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 - (187) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, 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, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
subbureaus - (11) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands

International Development Association (IDA)
established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960
aim - to provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate
members - (168) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, 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, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, 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 - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

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 - (185 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, 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, 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, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (2) Eritrea and 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 - (181) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Suriname, Tuvalu

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
established - November 1974
aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency
members - (165)
List A - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
List B - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela
List C - (130 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, 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, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, 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, Serbia (suspended since 1992), Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)
note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970
established - June 1919; effective - 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 oceanograrphy
members - (80) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (suspended), Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic (suspended), Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname (suspended), Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

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 - (181) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies: Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

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 - (167) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niger, Palau, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia
associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

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 - (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO)
established - 15 April 1999
aim - acts as watchdog over Inmarsat (International Maritime Satellite Organization), a private company, to make sure it follows ICAO standards and recommended practices; plays an active role in the development of international telecommunications policies
members - (92) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Maurtius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Venezuela, Vietnam

International Olympic Committee (IOC)
established - 23 June 1894
aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada; 2012 Summer Olympics in London, UK; 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia
National Olympic Committees - (204 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, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, 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 - (122) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, 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, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (16) Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Cuba, Ethiopia, Guyana, Holy See, Indonesia, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Turkmenistan

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
established - 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 - (105 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe
correspondent members - (41 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Gabon, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Organization
subscriber members - (10) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Guyana, Honduras, Laos, Lesotho, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname

International Organization of the French-speaking World (OIF)
note - name changed from Agency of Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) in 1997; also known as Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
established - 20 March 1970
aim - founded around a common language to promote and spread the cultures of its members and to reinforce cultural and technical cooperation between them
members - (53) Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canada - New Brunswick, Canada - Quebec, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam
associates - (3) Armenia, Cyprus, Ghana
observers - (14) Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Ukraine

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)
established - 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 - (185 countries and the Palestine Liberation Organization); note - same as membership for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

International Telecommunications Satellites Organization (ITSO)
established - August 1964
aim - to act as a watchdog over Intelsat, Ltd., a private company, to make sure it provides on a global and non-discriminatory basis public telecommunication services
members - (148) 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, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, the 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, Serbia, 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, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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 - (191) includes all UN member countries except Palau, Timor-Leste (190 total); plus Holy See

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
note - its predecessors were the Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labor (WCL)
established - 3 November 2006
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (311 affiliated organizations in the following 154 countries and the Palestine Liberation Organization as of December 2007) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Chad, Chile, 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, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, 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, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Palestine Liberation Organization

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 - (55 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, 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

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 - (27) Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Secretaria General Iberoamericana (SEGIB), Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

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 - (26) China, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS)
note - also known as Arab League (AL)
established - 22 March 1945
aim - 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
observers - (3) Eritrea, India, Venezuela

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, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, 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, Isle of Man, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, 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)

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
established - 12 April 1988
aim - encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical assistance; a UN specialized agency
members - (173) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Kiribati, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu

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 the 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 - (117 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,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, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (15) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvadore, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Serbia, Ukraine, Uruguay
guests - (24) Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Nordic Council (NC)
established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12 February 1953
aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation
members - (5) Denmark (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 - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, 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 American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
established - 17 December 1992
aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes
members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
established - 4 April 1949
aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation
members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, 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 - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group
established - 1974; effective - 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 - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, 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) EC
accession states - (5) Chile, Estonia, Israel, Russia, Slovenia

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 - (56) 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, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan
partners for cooperation - (11) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, 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 (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbadoes, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Djibouti, Ecuador, 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, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (5) The Bahamas, Burma, Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Israel

Organization of African Unity (OAU)
see African Union

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 - (63) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Vanuatu, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
established - 9 January 1968
aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry
members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia (suspended), UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981
aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation
members - (9) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
established - 14 September 1960
aim - to coordinate petroleum policies
members - (13) Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
established - 22-25 September 1969
aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs
members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization
observers - (14) AU, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States, Russia, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community (SPC)
local name of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)
note - formerly known as 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
associate members - (2) French Polynesia, New Caledonia
partners - (13) Canada, China, EU, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, UK, US
observers - (5) Asia Development Bank, The Commonwealth, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna

Paris Club
established - 1956
aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries
members - (19) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP)
established - 10-11 January 1994
aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO
members - (24) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
established - 29 July 1899
aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes
members - (108) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG)
note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group
established - 1988
aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues
members - (21) Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Schengen Convention
established - established - signed June 1990; effective March 1995
aim - aim - to allow free movement within an area without internal border controls
members - (25) Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland; note - UK and Ireland have not joined; Liechtenstein and Cyprus will probably join in 2009; Bulgaria and Romania are still not fully implemented

Second World
another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
established - 6 February 1947; effective 29 July 1948
aim - to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research support; to build planning and management capability
members - (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
established - 15 June 2001
aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields
members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
observers - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan
guests - (6) Afghanistan, ASEAN, CIS, EurAsEC, Turkmenistan, UN

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 American Community of Nations (CSN)
established - 9 December 2004
aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
established - 8 December 1985
aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation
members - (8) Afghanistan. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
observers - (9) Australia, Burma, China, EU, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, US

South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP)
established - January 1983
aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region
members - (8) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Pacific Forum (SPF)
note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)
established - 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

Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)
established - 6 December 1996
aim - to encourage cooperation among participating states and to facilitate their integration into European structures
members - (13) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey
observers - (18) Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

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, Madagascar, 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 members - (5) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

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

African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)
established - 31 July 2007
aim - to contribute to the restoration of security conditions which will allow safe humanitarian assistance throughout Darfur, to contribute to the protection of civilian populations under imminent threat of physical attack, to monitor, observe compliance with, and verify the implementation of various ceasefire agreements
members - (31) Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, UK, Yemen, Zambia

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

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

Union Latina
established - 15 May 1954; became functional 1983
aim - to project, protect, and promote the common heritage and unifying idenitites of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world
members - (37) Andorra, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Spain, Timor-Leste, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (3) Argentina, Holy See, Order of Malta

Union of South American Nations (UNASUR - Spanish; UNASUL - Portuguese) formerly South American Community of Nations which terminated on 16 April 2007
established - 23 May 2008
aim - to model a community after the European Union which will include a common currency, parliament, passport, and defense policy
members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela
observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

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: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN-AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Preparation Committee for the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP),United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), 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 Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), 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), African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), 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 Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), 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 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 Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), 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), Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, 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 (UNWTO), and World Trade Organization (WTO)
5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)
6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

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 Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
established - 30 December 1964
aim - to promote international trade
members - (193) all UN members plus Holy See

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 - (6) Austria, Canada, Croatia, India, Japan, Poland

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 - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue
associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

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 - (192) 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) - (76) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia

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 - (172) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, US

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) - (21) Algeria, Brazil, Burkino Faso, China, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Estonia, France (2), Ghana, India, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland (2), Thailand, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)
established - 25 August 2006
aim - to support the Government, to support the electoral process, to ensure the restoration and maintenance of public security
members - (14) Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Singapore

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

note - gives civilian support only; works closely with NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR)

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 - (28) Belgium, China, Croatia, Cyprus, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Nepal, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey

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 - (8) Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, 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 - (28) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Croatia, Djibouti, Egypt, El Slavador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Yemen

United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT)
established - 25 September 2007
aim - to create the security and conditions which will to contribute to the protection of refugees, displaced persons, and citizens in danger, to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance in eastern Chad and the northeastern Central African Republic, to create favorable conditions for the recontruction and economic and social development of these areas
members - (22) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Senegal, Spain, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)
established 31 July 2000; aim was to monitor the cessation of hostilities; mandate ended July 2008; members were Algeria, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)
established - 19 September 2003
aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in national security reform
members - (45) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Togo, Ukraine, UK, US, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL)
established on 22 October 1999; aim was to 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; mandate ended 31 December 2005; members were Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS)
established - March 2005
aim - to support implementation of the comprehensive Peace Agreement by Monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement, by observing and monitoring movements of armed groups, and by helping disarm, demobilizing and reintegrating armed bands
members - (61) Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherland, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, UK, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET)
established on 17 May 2002 to provide assistance to structures critical to public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to extenal security; members were Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Sweden; completed its mandate 20 May 2005

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC)
formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM); established December 1999 with the aim to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them; commissioners were from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US; finished operations 29 June 2007

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 - (32) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Yemen

United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB)
was established 21 May 2004 to support and help implement the efforts undertaken by Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national reconciliation; members were Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Nambia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia; mandate was completed 31 December 2006

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 - (48) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI)
established - 27 February 2004
aim - to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003
members - (41) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Chad, China, Croatia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Peacekeeping 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 - (7) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, UK

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities
established - 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 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) - (22) Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EC, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
established - 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 12 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 (UNSC)
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; Austria (2009-10), Burkina Faso (2008-09), Costa Rica (2008-09), Croatia (2008-09), Japan (2009-10), Libya (2008-09), Mexico (2009-10), Turkey (2009-10), Uganda (2009-10), Vietnam (2008-09)

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
established - 30 April 2004
aim - to stabilize Haiti in many areas for at least six months
members - (17) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
established - 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 - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, 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 - (191) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (189 total); plus Holy See and Overseas Territories of the UK; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: Australia (Norfolk Island), China (Hong Kong, Macau), Denmark (Faroe Islands, Greenland), France (French Polynesia including Clipperton Island, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Scattered Islands [Bassas da India, Europe, Juan de Nova, Glorioso Islands, Tromelin], Wallis and Futuna), Netherlands (Aruba, Netherlands Antilles), NZ (Cook Island, Niue, Tokelau), UK (Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos), US (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)

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 German Democratic Republic (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

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), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL)
established 19 June 1920 as the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4 October 1968; aim was to promote the trade union movement; on 31 October 2006 it merged with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) to form the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); members were (105 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, 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, Denmark, 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, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, 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, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO)
note - began as the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)
established - 15 December 1950
aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters
members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, 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, Dominican Republic, EC, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, 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 Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
established - 3 October 1945
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (174 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, 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, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovo, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Eustatius, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martaan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Somaliland, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, US Virgin Islands, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, 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 - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

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 - (184) includes all UN member countries except Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (183 total); plus Holy See

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951
aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency
members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu (180 total); plus Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles, British Caribbean Territories, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Macau, New Caledonia, and Niue

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
established - 2 January 1975
aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace
members - (154) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, 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, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico
observers - (1 plus Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Trade Organization (WTO)
note - succeeded General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT)
established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995
aim - to provide a forum 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 - (153) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, 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, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, 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, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (30) Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Montenegro, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen; note - with the exception of the Holy See, an observer 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 - (36) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
observers - (1) European Commission

G-20
established - created 1999; inaugerated 15-16 December 1999
aim - to promote open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on any issues related to global economic stability; helps to support growth and development across the globe
members - (19) Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US

Appendix C

Selected InternationalEnvironmental Agreements

A Abbreviations
B International Organizations and Groups
D Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
E Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
F Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

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 - (46) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, 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 - (167) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, 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, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic 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, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

Biodiversity
see Convention on Biological Diversity

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 for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals
opened for signature - 1 June 1972
entered into force - 11 March 1978
objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica
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 - (186) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, 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, 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, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, 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, Serbia, 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, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) US

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, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (20) Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay

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 - (49) Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, 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, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

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 - (154) Albania, Algeria, 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, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, 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, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
opened for signature - 5 May 1980
entered into force - 7 April 1982
objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources
parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu

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 - (170) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, 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, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, 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, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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; the London Convention came into force in 1996
parties - (88) Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, 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, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu
associate members to the London Convention - (2) Faroe Islands, Macau
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Chad, Kuwait, Uruguay

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, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, 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, 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 - (17) Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

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 - (84) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, UK, US, Uruguay

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 - (59) 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, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Vanuatu, 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 - (62) 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, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
opened for signature - 16 March 1998
entered into force - 23 February 2005
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 - (181) 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, Cental African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Island, Costa Rica, 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, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (4) Kazakhstan, US

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 - (189) 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, 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, 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, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, 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, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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 - (139) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, 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

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
consultative parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay
non consultative parties - (12) Austria, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey

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 - (31) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, 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 - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, 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 - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) 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
entered into force - 23 October 2003
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 - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (10) Armenia, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Philippines Poland, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, 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, Serbia, 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, 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 - (155) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (27) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, 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 - (185) 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, 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, 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, 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, Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, 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 - (195) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, 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, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, 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, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, 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, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Wetlands
see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

Whaling
see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

Appendix D

Selected International Environmental Agreements

A Abbreviations
B International Organizations and Groups
C Selected InternationalEnvironmental Agreements
E Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
F Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

FIPS 10:
Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS 10) is maintained by the Office of Targeting and Transnational Issues, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10 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.

STANAG 1059:
Letter Codes for Geographical Entities (8th edition, 2004) is a Standardization Agreement (STANAG) established and maintained by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO/OTAN) for the purpose of providing a common set of geo-spatial identifiers for countries, territories, and possessions. The 8th edition established trigraph codes for each country based upon the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 character sets. These codes are used throughout NATO.

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).

Format:
Entity
FIPS 10
ISO 3166
STANAG-1059
Internet
Comment

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

Afghanistan
AF
AF
AFG
004
AFG
.af

Albania
AL
AL
ALB
008
ALB
.al

Algeria
AG
DZ
DZA
012
DZA
.dz

American Samoa
AQ
AS
ASM
016
ASM
.as

Andorra
AN
AD
AND
020
AND
.ad

Angola
AO
AO
AGO
024
AGO
.ao

Anguilla
AV
AI
AIA
660
AIA
.ai

Antarctica
AY
AQ
ATA
010
ATA
.aq
ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude

Antigua and Barbuda
AC
AG
ATG
028
ATG
.ag

Argentina
AR
AR
ARG
032
ARG
.ar

Armenia
AM
AM
ARM
051
ARM
.am

Aruba
AA
AW
ABW
533
ABW
.aw

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
AT
-
-
-
AUS
-
ISO includes with Australia

Australia
AS
AU
AUS
036
AUS
.au
ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands

Austria
AU
AT
AUT
040
AUT
.at

Azerbaijan
AJ
AZ
AZE
031
AZE
.az

Bahamas, The
BF
BS
BHS
044
BHS
.bs

Bahrain
BA
BH
BHR
048
BHR
.bh

Baker Island
FQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Bangladesh
BG
BD
BGD
050
BGD
.bd

Barbados
BB
BB
BRB
052
BRB
.bb

Bassas da India
BS
-
-
-
-
-
administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned

Belarus
BO
BY
BLR
112
BLR
.by

Belgium
BE
BE
BEL
056
BEL
.be

Belize
BH
BZ
BLZ
084
BLZ
.bz

Benin
BN
BJ
BEN
204
BEN
.bj

Bermuda
BD
BM
BMU
060
BMU
.bm

Bhutan
BT
BT
BTN
064
BTN
.bt

Bolivia
BL
BO
BOL
068
BOL
.bo

Bosnia and Herzegovina
BK
BA
BIH
070
BIH
.ba

Botswana
BC
BW
BWA
072
BWA
.bw

Bouvet Island
BV
BV
BVT
074
BVT
.bv

Brazil
BR
BR
BRA
076
BRA
.br

British Indian Ocean Territory
IO
IO
IOT
086
IOT
.io

British Virgin Islands
VI
VG
VGB
092
VGB
.vg

Brunei
BX
BN
BRN
096
BRN
.bn

Bulgaria
BU
BG
BGR
100
BGR
.bg

Burkina Faso
UV
BF
BFA
854
BFA
.bf

Burma
BM
MM
MMR
104
MMR
.mm
ISO uses the name Myanmar

Burundi
BY
BI
BDI
108
BDI
.bi

Cambodia
CB
KH
KHM
116
KHM
.kh

Cameroon
CM
CM
CMR
120
CMR
.cm

Canada
CA
CA
CAN
124
CAN
.ca

Cape Verde
CV
CV
CPV
132
CPV
.cv

Cayman Islands
CJ
KY
CYM
136
CYM
.ky

Central African Republic
CT
CF
CAF
140
CAF
.cf

Chad
CD
TD
TCD
148
TCD
.td

Chile
CI
CL
CHL
152
CHL
.cl

China
CH
CN
CHN
156
CHN
.cn
see also Taiwan

Christmas Island
KT
CX
CXR
162
CXR
.cx

Clipperton Island
IP
-
-
-
FYP
-
ISO includes with French Polynesia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
CK
CC
CCK
166
AUS
.cc

Colombia
CO
CO
COL
170
COL
.co

Comoros
CN
KM
COM
174
COM
.km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
CG
CD
COD
180
COD
.cd
formerly Zaire

Congo, Republic of the
CF
CG
COG
178
COG
.cg

Cook Islands
CW
CK
COK
184
COK
.ck

Coral Sea Islands
CR
-
-
-
AUS
-
ISO includes with Australia

Costa Rica
CS
CR
CRI
188
CRI
.cr

Cote d'Ivoire
IV
CI
CIV
384
CIV
.ci

Croatia
HR
HR
HRV
191
HRV
.hr

Cuba
CU
CU
CUB
192
CUB
.cu

Cyprus
CY
CY
CYP
196
CYP
.cy

Czech Republic
EZ
CZ
CZE
203
CZE
.cz

Denmark
DA
DK
DNK
208
DNK
.dk

Djibouti
DJ
DJ
DJI
262
DJI
.dj

Dominica
DO
DM
DMA
212
DMA
.dm

Dominican Republic
DR
DO
DOM
214
DOM
.do

Ecuador
EC
EC
ECU
218
ECU
.ec

Egypt
EG
EG
EGY
818
EGY
.eg

El Salvador
ES
SV
SLV
222
SLV
.sv

Equatorial Guinea
EK
GQ
GNQ
226
GNQ
.gq

Eritrea
ER
ER
ERI
232
ERI
.er

Estonia
EN
EE
EST
233
EST
.ee

Ethiopia
ET
ET
ETH
231
ETH
.et

Europa Island
EU
-
-
-
-
-
administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
FK
FK
FLK
238
FLK
.fk

Faroe Islands
FO
FO
FRO
234
FRO
.fo

Fiji
FJ
FJ
FJI
242
FJI
.fj

Finland
FI
FI
FIN
246
FIN
.fi

France
FR
FR
FRA
250
FRA
.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
GUF
.gf

French Polynesia
FP
PF
PYF
258
PYF
.pf
ISO includes Clipperton Island

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
FS
TF
ATF
260
ATF
.tf
FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of Antarctica (Terre Adelie)

Gabon
GB
GA
GAB
266
GAB
.ga

Gambia, The
GA
GM
GMB
270
GMB
.gm

Gaza Strip
GZ
PS
PSE
275
PSE
.ps
ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Georgia
GG
GE
GEO
268
GEO
.ge

Germany
GM
DE
DEU
276
DEU
.de

Ghana
GH
GH
GHA
288
GHA
.gh

Gibraltar
GI
GI
GIB
292
GIB
.gi

Glorioso Islands
GO
-
-
-
-
-
administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned

Greece
GR
GR
GRC
300
GRC
.gr

Greenland
GL
GL
GRL
304
GRL
.gl

Grenada
GJ
GD
GRD
308
GRD
.gd

Guadeloupe
GP
GP
GLP
312
GLP
.gp

Guam
GQ
GU
GUM
316
GUM
.gu

Guatemala
GT
GT
GTM
320
GTM
.gt

Guernsey
GK
GG
GGY
831
UK
.gg

Guinea
GV
GN
GIN
324
GIN
.gn

Guinea-Bissau
PU
GW
GNB
624
GNB
.gw

Guyana
GY
GY
GUY
328
GUY
.gy

Haiti
HA
HT
HTI
332
HTI
.ht

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
HM
HM
HMD
334
HMD
.hm

Holy See (Vatican City)
VT
VA
VAT
336
VAT
.va

Honduras
HO
HN
HND
340
HND
.hn

Hong Kong
HK
HK
HKG
344
HKG
.hk

Howland Island
HQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Hungary
HU
HU
HUN
348
HUN
.hu

Iceland
IC
IS
ISL
352
ISL
.is

India
IN
IN
IND
356
IND
.in

Indonesia
ID
ID
IDN
360
IDN
.id

Iran
IR
IR
IRN
364
IRN
.ir

Iraq
IZ
IQ
IRQ
368
IRQ
.iq

Ireland
EI
IE
IRL
372
IRL
.ie

Isle of Man
IM
IM
IMN
833
UK
.im

Israel
IS
IL
ISR
376
ISR
.il

Italy
IT
IT
ITA
380
ITA
.it

Jamaica
JM
JM
JAM
388
JAM
.jm

Jan Mayen
JN
-
-
-
SJM
-
ISO includes with Svalbard

Japan
JA
JP
JPN
392
JPN
.jp

Jarvis Island
DQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jersey
JE
JE
JEY
832
UK
.je

Johnston Atoll
JQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jordan
JO
JO
JOR
400
JOR
.jo

Juan de Nova Island
JU
-
-
-
-
-
administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned

Kazakhstan
KZ
KZ
KAZ
398
KAZ
.kz

Kenya
KE
KE
KEN
404
KEN
.ke

Kingman Reef
KQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Kiribati
KR
KI
KIR
296
KIR
.ki

Korea, North
KN
KP
PRK
408
PRK
.kp

Korea, South
KS
KR
KOR
410
KOR
.kr

Kosovo
KV
-
-
-
-
-
ISO codes have not been designated

Kuwait
KU
KW
KWT
414
KWT
.kw

Kyrgyzstan
KG
KG
KGZ
417
KGZ
.kg

Laos
LA
LA
LAO
418
LAO
.la

Latvia
LG
LV
LVA
428
LVA
.lv

Lebanon
LE
LB
LBN
422
LBN
.lb

Lesotho
LT
LS
LSO
426
LSO
.ls

Liberia
LI
LR
LBR
430
LBR
.lr

Libya
LY
LY
LBY
434
LBY
.ly

Liechtenstein
LS
LI
LIE
438
LIE
.li

Lithuania
LH
LT
LTU
440
LTU
.lt

Luxembourg
LU
LU
LUX
442
LUX
.lu

Macau
MC
MO
MAC
446
MAC
.mo

Macedonia
MK
MK
MKD
807
FYR
.mk

Madagascar
MA
MG
MDG
450
MDG
.mg

Malawi
MI
MW
MWI
454
MWI
.mw

Malaysia
MY
MY
MYS
458
MYS
.my

Maldives
MV
MV
MDV
462
MDV
.mv

Mali
ML
ML
MLI
466
MLI
.ml

Malta
MT
MT
MLT
470
MLT
.mt

Marshall Islands
RM
MH
MHL
584
MHL
.mh

Martinique
MB
MQ
MTQ
474
MTQ
.mq

Mauritania
MR
MR
MRT
478
MRT
.mr

Mauritius
MP
MU
MUS
480
MUS
.mu

Mayotte
MF
YT
MYT
175
FRA
.yt

Mexico
MX
MX
MEX
484
MEX
.mx

Micronesia, Federated States of
FM
FM
FSM
583
FSM
.fm

Midway Islands
MQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Moldova
MD
MD
MDA
498
MDA
.md

Monaco
MN
MC
MCO
492
MCO
.mc

Mongolia
MG
MN
MNG
496
MNG
.mn

Montenegro
MJ
ME
MNE
499
-
.me

Montserrat
MH
MS
MSR
500
MSR
.ms

Morocco
MO
MA
MAR
504
MAR
.ma

Mozambique
MZ
MZ
MOZ
508
MOZ
.mz

Myanmar
-
-
-
-
-
-
see Burma

Namibia
WA
NA
NAM
516
NAM
.na

Nauru
NR
NR
NRU
520
NRU
.nr

Navassa Island
BQ
-
-
-
US
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Nepal
NP
NP
NPL
524
NPL
.np

Netherlands
NL
NL
NLD
528
NLD
.nl

Netherlands Antilles
NT
AN
ANT
530
ANT
.an

New Caledonia
NC
NC
NCL
540
NCL
.nc

New Zealand
NZ
NZ
NZL
554
NZL
.nz

Nicaragua
NU
NI
NIC
558
NIC
.ni

Niger
NG
NE
NER
562
NER
.ne

Nigeria
NI
NG
NGA
566
NGA
.ng

Niue
NE
NU
NIU
570
NIU
.nu

Norfolk Island
NF
NF
NFK
574
NFK
.nf

Northern Mariana Islands
CQ
MP
MNP
580
MNP
.mp

Norway
NO
NO
NOR
578
NOR
.no

Oman
MU
OM
OMN
512
OMN
.om

Pakistan
PK
PK
PAK
586
PAK
.pk

Palau
PS
PW
PLW
585
PLW
.pw

Palmyra Atoll
LQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Panama
PM
PA
PAN
591
PAN
.pa

Papua New Guinea
PP
PG
PNG
598
PNG
.pg

Paracel Islands
PF
-
-
-
-
-

Paraguay
PA
PY
PRY
600
PRY
.py

Peru
PE
PE
PER
604
PER
.pe

Philippines
RP
PH
PHL
608
PHL
.ph

Pitcairn Islands
PC
PN
PCN
612
PCN
.pn

Poland
PL
PL
POL
616
POL
.pl

Portugal
PO
PT
PRT
620
PRT
.pt

Puerto Rico
RQ
PR
PRI
630
PRI
.pr

Qatar
QA
QA
QAT
634
QAT
.qa

Reunion
RE
RE
REU
638
REU
.re

Romania
RO
RO
ROU
642
ROU
.ro

Russia
RS
RU
RUS
643
RUS
.ru

Rwanda
RW
RW
RWA
646
RWA
.rw

Saint Barthelemy
TB
BL
BLM
652
-
.bl
ccTLD .fr and .gp may also be used

Saint Helena
SH
SH
SHN
654
SHN
.sh

Saint Kitts and Nevis
SC
KN
KNA
659
KNA
.kn

Saint Lucia
ST
LC
LCA
662
LCA
.lc

Saint Martin
RN
MF
MAF
663
-
.mf
ccTLD .fr and .gp may also be used

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
SB
PM
SPM
666
SPM
.pm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
VC
VC
VCT
670
VCT
.vc

Samoa
WS
WS
WSM
882
WSM
.ws

San Marino
SM
SM
SMR
674
SMR
.sm

Sao Tome and Principe
TP
ST
STP
678
STP
.st

Saudi Arabia
SA
SA
SAU
682
SAU
.sa

Senegal
SG
SN
SEN
686
SEN
.sn

Serbia
RI
RS
SRB
688
-
.rs

Seychelles
SE
SC
SYC
690
SYC
.sc

Sierra Leone
SL
SL
SLE
694
SLE
.sl

Singapore
SN
SG
SGP
702
SGP
.sg

Slovakia
LO
SK
SVK
703
SVK
.sk

Slovenia
SI
SI
SVN
705
SVN
.si

Solomon Islands
BP
SB
SLB
090
SLB
.sb

Somalia
SO
SO
SOM
706
SOM
.so

South Africa
SF
ZA
ZAF
710
ZAF
.za

South Georgia and the Islands
SX
GS
SGS
239
SGS
.gs

Spain
SP
ES
ESP
724
ESP
.es

Spratly Islands
PG
-
-
-
-
-

Sri Lanka
CE
LK
LKA
144
LKA
.lk

Sudan
SU
SD
SDN
736
SDN
.sd

Suriname
NS
SR
SUR
740
SUR
.sr

Svalbard
SV
SJ
SJM
744
SJM
.sj
ISO includes Jan Mayen

Swaziland
WZ
SZ
SWZ
748
SWZ
.sz

Sweden
SW
SE
SWE
752
SWE
.se

Switzerland
SZ
CH
CHE
756
CHE
.ch

Syria
SY
SY
SYR
760
SYR
.sy

Taiwan
TW
TW
TWN
158
TWN
.tw

Tajikistan
TI
TJ
TJK
762
TJK
.tj

Tanzania
TZ
TZ
TZA
834
TZA
.tz

Thailand
TH
TH
THA
764
THA
.th

Timor-Leste
TT
TL
TLS
626
TLS
.tl

Togo
TO
TG
TGO
768
TGO
.tg

Tokelau
TL
TK
TKL
772
TKL
.tk

Tonga
TN
TO
TON
776
TON
.to

Trinidad and Tobago
TD
TT
TTO
780
TTO
.tt

Tromelin Island
TE
-
-
-
-
-
administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned

Tunisia
TS
TN
TUN
788
TUN
.tn

Turkey
TU
TR
TUR
792
TUR
.tr

Turkmenistan
TX
TM
TKM
795
TKM
.tm

Turks and Caicos Islands
TK
TC
TCA
796
TCA
.tc

Tuvalu
TV
TV
TUV
798
TUV
.tv

Uganda
UG
UG
UGA
800
UGA
.ug

Ukraine
UP
UA
UKR
804
UKR
.ua

United Arab Emirates
AE
AE
ARE
784
ARE
.ae

United Kingdom
UK
GB
GBR
826
GBR
.uk

United States
US
US
USA
840
USA
.us

United States Minor Outlying Islands
-
UM
UMI
581
-
.um
ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island

Uruguay
UY
UY
URY
858
URY
.uy

Uzbekistan
UZ
UZ
UZB
860
UZB
.uz

Vanuatu
NH
VU
VUT
548
VUT
.vu

Venezuela
VE
VE
VEN
862
VEN
.ve

Vietnam
VM
VN
VNM
704
VNM
.vn

Virgin Islands
VQ
VI
VIR
850
VIR
.vi

Virgin Islands (UK)
-
-
-
-
-
.vg
see British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US)
-
-
-
-
-
.vi
see Virgin Islands

Wake Island
WQ
-
-
-
UMI
-
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Wallis and Futuna
WF
WF
WLF
876
WLF
.wf

West Bank
WE
PS
PSE
275
PSE
.ps
ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Western Sahara
WI
EH
ESH
732
ESH
.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
YEM
.ye

Zaire
-
-
-
-
-
-
see Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia
ZA
ZM
ZMB
894
ZMB
.zm

Zimbabwe
ZI
ZW
ZWE
716
ZWE
.zw

Appendix E

Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

A Abbreviations
B International Organizations and Groups
C Selected InternationalEnvironmental Agreements
D Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
F Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

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; note - this document has not yet been ratified and only the 3rd Edition (1953) remains in force

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

Format:
IHO 23-4th
IHO 23-3rd*
ACIC M 49-1
DIAM 65-18
*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

Arctic Ocean
9
17
A
5A

Atlantic Ocean
-
-
-
-

Baltic Sea
2
1
B26
7B

Eastern Mediterranean
3.1.2
28 B
-
8E

Indian Ocean
5
45
F
6A

Mediterranean Sea
3.1
28
B11
-

North Atlantic Ocean
1
23
B
1A

North Pacific Ocean
7
57
D
3A

Pacific Ocean
-
-
-
-

South Atlantic Ocean
4
32
C
2A

South China and Eastern Archipelagic Seas
6
49, 48
D18 plus others
3U plus others

South Pacific Ocean
8
61
E
4A

Western Mediterranean
3.1.1
28 A
-
8W

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

Appendix F

Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

A Abbreviations
B International Organizations and Groups
C Selected InternationalEnvironmental Agreements
D Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
E Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

- A

- B

- C

- D

- E

- F

- G

- H

- I

- J

- K

- L

- M

- N

- O

- P

- Q

- R

- S

- T

- U

- V

- W

- X

- Y

- Z

Format:
Name
Entry in The World Factbook
Latitude(deg min)
Longitude
(deg min)

Abidjan (capital)
Cote d'Ivoire
5 19 N
4 02 W

Abkhazia (region)
Georgia
43 00 N
41 00 E

Abu Dhabi (capital)
United Arab Emirates
24 28 N
54 22 E

Abu Musa (island)
Iran
25 52 N
55 03 E

Abuja (capital)
Nigeria
9 12 N
7 11 E

Abyssinia (former name for Ethiopia)
Ethiopia
8 00 N
38 00 E

Acapulco (city)
Mexico
16 51 N
99 55 W

Accra (capital)
Ghana
5 33 N
0 13 W

Adamstown (capital)
Pitcairn Islands
25 04 S
130 05 W

Addis Ababa (capital)
Ethiopia
9 02 N
38 42 E

Adelie Land (claimed by France; also Terre Adelie)
Antarctica
66 30 S
139 00 E

Aden (city)
Yemen
12 46 N
45 01 E

Aden, Gulf of
Indian Ocean
12 30 N
48 00 E

Admiralty Island
United States (Alaska)
57 44 N
134 20 W

Admiralty Islands
Papua New Guinea
2 10 S
147 00 E

Adriatic Sea
Atlantic Ocean
42 30 N
16 00 E

Adygey (region)
Russia
44 30 N
40 10 E

Aegean Islands
Greece
38 00 N
25 00 E

Aegean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
38 30 N
25 00 E

Afars and Issas, French Territory of the (or FTAI; former name for Djibouti)
Djibouti
11 30 N
43 00 E

Afghanestan (local name for Afghanistan)
Afghanistan
33 00 N
65 00 E

Agalega Islands
Mauritius
10 25 S
56 40 E

Agana (city; former name for Hagatna)
Guam
13 28 N
144 45 E

Ajaccio (city)
France (Corsica)
41 55 N
8 44 E

Ajaria (region)
Georgia
41 45 N
42 10 E

Akmola (city; former name for Astana)
Kazakhstan
51 10 N
71 30 E

Aksai Chin (region)
China (de facto), India (claimed)
35 00 N
79 00 E

Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah (local name for Saudi Arabia)
Saudi Arabia
25 00 N
45 00 E

Al Bahrayn (local name for Bahrain)
Bahrain
26 00 N
50 33 E

Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah (local name for the United Arab Emirates)
United Arab Emirates
24 00 N
54 00 E

Al Iraq (local name for Iraq)
Iraq
33 00 N
44 00 E

Al Jaza'ir (local name for Algeria)
Algeria
28 00 N
3 00 E

Al Kuwayt (local name for Kuwait)
Kuwait
29 30 N
45 45 E

Al Maghrib (local name for Morocco)
Morocco
32 00 N
5 00 W

Al Urdun (local name for Jordan)
Jordan
31 00 N
36 00 E

Al Yaman (local name for Yemen)
Yemen
15 00 N
48 00 E

Aland Islands
Finland
60 15 N
20 00 E

Alaska (state)
United States
65 00 N
153 00 W

Alaska, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
58 00 N
145 00 W

Alboran Sea
Atlantic Ocean
36 00 N
2 30 W

Aldabra Islands (Groupe d'Aldabra)
Seychelles
9 25 S
46 22 E

Alderney (island)
Guernsey
49 43 N
2 12 W

Aleutian Islands
United States (Alaska)
52 00 N
176 00 W

Alexander Archipelago (island group)
United States (Alaska)
57 00 N
134 00 W

Alexander Island
Antarctica
71 00 S
70 00 W

Alexandretta (region; former name for Iskenderun)
Turkey
36 34 N
36 08 E

Alexandria (city)
Egypt
31 12 N
29 54 E

Algiers (capital)
Algeria
36 47 N
2 03 E

Alhucemas, Penon de (island group)
Spain
35 13 N
3 53 W

Alma-Ata (city; former name for Almaty)
Kazakhstan
43 15 N
76 57 E

Almaty (former capital)
Kazakhstan
43 15 N
76 57 E

Alofi (capital)
Niue
19 01 S
169 55 W

Alphonse Island
Seychelles
7 01 S
52 45 E

Alsace (region)
France
48 30 N
7 20 E

Amami Strait
Pacific Ocean
28 40 N
129 30 E

Amindivi Islands (former name for Laccadive Islands)
India
11 30 N
72 30 E

Amirante Isles (island group; also Les Amirantes)
Seychelles
6 00 S
53 10 E

Amman (capital)
Jordan
31 57 N
35 56 E

Amsterdam (capital)
Netherlands
52 23 N
4 54 E

Amsterdam Island (Ile Amsterdam)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
37 52 S
77 32 E

Amundsen Sea
Southern Ocean
72 30 S
112 00 W

Amur River
China, Russia
52 56 N
141 10 E

Amurskiy Liman (strait)
Pacific Ocean
53 00 N
141 30 E

Anadyrskiy Zaliv (gulf)
Pacific Ocean
64 00 N
177 00 E

Anatolia (region)
Turkey
39 00 N
35 00 E

Andaman Islands
India
12 00 N
92 45 E

Andaman Sea
Indian Ocean
10 00 N
95 00 E

Andorra la Vella (capital)
Andorra
42 30 N
1 30 E

Andros (island)
Greece
37 45 N
24 42 E

Andros Island
The Bahamas
24 26 N
77 57 W

Anegada Passage
Atlantic Ocean
18 30 N
63 40 W

Angkor Wat (ruins)
Cambodia
13 26 N
103 50 E

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (former name for Sudan)
Sudan
15 00 N
30 00 E

Anjouan (island)
Comoros
12 15 S
44 25 E

Ankara (capital)
Turkey
39 56 N
32 52 E

Annobon (island)
Equatorial Guinea
1 25 S
5 36 E

Antananarivo (capital)
Madagascar
18 52 S
47 30 E

Antigua (island)
Antigua and Barbuda
14 34 N
90 44 W

Antipodes Islands
New Zealand
49 41 S
178 43 E

Antwerp (city)
Belgium
51 13 N
4 25 E

Aomen (local Chinese short-form name for Macau)
Macau
22 10 N
113 33 E

Aozou Strip (region)
Chad
22 00 N
18 00 E

Apia (capital)
Samoa
13 50 S
171 44 W

Aqaba, Gulf of
Indian Ocean
29 00 N
34 30 E

Arab, Shatt al (river)
Iran, Iraq
29 57 N
48 34 E

Arabian Sea
Indian Ocean
15 00 N
65 00 E

Arafura Sea
Pacific Ocean
9 00 S
133 00 E

Aral Sea
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
45 00 N
60 00 E

Argun River
China, Russia
53 20 N
121 28 E

Aru Sea
Pacific Ocean
6 15 S
135 00 E

As-Sudan (local name for Sudan)
Sudan
15 00 N
30 00 E

Ascension Island
Saint Helena
7 57 S
14 22 W

Ashgabat, Ashkhabad (capital)
Turkmenistan
37 57 N
58 23 E

Asmara, Asmera (capital)
Eritrea
15 20 N
38 53 E

Assumption Island
Seychelles
9 46 S
46 34 E

Astana (capital; formerly Akmola)
Kazakhstan
51 10 N
71 30 E

Asuncion (capital)
Paraguay
25 16 S
57 40 W

Asuncion Island
Northern Mariana Islands
19 40 N
145 24 E

Atacama (desert)
Chile
23 00 S
70 10 W

Atacama (region)
Chile
24 30 S
69 15 W

Athens (capital)
Greece
37 59 N
23 44 E

Attu Island
United States
52 55 N
172 57 E

Auckland (city)
New Zealand
36 52 S
174 46 E

Auckland Islands
New Zealand
51 00 S
166 30 E

Australes, Iles (island group; also Iles Tubuai)
French Polynesia
23 20 S
151 00 W

Avarua (capital)
Cook Islands
21 12 S
159 46 W

Axel Heiberg Island
Canada
79 30 N
90 00 W

Azad Kashmir (region)
Pakistan
34 30 N
74 00 E

Azarbaycan, Azerbaidzhan (local name for Azerbaijan)
Azerbaijan
40 30 N
47 30 E

Azores (islands)
Portugal
38 30 N
28 00 W

Azov, Sea of
Atlantic Ocean
49 00 N
36 00 E

Bab el Mandeb (strait)
Indian Ocean
12 40 N
43 20 E

Babuyan Channel
Pacific Ocean
18 44 N
121 40 E

Babuyan Islands
Philippines
19 10 N
121 40 E

Baffin Bay
Arctic Ocean
73 00 N
66 00 W

Baffin Island
Canada
68 00 N
70 00 W

Baghdad (capital)
Iraq
33 21 N
44 25 E

Baku (capital; also Baki, Baky)
Azerbaijan
40 23 N
49 51 E

Balabac Strait
Pacific Ocean
7 35 N
117 00 E

Balearic Islands
Spain
39 30 N
3 00 E

Balearic Sea (Iberian Sea)
Atlantic Ocean
40 30 N
2 00 E

Bali (island)
Indonesia
8 20 S
115 00 E

Bali Sea
Indian Ocean
7 45 S
115 30 E

Balintang Channel
Pacific Ocean
19 49 N
121 40 E

Balintang Islands
Philippines
19 55 N
122 10 E

Balkan Peninsula
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey (European part)
42 00 N
23 00 E

Balleny Islands
Antarctica
67 00 S
163 00 E

Balochistan (region)
Pakistan
28 00 N
63 00 E

Baltic Sea
Atlantic Ocean
57 00 N
19 00 E

Bamako (capital)
Mali
12 39 N
8 00 W

Banaba (Ocean Island)
Kiribati
0 52 S
169 35 E

Banat (region)
Hungary, Romania, Serbia
45 30 N
21 00 E

Banda Sea
Pacific Ocean
5 00 S
128 00 E

Bandar Seri Begawan (capital)
Brunei
4 53 N
114 56 E

Bangka (island)
Indonesia
2 30 S
106 00 E

Bangkok (capital)
Thailand
13 45 N
100 31 E

Bangui (capital)
Central African Republic
4 22 N
18 35 E

Banjul (capital)
The Gambia
13 28 N
16 39 W

Banks Island
Australia
10 12 S
142 16 E

Banks Island
Canada
75 15 N
121 30 W

Banks Islands (Iles Banks)
Vanuatu
14 00 S
167 30 E

Barbuda (island)
Antigua and Barbuda
17 38 N
61 48 W

Barcelona (city)
Spain
41 25 N
2 13 E

Barents Sea
Arctic Ocean
74 00 N
36 00 E

Barranquilla (city)
Colombia
10 59 N
74 48 W

Bashi Channel
Pacific Ocean
22 00 N
121 00 E

Basilan Strait
Pacific Ocean
6 49 N
122 05 E

Basque Provinces
Spain
43 00 N
2 30 W

Bass Strait
Pacific Ocean
39 20 S
145 30 E

Basse-Terre (capital)
France (Guadeloupe)
16 00 N
61 44 W

Basseterre (capital)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
17 18 N
62 43 W

Bastia (city)
France (Corsica)
42 42 N
9 27 E

Basutoland (former name for Lesotho)
Lesotho
29 30 S
28 30 E

Batan Islands
Philippines
20 30 N
121 50 E

Bavaria (region; also Bayern)
Germany
48 30 N
11 30 E

Beagle Channel
Atlantic Ocean
54 53 S
68 10 W

Bear Island (see Bjornoya)
Svalbard
74 26 N
19 05 E

Beaufort Sea
Arctic Ocean
73 00 N
140 00 W

Bechuanaland (former name for Botswana)
Botswana
22 00 S
24 00 E

Beijing (capital)
China
39 56 N
116 24 E

Beirut (capital)
Lebanon
33 53 N
35 30 E

Bekaa Valley
Lebanon
34 00 N
36 05 E

Belau (Palau Islands)
Palau
7 30 N
134 30 E

Belep Islands (Iles Belep)
New Caledonia
19 45 S
163 40 E

Belfast (city)
United Kingdom
54 36 N
5 55 W

Belgian Congo (former name for Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
0 00 N
25 00 E

Belgie, Belgique (local name for Belgium)
Belgium
50 50 N
4 00 E

Belgrade (capital)
Serbia
44 50 N
20 30 E

Belize City
Belize
17 30 N
88 12 W

Belle Isle, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
51 35 N
56 30 W

Bellingshausen Sea
Southern Ocean
71 00 S
85 00 W

Belmopan (capital)
Belize
17 15 N
88 46 W

Belorussia (former name for Belarus)
Belarus
53 00 N
28 00 E

Benadir (region; former name of Italian Somaliland)
Somalia
4 00 N
46 00 E

Bengal, Bay of
Indian Ocean
15 00 N
90 00 E

Berau, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
2 30 S
132 30 E

Bering Island
Russia
55 00 N
166 30 E

Bering Sea
Pacific Ocean
60 00 N
175 00 W

Bering Strait
Pacific Ocean
65 30 N
169 00 W

Berkner Island
Antarctica
79 30 S
49 30 W

Berlin (capital)
Germany
52 31 N
13 24 E

Berlin, East (former name for eastern sector of Berlin)
Germany
52 30 N
13 33 E

Berlin, West (former name for western sector of Berlin)
Germany
52 30 N
13 20 E

Bern (capital)
Switzerland
46 57 N
7 26 E

Bessarabia (region)
Moldova, Romania, Ukraine
47 00 N
28 30 E

Bharat (local name for India)
India
20 00 N
77 00 E

Bhopal (city)
India
23 16 N
77 24 E

Biafra (region)
Nigeria
5 30 N
7 30 E

Big Diomede Island
Russia
65 46 N
169 06 W

Bijagos, Arquipelago dos (island group)
Guinea-Bissau
11 25 N
16 20 W

Bikini Atoll
Marshall Islands
11 35 N
165 23 E

Bilbao (city)
Spain
43 15 N
2 58 W

Bioko (island)
Equatorial Guinea
3 30 N
8 42 E

Biscay, Bay of
Atlantic Ocean
44 00 N
4 00 W

Bishkek (capital)
Kyrgyzstan
42 54 N
74 36 E

Bishop Rock
United Kingdom
49 52 N
6 27 W

Bismarck Archipelago (island group)
Papua New Guinea
5 00 S
150 00 E

Bismarck Sea
Pacific Ocean
4 00 S
148 00 E

Bissau (capital)
Guinea-Bissau
11 51 N
15 35 W

Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Svalbard
74 26 N
19 05 E

Black Forest (region)
Germany
48 00 N
8 15 E

Black Rock (island)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
53 39 S
41 48 W

Black Sea
Atlantic Ocean
43 00 N
35 00 E

Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
South Africa
29 12 S
26 07 E

Bo Hai (gulf)
Pacific Ocean
38 00 N
120 00 E

Boa Vista (island)
Cape Verde
16 05 N
22 50 W

Bogota (capital)
Colombia
4 36 N
74 05 W

Bohemia (region)
Czech Republic
50 00 N
14 30 E

Bombay (city; see Mumbai)
India
18 58 N
72 50 E

Bonaire (island)
Netherlands Antilles
12 10 N
68 15 W

Bonifacio, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
41 01 N
14 00 E

Bonin Islands
Japan
27 00 N
142 10 E

Bonn (former capital)
Germany
50 44 N
7 05 E

Bophuthatswana (region; enclave)
South Africa
26 30 S
25 30 E

Bora-Bora (island)
French Polynesia
16 30 S
151 45 W

Bordeaux (city)
France
44 50 N
0 34 W

Borneo (island)
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia
0 30 N
114 00 E

Bornholm (island)
Denmark
55 10 N
15 00 E

Bosna i Hercegovina (local name for Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
44 00 N
18 00 E

Bosnia (political region)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
44 00 N
18 00 E

Bosporus (strait)
Atlantic Ocean
41 00 N
29 00 E

Bothnia, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
63 00 N
20 00 E

Bougainville (island)
Papua New Guinea
6 00 S
155 00 E

Bougainville Strait
Pacific Ocean
6 40 S
156 10 E

Bounty Islands
New Zealand
47 43 S
174 00 E

Bourbon Island (former name of Reunion)
Reunion
21 06 S
55 36 E

Brasilia (capital)
Brazil
15 47 S
47 55 W

Bratislava (capital)
Slovakia
48 09 N
17 07 E

Brazzaville (capital)
Republic of the Congo
4 16 S
15 17 E

Bridgetown (capital)
Barbados
13 06 N
59 37 W

Brisbane (city)
Australia
27 28 S
153 02 E

Bristol Bay
Pacific Ocean
57 00 N
160 00 W

Bristol Channel
Atlantic Ocean
51 18 N
3 30 W

Britain (see Great Britain)
United Kingdom
54 00 N
2 00 W

British Bechuanaland (region; former name for northwest South Africa)
South Africa
27 30 S
23 30 E

British Central African Protectorate (former name of Nyasaland)
Malawi
13 30 S
34 00 E

British East Africa (former name for British possessions in eastern Africa)
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
1 00 N
38 00 E

British Guiana (former name for Guyana)
Guyana
5 00 N
59 00 W

British Honduras (former name for Belize)
Belize
17 15 N
88 45 W

British Solomon Islands (former name for Solomon Islands)
Solomon Islands
8 00 S
159 00 E

British Somaliland (former name for northern Somalia)
Somalia
10 00 N
49 00 E

Brussels (capital)
Belgium
50 50 N
4 20 E

Bubiyan (island)
Kuwait
29 47 N
48 10 E

Bucharest (capital)
Romania
44 26 N
26 06 E

Budapest (capital)
Hungary
47 30 N
19 05 E

Buenos Aires (capital)
Argentina
34 36 S
58 27 W

Bujumbura (capital)
Burundi
3 23 S
29 22 E

Bukovina (region)
Romania, Ukraine
48 00 N
26 00 E

Byelarus (local name for Belarus)
Belarus
53 00 N
28 00 E

Byelorussia (former name for Belarus)
Belarus
53 00 N
28 00 E

Cabinda (province)
Angola
5 33 S
12 12 E

Cabo Verde (local name for Cape Verde)
Cape Verde
16 00 N
24 00 W

Cabot Strait
Atlantic Ocean
47 20 N
59 30 W

Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
21 56 N
71 58 W

Cairo (capital)
Egypt
30 03 N
31 15 E

Calcutta (city)
India
22 32 N
88 21 E

Calgary (city)
Canada
51 02 N
114 04 W

California, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
28 00 N
112 00 W

Cameroun (local name for Cameroon)
Cameroon
6 00 N
12 00 E

Campbell Island
New Zealand
52 33 S
169 09 E

Campeche, Bay of
Atlantic Ocean
20 00 N
94 00 W

Canal Zone (former name for US possessions in Panama)
Panama
9 00 N
79 45 W

Canarias Sea
Atlantic Ocean
28 00 N
16 00 W

Canary Islands
Spain
28 00 N
15 30 W

Canberra (capital)
Australia
35 17 S
149 08 E

Cancun (city)
Mexico
21 10 N
86 50 W

Canton (city; now Guangzhou)
China
23 06 N
113 16 E

Canton Island (Kanton Island)
Kiribati
2 49 S
171 40 W

Cape Juby (region; former name for Southern Morocco)
Morocco
27 53 N
12 58 W

Cape Province (region; former name for Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa)
South Africa
31 30 S
22 30 E

Cape Town (legislative capital)
South Africa
33 57 S
18 25 E

Cape of Good Hope (cape; also alternate name for Cape Province of South Africa)
South Africa
34 15 S
18 20 E

Caracas (capital)
Venezuela
10 30 N
66 56 W

Cargados Carajos Shoals
Mauritius
16 25 S
59 38 E

Caribbean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
15 00 N
73 00 W

Caroline Islands
Federated States of Micronesia, Palau
7 30 N
148 00 E

Carpatho-Ukraine (region; former name for Zakarpats'ka oblast')
Ukraine
48 22 N
23 32 E

Carpentaria, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
14 00 S
139 00 E

Casablanca (city)
Morocco
33 35 N
7 34 W

Castries (capital)
Saint Lucia
14 01 N
61 00 W

Catalonia (region)
Spain
42 00 N
2 00 E

Cato Island
Australia
23 15 S
155 32 E

Caucasus (region)
Russia
42 00 N
45 00 E

Cayenne (capital)
French Guiana
4 56 N
52 20 W

Celebes (island)
Indonesia
2 00 S
121 00 E

Celebes Sea
Pacific Ocean
3 00 N
122 00 E

Celtic Sea
Atlantic Ocean
51 00 N
6 30 W

Central African Empire (former name for Central African Republic)
Central African Republic
7 00 N
21 00 E

Ceram (Seram) Sea
Pacific Ocean
2 30 S
129 30 E

Ceska Republika (local name for Czech Republic)
Czech Republic
49 45 N
15 30 E

Ceskoslovensko (former local name for Czechoslovakia)
Czech Republic, Slovakia
49 00 N
17 30 E

Cetinje (capital city)
Montenegro
42 24 N
18 55 E

Ceuta (city)
Spain
35 53 N
5 19 W

Ceylon (former name for Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka
7 00 N
81 00 E

Chafarinas, Islas (island)
Spain
35 12 N
2 26 W

Chagos Archipelago (Oil Islands)
British Indian Ocean Territory
6 00 S
71 30 E

Challenger Deep (Mariana Trench)
Pacific Ocean
11 22 N
142 36 E

Channel Islands
Guernsey, Jersey
49 20 N
2 20 W

Charlotte Amalie (capital)
Virgin Islands
18 21 N
64 56 W

Chatham Islands
New Zealand
44 00 S
176 30 W

Chechnya (region; also Chechnia)
Russia
43 15 N
45 40 E

Cheju Strait
Pacific Ocean
34 00 N
126 30 E

Cheju-do (island)
Korea, South
33 20 N
126 30 E

Chengdu (city)
China
30 43 N
104 04 E

Chennai (city; also Madras)
India
13 04 N
80 16 E

Chesterfield Islands (Iles Chesterfield)
New Caledonia
19 52 S
158 15 E

Chihli, Gulf of (see Bo Hai)
Pacific Ocean
38 30 N
120 00 E

Chiloe (island)
Chile
42 50 S
74 00 W

China, People's Republic of
China
35 00 N
105 00 E

China, Republic of
Taiwan
23 30 N
121 00 E

Chisinau (capital; also Kishinev)
Moldova
47 00 N
28 50 E

Choiseul (island)
Solomon Islands
7 05 S
121 00 E

Choson (local name for North Korea)
North Korea
40 00 N
127 00 E

Christmas Island (Indian Ocean)
Australia
10 25 S
105 39 E

Christmas Island (Pacific Ocean; also Kiritimati)
Kiribati
1 52 N
157 20 W

Chukchi Sea
Arctic Ocean
69 00 N
171 00 W

Chuuk Islands (Truk Islands)
Federated States of Micronesia
7 25 N
151 47 W

Cilicia (region)
Turkey
36 50 N
34 30 E

Ciskei (enclave)
South Africa
33 00 S
27 00 E

Citta del Vaticano (local name for Vatican City)
Holy See
41 54 N
12 27 E

Cochin China (region)
Vietnam
11 00 N
107 00 E

Coco, Isla del (island)
Costa Rica
5 32 N
87 04 W

Cocos Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
12 30 S
96 50 E

Colombo (capital)
Sri Lanka
6 56 N
79 51 E

Colon, Archipielago de (Galapagos Islands)
Ecuador
0 00 N
90 30 W

Commander Islands (Komandorskiye Ostrova)
Russia
55 00 N
167 00 E

Comores (local name for Comoros)
Comoros
12 10 S
44 15 E

Con Son (islands)
Vietnam
8 43 N
106 36 E

Conakry (capital)
Guinea
9 31 N
13 43 W

Confederatio Helvetica (local name for Switzerland)
Switzerland
47 00 N
8 00 E

Congo (Brazzaville) (former name for Republic of the Congo)
Republic of the Congo
1 00 S
15 00 E

Congo (Leopoldville) (former name for the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
0 00 N
25 00 E

Constantinople (city; former name for Istanbul)
Turkey
41 01 N
28 58 E

Cook Strait
Pacific Ocean
41 15 S
174 30 E

Copenhagen (capital)
Denmark
55 40 N
12 35 E

Coral Sea
Pacific Ocean
15 00 S
150 00 E

Corfu (island)
Greece
39 40 N
19 45 E

Corinth (region)
Greece
37 56 N
22 56 E

Corisco (island)
Equatorial Guinea
0 55 N
9 19 E

Corn Islands (Islas del Maiz)
Nicaragua
12 15 N
83 00 W

Corocoro Island
Guyana, Venezuela
3 38 N
66 50 W

Corsica (island; also Corse)
France
42 00 N
9 00 E

Cosmoledo Group (island group; also Atoll de Cosmoledo)
Seychelles
9 43 S
47 35 E

Cotonou (former capital)
Benin
6 21 N
2 26 E

Cotopaxi (volcano)
Ecuador
0 39 S
78 26 W

Courantyne River
Guyana, Suriname
5 57 N
57 06 W

Cozumel (island)
Mexico
20 30 N
86 55 W

Crete (island)
Greece
35 15 N
24 45 E

Crimea (region)
Ukraine
45 00 N
34 00 E

Crimean Peninsula
Ukraine
45 00 N
34 00 E

Crooked Island Passage
Atlantic Ocean
22 55 N
74 35 W

Crozet Islands (Iles Crozet)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
46 30 S
51 00 E

Cyclades (island group)
Greece
37 00 N
25 10 E

Cyrenaica (region)
Libya
31 00 N
22 00 E

Czechoslovakia (former name for the entity that subsequently split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Czech Republic, Slovakia
49 00 N
18 00 E

D'Entrecasteaux Islands
Papua New Guinea
9 30 S
150 40 E

Dagestan (region)
Russia
43 00 N
47 00 E

Dahomey (former name for Benin)
Benin
9 30 N
2 15 E

Daito Islands
Japan
43 00 N
17 00 E

Dakar (capital)
Senegal
14 40 N
17 26 W

Dalmatia (region)
Croatia
43 00 N
17 00 E

Daman (city; also Damao)
India
20 10 N
73 00 E

Damascus (capital)
Syria
33 30 N
36 18 E

Danger Islands (see Pukapuka Atoll)
Cook Islands
10 53 S
165 49 W

Danish Straits
Atlantic Ocean
58 00 N
11 00 E

Danish West Indies (former name for the Virgin Islands)
Virgin Islands
18 20 N
64 50 W

Danmark (local name)
Denmark
56 00 N
10 00 E

Danzig (city; former name for Gdansk)
Poland
54 23 N
18 40 E

Dao Bach Long Vi (island)
Vietnam
20 08 N
107 44 E

Dar es Salaam (capital)
Tanzania
6 48 S
39 17 E

Dardanelles (strait)
Atlantic Ocean
40 15 N
26 25 E

Davis Strait
Atlantic Ocean
67 00 N
57 00 W

Dead Sea
Israel, Jordan, West Bank
32 30 N
35 30 E

Deception Island
Antarctica
62 56 S
60 34 W

Denmark Strait
Atlantic Ocean
67 00 N
24 00 W

Desolation Islands (Isles Kerguelen)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
49 30 S
69 30 E

Deutschland (local name for Germany)
Germany
51 00 N
9 00 E

Devils Island (Ile du Diable)
French Guiana
5 17 N
52 35 W

Devon Island
Canada
76 00 N
87 00 W

Dhaka (capital)
Bangladesh
23 43 N
90 25 E

Dhivehi Raajje (local name for Maldives)
Maldives
3 15 N
73 00 E

Dhofar (region)
Oman
17 00 N
54 10 E

Diego Garcia (island)
British Indian Ocean Territory
7 20 S
72 25 E

Diego Ramirez (islands)
Chile
56 30 S
68 43 W

Dili (capital)
Timor-Leste
8 35 S
125 36 E

Dilmun (former name for Bahrain)
Bahrain
7 00 N
81 00 E

Diomede Islands
Russia (Big Diomede), United States (Little Diomede)
65 47 N
169 00 W

Diu (region)
India
20 42 N
70 59 E

Djibouti (capital)
Djibouti
11 30 N
43 15 E

Dnieper (river)
Belarus, Russia, Ukraine (Dnyapro, Dnepr, Dnipro)
46 30 N
32 18 E

Dniester (river)
Moldova, Ukraine (Nistru, Dnister)
46 18 N
30 17 E

Dobruja (region)
Bulgaria, Romania
43 30 N
28 00 E

Dodecanese (island group)
Greece
36 00 N
27 05 E

Dodoma (city)
Tanzania
6 11 S
35 45 E

Doha (capital)
Qatar
25 17 N
51 32 E

Donets Basin
Russia, Ukraine
48 15 N
38 30 E

Douala (city)
Cameroon
4 03 N
9 42 E

Douglas (capital)
Man, Isle of
54 09 N
4 28 W

Dover, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
51 00 N
1 30 E

Drake Passage
Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean
60 00 S
60 00 W

Druk Yul (local name for Bhutan)
Bhutan
27 30 N
90 30 E

Dubai, Dubayy (city)
United Arab Emirates
25 18 N
55 18 E

Dublin (capital)
Ireland
53 20 N
6 15 W

Duesseldorf (city)
Germany
51 13 N
6 47 E

Durban (city)
South Africa
29 51 S
31 02 E

Dushanbe (capital)
Tajikistan
38 35 N
68 48 E

Dutch Antilles (former name for the Netherlands Antilles)
Netherlands Antilles
12 10 N
68 30 W

Dutch East Indies (former name for Indonesia)
Indonesia
5 00 S
120 00 E

Dutch Guiana (former name for Suriname)
Suriname
4 00 N
56 00 W

Dutch West Indies (former name for the Netherlands Antilles)
Netherlands Antilles
12 10 N
68 30 W

Dzungarian Gate (valley)
China, Kazakhstan
45 25 N
82 25 E

East China Sea
Pacific Ocean
30 00 N
126 00 E

East Frisian Islands
Germany
53 44 N
7 25 E

East Germany (German Democratic Republic; former name for eastern portion of Germany)
Germany
52 00 N
13 00 E

East Korea Strait (Eastern Channel or Tsushima Strait)
Pacific Ocean
34 00 N
129 00 E

East Pakistan (former name for Bangladesh)
Bangladesh
24 00 N
90 00 E

East Siberian Sea
Arctic Ocean
74 00 N
166 00 E

Easter Island (Isla de Pascua)
Chile
27 07 S
109 22 W

Eastern Channel (East Korea Strait or Tsushima Strait)
Pacific Ocean
34 00 N
129 00 E

Eastern Samoa (former name for American Samoa)
American Samoa
14 20 S
170 00 W

Edinburgh (city)
United Kingdom
55 57 N
3 11 W

Eesti (local name for Estonia)
Estonia
59 00 N
26 00 E

Eire (local name for Ireland)
Ireland
53 00 N
8 00 W

Elba (island)
Italy
42 46 N
10 17 E

Elemi Triangle (region)
Ethiopia (claimed), Kenya (de facto), Sudan (claimed)
5 00 N
35 30 E

Ellada, Ellas (local name for Greece)
Greece
39 00 N
22 00 E

Ellef Ringnes Island
Canada
78 00 N
103 00 W

Ellesmere Island
Canada
81 00 N
80 00 W

Ellice Islands
Tuvalu
8 00 S
178 00 E

Ellsworth Land (region)
Antarctica
75 00 S
92 00 W

Elobey, Islas de (island group)
Equatorial Guinea
0 59 N
9 33 E

Enderbury Island
Kiribati
3 08 S
171 05 W

Enewetak Atoll (Eniwetok Atoll)
Marshall Islands
11 30 N
162 15 E

England (region)
United Kingdom
52 30 N
1 30 W

English Channel
Atlantic Ocean
50 20 N
1 00 W

Eniwetok Atoll (see Enewetak Atoll)
Marshall Islands
11 30 N
162 15 E

Eolie, Isole (island group)
Italy
38 30 N
15 00 E

Epirus, Northern (region)
Albania, Greece
40 00 N
20 30 E

Episkopi Cantonment (capital)
Akrotiri, Dhekelia
34 40 N
32 51 E

Ertra (local name for Eritrea)
Eritrea
15 00 N
39 00 E

Espana
Spain
40 00 N
4 00 W

Essequibo (region; claimed by Venezuela)
Guyana
6 59 N
58 23 W

Etorofu (island; also Iturup)
Russia (de facto)
44 55 N
147 40 E

Farquhar Group (island group; also Atoll de Farquhar)
Seychelles
10 10 S
51 10 E

Fergana Valley
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
41 00 N
72 00 E

Fernando Po (island; see Bioko)
Equatorial Guinea
3 30 N
8 42 E

Fernando de Noronha (island group)
Brazil
3 51 S
32 25 W

Filipinas (local name for the Philippines; also Pilipinas)
Philippines
13 00 N
122 00 E

Finland, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
60 00 N
27 00 E

Fiume (city; former name for Rijeka)
Croatia
45 19 N
14 25 E

Florence (city)
Italy
43 46 N
11 16 E

Flores (island)
Indonesia
8 45 S
121 00 E

Flores Sea
Pacific Ocean
7 40 S
119 45 E

Florida, Straits of
Atlantic Ocean
25 00 N
79 45 W

Fongafale (largest island of Funafuti)
Tuvalu
8 30 S
179 12 E

Former Soviet Union (FSU)
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Formosa (island)
Taiwan
23 30 N
121 00 E

Formosa Strait (see Taiwan Strait)
Pacific Ocean
24 00 N
119 00 E

Foroyar (local name for Faroe Islands)
Faroe Islands
62 00 N
7 00 W

Fort-de-France (capital)
Martinique
14 36 N
61 05 W

Frankfurt am Main (city)
Germany
50 07 N
8 41 E

Franz Josef Land (island group)
Russia
81 00 N
55 00 E

Freetown (capital)
Sierra Leone
8 30 N
13 15 W

French Cameroon (former name for Cameroon)
Cameroon
6 00 N
12 00 E

French Guinea (former name for Guinea)
Guinea
11 00 N
10 00 W

French Indochina (former name for French possessions in southeast Asia)
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
15 00 N
107 00 E

French Morocco (former name for Morocco)
Morocco
32 00 N
5 00 W

French Somaliland (former name for Djibouti)
Djibouti
11 30 N
43 00 E

French Sudan (former name for Mali)
Mali
17 00 N
4 00 W

French Territory of the Afars and Issas (or FTAI; former name for Djibouti)
Djibouti
11 30 N
43 00 E

French Togoland (former name for Togo)
Togo
8 00 N
1 10 E

French West Indies (former name for French possessions in the West Indies)
Guadeloupe, Martinique
16 30 N
62 00 W

Friendly Islands
Tonga
20 00 S
175 00 W

Frisian Islands
Denmark, Germany, Netherlands
53 35 N
6 40 E

Frunze (city; former name for Bishkek)
Kyrgyzstan
42 54 N
74 36 E

Funafuti (capital, atoll)
Tuvalu
8 30 S
179 12 E

Fundy, Bay of
Atlantic Ocean
45 00 N
66 00 W

Futuna Islands (Hoorn Islands/Iles de Horne)
Wallis and Futuna
14 19 S
178 05 W

Fyn (island)
Denmark
55 20 N
10 25 E

Gaborone (capital)
Botswana
24 45 S
25 55 E

Galapagos Islands (Archipielago de Colon)
Ecuador
0 00 N
90 30 W

Galicia (region)
Poland, Ukraine
49 30 N
23 00 E

Galicia (region)
Spain
42 45 N
8 10 E

Galilee (region)
Israel
32 54 N
35 20 E

Galleons Passage
Atlantic Ocean
11 00 N
60 55 W

Gambier Islands (Iles Gambier)
French Polynesia
23 09 S
134 58 W

Gaspar Strait
Pacific Ocean
3 00 S
107 00 E

Gdansk (city; formerly Danzig)
Poland
54 23 N
18 40 E

Geneva (city)
Switzerland
46 12 N
6 10 E

Genoa (city)
Italy
44 25 N
8 57 E

George Town (capital)
Cayman Islands
19 20 N
81 23 W

George Town (city)
Malaysia
5 26 N
100 16 E

George Town (city)
The Bahamas
23 30 N
75 46 W

Georgetown (capital)
Guyana
6 48 N
58 10 W

Georgetown (city)
The Gambia
13 30 N
14 47 W

German Democratic Republic (East Germany; former name for eastern portion of Germany)
Germany
52 00 N
13 00 E

German Southwest Africa (former name for Namibia)
Namibia
22 00 S
17 00 E

Germany, Federal Republic of
Germany
51 00 N
9 00 E

Gibraltar (city, peninsula)
Gibraltar
36 11 N
5 22 W

Gibraltar, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
35 57 N
5 36 W

Gidi Pass
Egypt
30 13 N
33 09 E

Gilbert Islands
Kiribati
1 25 N
173 00 E

Goa (state)
India
15 20 N
74 00 E

Gobi (desert)
China, Mongolia
42 30 N
107 00 E

Godthab (capital; also Nuuk)
Greenland
64 11 N
51 44 W

Golan Heights (region)
Syria
33 00 N
35 45 E

Gold Coast (former name for Ghana)
Ghana
8 00 N
2 00 W

Golfo San Jorge (gulf)
Atlantic Ocean
46 00 S
66 00 W

Golfo San Matias (gulf)
Atlantic Ocean
41 30 S
64 00 W

Good Hope, Cape of
South Africa
34 24 S
18 30 E

Goteborg (city)
Sweden
57 43 N
11 58 E

Gotland (island)
Sweden
57 30 N
18 33 E

Gough Island
Saint Helena
40 20 S
9 55 W

Graham Land (region)
Antarctica
65 00 S
64 00 W

Gran Chaco (region)
Argentina, Paraguay
24 00 S
60 00 W

Grand Bahama (island)
The Bahamas
26 40 N
78 35 W

Grand Banks (fishing ground)
Atlantic Ocean
47 06 N
55 48 W

Grand Cayman (island)
Cayman Islands
19 20 N
81 20 W

Grand Turk (capital; also Cockburn Town)
Turks and Caicos Islands
21 28 N
71 08 W

Great Australian Bight
Indian Ocean
35 00 S
130 00 E

Great Belt (strait; also Store Baelt)
Atlantic Ocean
55 30 N
11 00 E

Great Bitter Lake
Egypt
30 20 N
32 23 E

Great Britain (island)
United Kingdom
54 00 N
2 00 W

Great Channel
Indian Ocean
6 25 N
94 20 E

Great Inagua (island)
The Bahamas
21 00 N
73 20 W

Great Rift Valley
Ethiopia, Kenya
0 30 N
36 00 E

Greater Sunda Islands
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia
2 00 S
110 00 E

Green Islands
Papua New Guinea
4 30 S
154 10 E

Greenland Sea
Arctic Ocean
79 00 N
5 00 W

Grenadines, Northern (island group)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
13 15 N
61 12 W

Grenadines, Southern (island group)
Grenada
12 07 N
61 40 W

Grytviken (town; on South Georgia)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
54 15 S
36 45 W

Guadalahara (city)
Mexico
20 40 N
103 24 W

Guadalcanal (island)
Solomon Islands
9 32 S
160 12 E

Guadalupe, Isla de (island)
Mexico
29 11 N
118 17 W

Guangzhou (city; also Canton)
China
23 09 N
113 21 E

Guantanamo Bay (US Naval Base)
Cuba
20 00 N
75 08 W

Guatemala (capital)
Guatemala
14 38 N
90 31 W

Guine-Bissau (local name for Guinea-Bissau)
Guinea-Bissau
12 00 N
15 00 W

Guinea Ecuatorial (local name for Equatorial Guinea)
Equatorial Guinea
2 00 N
10 00 E

Guinea, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
3 00 N
2 30 E

Guinee (local name for Guinea)
Guinea
11 00 N
10 00 W

Gustavia (capital)
Saint Barthelemy
17 53 N
62 51 W

Guyane Francaise (local name for French Guiana)
French Guiana
4 00 N
53 00 W

Ha'apai Group (island group)
Tonga
19 42 S
174 29 W

Habomai Islands
Russia (de facto)
43 30 N
146 10 E

Hadhramaut (region)
Yemen
15 00 N
50 00 E

Hagatna (capital; formerly Agana)
Guam
13 28 N
144 45 E

Hague, The (seat of government)
Netherlands
52 05 N
4 18 E

Haifa (city)
Israel
32 50 N
35 00 E

Hainan Dao (island)
China
19 00 N
109 30 E

Haiphong (city)
Vietnam
20 52 N
106 41 E

Hala'ib Triangle (region)
Egypt (claimed), Sudan (de facto)
22 30 N
35 00 E

Halifax (city)
Canada
44 39 N
63 36 W

Halmahera (island)
Indonesia
1 00 N
128 00 E

Halmahera Sea
Pacific Ocean
0 30 S
129 00 E

Hamburg (city)
Germany
53 34 N
9 59 E

Hamilton (capital)
Bermuda
32 17 N
64 46 W

Han-guk (local name for South Korea
South Korea
37 00 N
127 30 E

Hanoi (capital)
Vietnam
21 02 N
105 51 E

Harare (capital)
Zimbabwe
17 50 S
31 03 E

Harvey Islands (former name for Cook Islands)
Cook Islands
21 14 S
159 46 W

Hatay (province)
Turkey
36 30 N
36 15 E

Havana (capital)
Cuba
23 08 N
82 22 W

Hawaii (island)
United States
19 45 N
155 45 W

Hawaiian Islands
United States
21 00 N
157 45 W

Hawar (island)
Bahrain
25 40 N
50 47 E

Hayastan (local name for Armenia)
Armenia
40 00 N
45 00 E

Heard Island
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
53 06 S
73 30 E

Hejaz (region)
Saudi Arabia
24 30 N
38 30 E

Helsinki (capital)
Finland
60 10 N
24 58 E

Herzegovina (political region)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
44 00 N
18 00 E

Hiiumaa (island)
Estonia
58 50 N
22 30 E

Hispaniola (island)
Dominican Republic, Haiti
18 45 N
71 00 W

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)
Vietnam
10 45 N
106 40 E

Hokkaido (island)
Japan
44 00 N
143 00 E

Holland (region)
Netherlands
52 30 N
5 45 E

Hong Kong (special administrative region)
Hong Kong
22 15 N
114 10 E

Honiara (capital)
Solomon Islands
9 26 S
159 57 E

Honshu (island)
Japan
36 00 N
138 00 E

Hormuz, Strait of
Indian Ocean
26 34 N
56 15 E

Horn of Africa (region)
Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
8 00 N
48 00 E

Horn, Cape (Cabo de Hornos)
Chile
55 59 S
67 16 W

Horne, Iles de (island group)
Wallis and Futuna
14 19 S
178 05 W

Hrvatska (local name for Croatia)
Croatia
45 10 N
15 30 E

Hudson Bay
Arctic Ocean
60 00 N
86 00 W

Hudson Strait
Arctic Ocean
62 00 N
71 00 W

Hunter Island
New Caledonia, Vanuatu
22 24 S
172 06 E

Iberian Peninsula
Portugal, Spain
40 00 N
5 00 W

Iceland Sea
Arctic Ocean
68 00 N
20 00 W

Ifni (region; former name of part of Spanish West Africa)
Morocco
29 22 N
10 09 W

Inaccessible Island
Saint Helena
37 17 S
12 40 W

Indochina (region)
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
15 00 N
107 00 E

Ingushetia (region)
Russia
43 15 N
45 00 E

Inhambane (region)
Mozambique
22 30 S
34 30 E

Inini (former name for French Guiana)
French Guiana
4 00 N
53 00 W

Inland Sea
Japan
34 20 N
133 30 E

Inner Hebrides (islands)
United Kingdom
56 30 N
6 20 W

Inner Mongolia (region; also Nei Mongol)
China
42 00 N
113 00 E

Ionian Islands
Greece
38 30 N
20 30 E

Ionian Sea
Atlantic Ocean
38 30 N
18 00 E

Irian Jaya (province)
Indonesia
5 00 S
138 00 E

Irish Sea
Atlantic Ocean
53 30 N
5 20 W

Iron Gate (river gorge)
Romania, Serbia
44 41 N
22 31 E

Iskenderun (region; formerly Alexandretta)
Turkey
36 34 N
36 08 E

Islamabad (capital)
Pakistan
33 42 N
73 10 E

Island (local name for Iceland)
Iceland
65 00 N
18 00 W

Islas Malvinas (island group)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
51 45 S
59 00 W

Istanbul (city)
Turkey
41 01 N
28 58 E

Istrian Peninsula
Croatia, Slovenia
45 00 N
14 00 E

Italia (local name for Italy)
Italy
42 50 N
12 50 E

Italian East Africa (former name for Italian possessions in eastern Africa)
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
8 00 N
38 00 E

Italian Somaliland (former name for southern Somalia)
Somalia
10 00 N
49 00 E

Ittihad al-Imarat al-Arabiyah (local name for the United Arab Emirates)
United Arab Emirates
24 00 N
54 00 E

Iturup (island; see Etorofu)
Russia (de facto)
44 55 N
147 40 E

Ityop'iya (local name for Ethiopia)
Ethiopia
8 00 N
38 00 E

Ivory Coast (former name for Cote d'Ivoire)
Cote d'Ivoire
8 00 N
5 00 W

Iwo Jima (island)
Japan
24 47 N
141 20 E

Izmir (region)
Turkey
38 25 N
27 10 E

Jakarta (capital)
Indonesia
6 10 S
106 48 E

James Bay
Arctic Ocean
54 00 N
80 00 W

Jamestown (capital)
Saint Helena
15 56 S
5 44 W

Jammu (city)
India
32 42 N
74 52 E

Jammu and Kashmir (region)
India, Pakistan
34 00 N
76 00 E

Japan, Sea of
Pacific Ocean
40 00 N
135 00 E

Jars, Plain of
Laos
19 27 N
103 10 E

Java (island)
Indonesia
7 30 S
110 00 E

Java Sea
Pacific Ocean
5 00 S
110 00 E

Jerusalem (capital, proclaimed)
Israel, West Bank
31 47 N
35 14 E

Jiddah, Jeddah (city)
Saudi Arabia
21 30 N
39 12 E

Johannesburg (city)
South Africa
26 15 S
28 00 E

Joseph Bonaparte Gulf
Pacific Ocean
14 00 S
128 45 E

Juan Fernandez, Islas de (island group)
Chile
33 00 S
80 00 W

Juan de Fuca, Strait of
Pacific Ocean
48 18 N
124 00 W

Jubal, Strait of
Indian Ocean
27 40 N
33 55 E

Judaea (region)
Israel, West Bank
31 35 N
35 00 E

Jugoslavia, Jugoslavija (local names for Yugoslavia, a former Balkan federation)
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia
43 00 N
21 00 E

Jutland (region)
Denmark
56 00 N
9 15 E

Juventud, Isla de la (Isle of Youth)
Cuba
21 40 N
82 50 W

Kabardino-Balkaria (region)
Russia
43 30 N
43 30 E

Kabul (capital)
Afghanistan
34 31 N
69 12 E

Kaduna (city)
Nigeria
10 33 N
7 27 E

Kailas Range
China, India
30 00 N
82 00 E

Kalaallit Nunaat (local name for Greenland)
Greenland
72 00 N
40 00 W

Kalahari (desert)
Botswana, Namibia
24 30 S
21 00 E

Kalimantan (region)
Indonesia
0 00 N
115 00 E

Kaliningrad (region; formerly part of East Prussia)
Russia
54 30 N
21 00 E

Kamaran (island)
Yemen
15 21 N
42 34 E

Kamchatka Peninsula (Poluostrov Kamchatka)
Russia
56 00 N
160 00 E

Kampala (capital)
Uganda
0 19 N
32 25 E

Kampuchea (former name for Cambodia)
Cambodia
13 00 N
105 00 E

Kane Basin (portion of channel)
Arctic Ocean
79 30 N
68 00 W

Kanton Island
Kiribati
2 49 S
171 40 W

Kara Sea
Arctic Ocean
76 00 N
80 00 E

Karachevo-Cherkessia (region)
Russia
43 40 N
41 50 E

Karachi (city)
Pakistan
24 51 N
67 03 E

Karafuto (island; former name for southern Sakhalin Island)
Russia
50 00 N
143 00 E

Karakoram Pass
China, India
35 30 N
77 50 E

Karelia, Kareliya (region)
Finland, Russia
63 15 N
30 48 E

Karelian Isthmus
Russia
60 25 N
30 00 E

Karimata Strait
Pacific Ocean
2 05 S
108 40 E

Kashmir (region)
India, Pakistan
34 00 N
76 00 E

Katanga (region)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
10 00 S
26 00 E

Kathmandu (capital)
Nepal
27 43 N
85 19 E

Kattegat (strait)
Atlantic Ocean
57 00 N
11 00 E

Kauai Channel
Pacific Ocean
21 45 N
158 50 W

Kazakstan (former name for Kazakhstan)
Kazakhstan
48 00 N
68 00 E

Keeling Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
12 30 S
96 50 E

Kerguelen, Iles (island group)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
49 30 S
69 30 E

Kermadec Islands
New Zealand
29 50 S
178 15 W

Kerulen River
China, Mongolia
48 48 N
117 00 E

Khabarovsk (city)
Russia
48 27 N
135 06 E

Khanka, Lake
China, Russia
45 00 N
132 24 E

Khartoum (capital)
Sudan
15 36 N
32 32 E

Khios (island)
Greece
38 22 N
26 04 E

Khmer Republic (former name for Cambodia)
Cambodia
13 00 N
105 00 E

Khuriya Muriya Islands (Kuria Muria Islands)
Oman
17 30 N
56 00 E

Khyber Pass
Afghanistan, Pakistan
34 05 N
71 10 E

Kibris (Turkish local name for Cyprus)
Cyprus
35 00 N
33 00 E

Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee Kanal)
Atlantic Ocean
53 53 N
9 08 E

Kiev (city; former name for Kyiv)
Ukraine
50 26 N
30 31 E

Kigali (capital)
Rwanda
1 57 S
30 04 E

Kingston (capital)
Jamaica
18 00 N
76 48 W

Kingston (capital)
Norfolk Island
29 03 S
167 58 E

Kingstown (capital)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
13 09 N
61 14 W

Kinshasa (capital)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
4 18 S
15 18 E

Kipros (Greek local name for Cyprus)
Cyprus
35 00 N
33 00 E

Kirghiziya, Kirgizia (former name for Kyrgyzstan)
Kyrgyzstan
41 00 N
75 00 E

Kirguizstan (local name for Kyrgyzstan)
Kyrgyzstan
41 00 N
75 00 E

Kiritimati (Christmas Island)
Kiribati
1 52 N
157 20 W

Kishinev (see Chisinau)
Moldova
47 00 N
28 50 E

Kithira Strait
Atlantic Ocean
36 00 N
23 00 E

Kobe (city)
Japan
34 41 N
135 10 E

Kodiak Island
United States
57 49 N
152 23 W

Kola Peninsula (Kol'skiy Poluostrov)
Russia
67 20 N
37 00 E

Kolonia (town; former capital; changed to Palikir)
Federated States of Micronesia
6 58 N
158 13 E

Korea Bay
Pacific Ocean
39 00 N
124 00 E

Korea Strait
Pacific Ocean
34 00 N
129 00 E

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
North Korea
40 00 N
127 00 E

Korea, Republic of
South Korea
37 00 N
127 30 E

Koror (capital)
Palau
7 20 N
134 29 E

Kosovo (region)
Serbia
42 30 N
21 00 E

Kosrae (island)
Federated States of Micronesia
5 20 N
163 00 E

Kowloon (city)
Hong Kong
22 18 N
114 10 E

Kra, Isthmus of
Burma, Thailand
10 20 N
99 00 E

Krakatoa (volcano)
Indonesia
6 07 S
105 24 E

Krakow (city)
Poland
50 03 N
19 56 E

Kuala Lumpur (capital)
Malaysia
3 10 N
101 42 E

Kunashiri (island; also Kunashir)
Russia (de facto)
44 20 N
146 00 E

Kunlun Mountains
China
36 00 N
84 00 E

Kuril Islands
Russia (de facto)
46 10 N
152 00 E

Kuwait (capital)
Kuwait
29 20 N
47 59 E

Kuznetsk Basin
Russia
54 00 N
86 00 E

Kwajalein Atoll
Marshall Islands
9 05 N
167 20 E

Kyiv (capital)
Ukraine
50 26 N
30 31 E

Kyushu (island)
Japan
33 00 N
131 00 E

La Paz (administrative capital)
Bolivia
16 30 S
68 09 W

La Perouse Strait
Pacific Ocean
45 45 N
142 00 E

Labrador (peninsula, region)
Canada
54 00 N
62 00 W

Labrador Sea
Atlantic Ocean
60 00 N
55 00 W

Laccadive Islands
India
10 00 N
73 00 E

Laccadive Sea
Indian Ocean
7 00 N
76 00 E

Lagos (former capital)
Nigeria
6 27 N
3 24 E

Lahore (city)
Pakistan
31 33 N
74 23 E

Lake Erie
Atlantic Ocean
42 30 N
81 00 W

Lake Huron
Atlantic Ocean
45 00 N
83 00 W

Lake Michigan
Atlantic Ocean
43 30 N
87 30 W

Lake Ontario
Atlantic Ocean
43 30 N
78 00 W

Lake Superior
Atlantic Ocean
48 00 N
88 00 W

Lakshadweep (Laccadive Islands)
India
10 00 N
73 00 E

Lantau Island
Hong Kong
22 15 N
113 55 E

Lao (local name for Laos)
Laos
18 00 N
105 00 E

Laptev Sea
Arctic Ocean
76 00 N
126 00 E

Las Palmas (city)
Spain (Canary Islands)
28 06 N
15 24 W

Latakia (region)
Syria
36 00 N
35 50 E

Latvija (local name for Latvia)
Latvia
57 00 N
25 00 E

Lau Group (island group)
Fiji
18 20 S
178 30 E

Lefkosa (see Nicosia)
Cyprus
35 10 N
33 22 E

Leipzig (city)
Germany
51 21 N
12 23 E

Lemnos (island)
Greece
39 54 N
25 21 E

Leningrad (city; former name for Saint Petersburg)
Russia
59 55 N
30 15 E

Lesser Sunda Islands
Indonesia
9 00 S
120 00 E

Lesvos (island)
Greece
39 15 N
26 15 E

Leyte (island)
Philippines
10 50 N
124 50 E

Liancourt Rocks (claimed by Japan)
South Korea
37 15 N
131 50 E

Liaodong Wan (gulf)
Pacific Ocean
40 30 N
121 20 E

Liban (local name for Lebanon)
Lebanon
33 50 N
36 50 E

Libreville (capital)
Gabon
0 23 N
9 27 E

Lietuva (local name for Lithuania)
Lithuania
56 00 N
24 00 E

Ligurian Sea
Atlantic Ocean
43 30 N
9 00 E

Lilongwe (capital)
Malawi
13 59 S
33 44 E

Lima (capital)
Peru
12 03 S
77 03 W

Lincoln Sea
Arctic Ocean
83 00 N
56 00 W

Line Islands
Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Palmyra Atoll
0 05 N
157 00 W

Lion, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
43 20 N
4 00 E

Lisbon (capital)
Portugal
38 43 N
9 08 W

Little Belt (strait; also Lille Baelt)
Atlantic Ocean
55 05 N
9 55 E

Ljubljana (capital)
Slovenia
46 03 N
14 31 E

Llanos (region)
Venezuela
8 00 N
68 00 W

Lobamba (city)
Swaziland
26 27 S
31 12 E

Lombok (island)
Indonesia
8 28 S
116 40 E

Lombok Strait
Indian Ocean
8 30 S
115 50 E

Lome (capital)
Togo
6 08 N
1 13 E

London (capital)
United Kingdom
51 30 N
0 10 W

Longyearbyen (capital)
Svalbard
78 13 N
15 33 E

Lord Howe Island
Australia
31 30 S
159 00 E

Lorraine (region)
France
48 42 N
6 11 E

Louisiade Archipelago
Papua New Guinea
11 00 S
153 00 E

Lourenco Marques (city; former name for Maputo)
Mozambique
25 56 S
32 34 E

Loyalty Islands (Iles Loyaute)
New Caledonia
21 00 S
167 00 E

Luanda (capital)
Angola
8 48 S
13 14 E

Lubnan (local name for Lebanon)
Lebanon
33 50 N
36 50 E

Lubumbashi (city)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
11 40 S
27 28 E

Lusaka (capital)
Zambia
15 25 S
28 17 E

Luxembourg (capital)
Luxembourg
49 45 N
6 10 E

Luzon (island)
Philippines
16 00 N
121 00 E

Luzon Strait
Pacific Ocean
20 30 N
121 00 E

Lyakhov Islands
Russia
73 45 N
138 00 E

Macao
Macau
22 10 N
113 33 E

Macau (special administrative region)
China
22 10 N
113 33 E

Macquarie Island
Australia
54 36 S
158 54 E

Madagasikara (local name for Madagascar)
Madagascar
20 00 S
47 00 E

Maddalena, Isola
Italy
41 13 N
09 24 E

Madeira Islands
Portugal
32 40 N
16 45 W

Madras (city; see Chennai)
India
13 04 N
80 16 E

Madrid (capital)
Spain
40 24 N
3 41 W

Magellan, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
54 00 S
71 00 W

Maghreb (region)
Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia
34 00 N
3 00 E

Magreb (local name for Morocco)
Morocco
32 00 N
5 00 W

Magyarorszag (local name for Hungary)
Hungary
47 00 N
20 00 E

Mahe Island
Seychelles
4 41 S
55 30 E

Maiz, Islas del (Corn Islands)
Nicaragua
12 15 N
83 00 W

Majorca Island (Isla de Mallorca)
Spain
39 30 N
3 00 E

Majuro (capital)
Marshall Islands
7 05 N
171 08 E

Makassar Strait
Pacific Ocean
2 00 S
117 30 E

Makedonija (local name for Macedonia)
Macedonia
41 50 N
22 00 E

Malabo (capital)
Equatorial Guinea
3 45 N
8 47 E

Malacca, Strait of
Indian Ocean
2 30 N
101 20 E

Malagasy Republic
Madagascar
20 00 S
47 00 E

Malay Archipelago
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines
2 30 N
120 00 E

Malay Peninsula
Malaysia, Thailand
7 10 N
100 35 E

Male (capital)
Maldives
4 10 N
73 31 E

Mallorca, Isla de (island; also Majorca)
Spain
39 30 N
3 00 E

Malmady (region)
Belgium
50 26 N
6 02 E

Malpelo, Isla de (island)
Colombia
4 00 N
90 30 W

Malta Channel
Atlantic Ocean
56 44 N
26 53 E

Malvinas, Islas (island group)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
51 45 S
59 00 W

Mamoutzou (capital)
Mayotte
12 47 S
45 14 E

Managua (capital)
Nicaragua
12 09 N
86 17 W

Manama (capital)
Bahrain
26 13 N
50 35 E

Manchukuo (former state)
China
44 00 N
124 00 E

Manchuria (region)
China
44 00 N
124 00 E

Manila (capital)
Philippines
14 35 N
121 00 E

Manipa Strait
Pacific Ocean
3 20 S
127 23 E

Mannar, Gulf of
Indian Ocean
8 30 N
79 00 E

Manua Islands
American Samoa
14 13 S
169 35 W

Maputo (capital)
Mozambique
25 58 S
32 35 E

Marcus Island (Minami-tori-shima)
Japan
24 16 N
154 00 E

Margarita, Isla (island)
Venezuela
10 00 N
64 00 W

Mariana Islands
Guam, Northern Mariana Islands
16 00 N
145 30 E

Marie Byrd Land (region)
Antarctica
77 00 S
130 00 W

Marigot (capital)
Saint Martin
18 04 N
63 05 W

Marion Island
South Africa
46 51 S
37 52 E

Marmara, Sea of
Atlantic Ocean
40 40 N
28 15 E

Marquesas Islands (Iles Marquises)
French Polynesia
9 00 S
139 30 W

Marseille (city)
France
43 18 N
5 23 E

Martin Vaz, Ilhas (island group)
Brazil
20 30 S
28 51 W

Mas a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)
Chile
33 38 S
78 52 W

Mascarene Islands
Mauritius, Reunion
21 00 S
57 00 E

Maseru (capital)
Lesotho
29 28 S
27 30 E

Mata-Utu (capital)
Wallis and Futuna
13 57 S
171 56 W

Matsu (island)
Taiwan
26 13 N
119 56 E

Matthew Island
New Caledonia, Vanuatu
22 20 S
171 20 E

Mauritanie (local name for Mauritania)
Mauritania
20 00 N
12 00 W

Mazatlan (city)
Mexico
23 13 N
106 25 W

Mbabane (capital)
Swaziland
26 18 S
31 06 E

McDonald Islands
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
53 06 S
73 30 E

Mecca (city)
Saudi Arabia
21 27 N
39 49 E

Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
36 00 N
15 00 E

Melbourne (city)
Australia
37 49 S
144 58 E

Melilla (exclave)
Spain
35 19 N
2 58 W

Memel (region)
Lithuania
55 43 N
21 30 E

Mesopotamia (region)
Iraq
33 00 N
44 00 E

Messina, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
38 15 N
15 35 E

Mexico City (capital)
Mexico
19 24 N
99 09 W

Mexico, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
25 00 N
90 00 W

Middle Congo (former name for Republic of the Congo)
Republic of the Congo
1 00 S
15 00 E

Milan (city)
Italy
45 28 N
9 11 E

Milwaukee Deep (Puerto Rico Trench)
Atlantic Ocean
19 55 N
65 27 W

Minami-tori-shima (Marcus Island)
Japan
24 16 N
154 00 E

Mindanao (island)
Philippines
8 00 N
125 00 E

Mindanao Sea
Pacific Ocean
9 15 N
124 30 E

Mindoro (island)
Philippines
12 50 N
121 05 E

Mindoro Strait
Pacific Ocean
12 20 N
120 40 E

Mingrelia (region)
Georgia
42 30 N
41 52 E

Minicoy Island
India
8 17 N
73 02 E

Minorca Island (Isla de Menorca)
Spain
40 00 N
4 00 E

Minsk (capital)
Belarus
53 54 N
27 34 E

Misr (local name for Egypt)
Egypt
27 00 N
30 00 E

Mitla Pass
Egypt
30 02 N
32 54 E

Mocambique (local name for Mozambique)
Mozambique
18 15 S
35 00 E

Mogadishu (capital)
Somalia
2 04 N
45 22 E

Moldavia (region)
Moldova, Romania
47 00 N
29 00 E

Molucca Sea
Pacific Ocean
2 00 N
127 00 E

Moluccas (Spice Islands)
Indonesia
2 00 S
128 00 E

Mombasa (city)
Kenya
4 03 S
39 40 E

Mona Passage
Atlantic Ocean
18 30 N
67 45 W

Monaco (capital)
Monaco
43 44 N
7 25 E

Mongol Uls (local name for Mongolia)
Mongolia
46 00 N
105 00 E

Monrovia (capital)
Liberia
6 18 N
10 47 W

Monterrey (city)
Mexico
25 40 N
100 19 W

Montevideo (capital)
Uruguay
34 53 S
56 11 W

Montreal (city)
Canada
45 31 N
73 34 W

Moravia (region)
Czech Republic
49 30 N
17 00 E

Moravian Gate (pass)
Czech Republic
49 35 N
17 50 E

Moroni (capital)
Comoros
11 41 S
43 16 E

Mortlock Islands (Nomoi Islands)
Federated States of Micronesia
5 30 N
153 40 E

Moscow (capital)
Russia
55 45 N
37 35 E

Mount Pinatubo (volcano)
Philippines
15 08 N
120 21 E

Mozambique Channel
Indian Ocean
19 00 S
41 00 E

Mumbai (city; also Bombay)
India
18 58 N
72 50 E

Munich, Muenchen (city)
Germany
48 08 N
11 35 E

Muritaniyah (local name for Mauritania)
Mauritania
20 00 N
12 00 W

Musandam Peninsula
Oman, United Arab Emirates
26 18 N
56 24 E

Muscat (capital)
Oman
23 37 N
58 35 E

Muscat and Oman (former name for Oman)
Oman
21 00 N
57 00 E

Myanma, Myanmar
Burma
22 00 N
98 00 E

N'Djamena (capital)
Chad
12 07 N
15 03 E

Nagorno-Karabakh (region)
Azerbaijan
40 00 N
46 40 E

Nairobi (capital)
Kenya
1 17 S
36 49 E

Namib (desert)
Namibia
24 00 S
15 00 E

Nampo-shoto (island group)
Japan
30 00 N
140 00 E

Nan Madol (ruins)
Federated States of Micronesia
6 85 N
158 35 E

Naples (city)
Italy
40 51 N
14 15 E

Nassau (capital)
The Bahamas
25 05 N
77 21 W

Natal (region)
South Africa
29 00 S
30 25 E

Natuna Besar Islands
Indonesia
3 30 N
102 30 E

Natuna Sea
Pacific Ocean
3 30 N
108 00 E

Naxcivan (region)
Azerbaijan
39 20 N
45 20 E

Naxos (island)
Greece
37 05 N
25 30 E

Nederland (local name for the Netherlands)
Netherlands
52 30 N
5 45 E

Nederlandse Antillen (local name for the Netherlands Antilles)
Netherlands Antilles
12 15 N
68 45 W

Negev (region)
Israel
30 30 N
34 55 E

Negros (island)
Philippines
10 00 N
123 00 E

Nejd (region)
Saudi Arabia
24 05 N
45 15 E

Netherlands East Indies (former name for Indonesia)
Indonesia
5 00 S
120 00 E

Netherlands Guiana (former name for Suriname)
Suriname
4 00 N
56 00 W

Nevis (island)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
17 09 N
62 35 W

New Britain (island)
Papua New Guinea
6 00 S
150 00 E

New Delhi (capital)
India
28 36 N
77 12 E

New Guinea (island)
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
5 00 S
140 00 E

New Hebrides (island group)
Vanuatu
16 00 S
167 00 E

New Ireland (island)
Papua New Guinea
3 20 N
152 00 E

New Siberian Islands
Russia
75 00 N
142 00 E

New Territories (mainland region)
Hong Kong
22 24 N
114 10 E

Newfoundland (island, with mainland area, and a province)
Canada
52 00 N
56 00 W

Niamey (capital)
Niger
13 31 N
2 07 E

Nicobar Islands
India
8 00 N
93 30 E

Nicosia (capital; also Lefkosia)
Cyprus
35 10 N
33 22 E

Nightingale Island
Saint Helena
37 25 S
12 30 W

Nihon, Nippon (local name for Japan)
Japan
36 00 N
138 00 E

Nomoi Islands (Mortlock Islands)
Federated States of Micronesia
5 30 N
153 40 E

Norge (local name for Norway)
Norway
62 00 N
10 00 E

Norman Isles (Channel Islands)
Guernsey, Jersey
49 20 N
2 20 W

North Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
30 00 N
45 00 W

North Channel
Atlantic Ocean
55 10 N
5 40 W

North Frisian Islands
Denmark, Germany
54 50 N
8 12 E

North Greenland Sea
Arctic Ocean
78 00 N
5 00 W

North Island
New Zealand
39 00 S
176 00 E

North Ossetia (region)
Russia
43 00 N
44 10 E

North Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
30 00 N
165 00 W

North Sea
Atlantic Ocean
56 00 N
4 00 E

North Vietnam (former name for northern portion of Vietnam)
Vietnam
23 00 N
106 00 E

North Yemen (Yemen Arab Republic; now part of Yemen)
Yemen
15 00 N
44 00 E

Northeast Providence Channel
Atlantic Ocean
25 40 N
77 09 W

Northern Areas
Pakistan
36 0 N
75 0 E

Northern Cyprus (region)
Cyprus
35 15 N
33 44 E

Northern Epirus (region)
Albania, Greece
40 00 N
20 30 E

Northern Grenadines (political region)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
12 45 N
61 15 W

Northern Ireland
United Kingdom
54 40 N
6 45 W

Northern Rhodesia (former name for Zambia)
Zambia
15 00 S
30 00 E

Northwest Passages
Arctic Ocean
74 40 N
100 00 W

Norwegian Sea
Atlantic Ocean
66 00 N
6 00 E

Nouakchott (capital)
Mauritania
18 06 N
15 57 W

Noumea (capital)
New Caledonia
22 16 S
166 27 E

Nouvelle-Caledonie (local name for New Caledonia)
New Caledonia
21 30 S
165 30 E

Nouvelles Hebrides (former name for Vanuatu)
Vanuatu
16 00 S
167 00 E

Novaya Zemlya (islands)
Russia
74 00 N
57 00 E

Nubia (region)
Egypt, Sudan
20 30 N
33 00 E

Nuku'alofa (capital)
Tonga
21 08 S
175 12 W

Nunavut (region)
Canada
72 00 N
90 00 W

Nuuk (capital; also Godthab)
Greenland
64 11 N
51 44 W

Nyasaland (former name for Malawi)
Malawi
13 30 S
34 00 E

Nyassa (region)
Mozambique
13 30 S
37 00 E

Oahu (island)
United States (Hawaii)
21 30 N
158 00 W

Ocean Island (Banaba)
Kiribati
0 52 S
169 35 E

Ocean Island (Kure Island)
United States
28 25 N
178 20 W

Oesterreich (local name for Austria)
Austria
47 20 N
13 20 E

Ogaden (region)
Ethiopia, Somalia
7 00 N
46 00 E

Oil Islands (Chagos Archipelago)
British Indian Ocean Territory
6 00 S
71 30 E

Okhotsk, Sea of
Pacific Ocean
53 00 N
150 00 E

Okinawa (island group)
Japan
26 30 N
128 00 E

Oland (island)
Sweden
56 45 N
16 40 E

Oman, Gulf of
Indian Ocean
24 30 N
58 30 E

Ombai Strait
Pacific Ocean
8 30 S
125 00 E

Oran (city)
Algeria
35 43 N
0 43 W

Orange River Colony (region; former name of Free State Province of South Africa)
South Africa
28 20 S
26 40 E

Oranjestad (capital)
Aruba
12 33 N
70 06 W

Oresund (The Sound) (strait)
Atlantic Ocean
55 50 N
12 40 E

Orkney Islands
United Kingdom
59 00 N
3 00 W

Osaka (city)
Japan
34 42 N
135 30 E

Oslo (capital)
Norway
59 55 N
10 45 E

Osumi Strait (Van Diemen Strait)
Pacific Ocean
31 00 N
131 00 E

Otranto, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
40 00 N
19 00 E

Ottawa (capital)
Canada
45 25 N
75 40 W

Ouagadougou (capital)
Burkina Faso
12 22 N
1 31 W

Outer Hebrides (islands)
United Kingdom
57 45 N
7 00 W

Outer Mongolia (region)
Mongolia
46 00 N
105 00 E

P'yongyang (capital)
North Korea
39 01 N
125 45 E

Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (former name of a large area of the western North Pacific Ocean)
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau
10 00 N
155 00 E

Pagan (island)
Northern Mariana Islands
18 08 N
145 47 E

Pago Pago (capital)
American Samoa
14 16 S
170 42 W

Palawan (island)
Philippines
9 30 N
118 30 E

Palermo (city)
Italy
38 07 N
13 21 E

Palestine (region)
Israel, West Bank
32 00 N
35 15 E

Palikir (capital)
Federated States of Micronesia
6 55 N
158 08 E

Palk Strait
Indian Ocean
10 00 N
79 45 E

Pamirs (mountains)
China, Tajikistan
38 00 N
73 00 E

Pampas (region)
Argentina
35 00 S
63 00 W

Panama (capital)
Panama
8 58 N
79 32 W

Panama Canal
Panama
9 00 N
79 45 W

Panama, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
8 00 N
79 30 W

Panay (island)
Philippines
11 15 N
122 30 E

Pantelleria, Isola di (island)
Italy
36 47 N
12 00 E

Papeete (capital)
French Polynesia
17 32 S
149 34 W

Paramaribo (capital)
Suriname
5 50 N
55 10 W

Parece Vela (island)
Japan
20 20 N
136 00 E

Paris (capital)
France
48 52 N
2 20 E

Pascua, Isla de (Easter Island)
Chile
27 07 S
109 22 W

Pashtunistan (region)
Afghanistan, Pakistan
32 00 N
69 00 E

Passion, Ile de la (island)
Clipperton Island
10 17 N
109 13 W

Patagonia (region)
Argentina
48 00 S
61 00 W

Peking (see Beijing)
China
39 56 N
116 24 E

Pelagian Islands (Isole Pelagie)
Italy
35 40 N
12 40 E

Peleliu (Beliliou) (island)
Palau
7 01 N
134 15 E

Peloponnese (peninsula)
Greece
37 30 N
22 25 E

Pemba Island
Tanzania
5 20 S
39 45 E

Penang Island
Malaysia
5 23 N
100 15 E

Pentland Firth (channel)
Atlantic Ocean
58 44 N
3 13 W

Perim (island)
Yemen
12 39 N
43 25 E

Perouse Strait, La
Pacific Ocean
44 45 N
142 00 E

Persia (former name for Iran)
Iran
32 00 N
53 00 E

Persian Gulf
Indian Ocean
27 00 N
51 00 E

Perth (city)
Australia
31 56 S
115 50 E

Pescadores (islands)
Taiwan
23 30 N
119 30 E

Peshawar (city)
Pakistan
34 01 N
71 40 E

Peter I Island
Antarctica
68 48 S
90 35 W

Petrograd (city; former name for Saint Petersburg)
Russia
59 55 N
30 15 E

Philip Island
Norfolk Island
29 08 S
167 57 E

Philippine Sea
Pacific Ocean
20 00 N
134 00 E

Phnom Penh (capital)
Cambodia
11 33 N
104 55 E

Phoenix Islands
Kiribati
3 30 S
172 00 W

Pinatubo, Mount (volcano)
Philippines
15 08 N
120 21 E

Pines, Isle of (island; former name for Isla de la Juventud)
Cuba
21 40 N
82 50 W

Pleasant Island
Nauru
0 32 S
166 55 E

Plymouth (capital)
Montserrat
16 44 N
62 14 W

Podgorica (administrative capital)
Montenegro
42 26 N
19 16 E

Polska (local name)
Poland
52 00 N
20 00 E

Polynesie Francaise (local name for French Polynesia)
French Polynesia
15 00 S
140 00 W

Pomerania (region)
Germany, Poland
53 40 N
15 35 E

Ponape (Pohnpei) (island)
Federated States of Micronesia
6 55 N
158 15 E

Port Louis (capital)
Mauritius
20 10 S
57 30 E

Port Moresby (capital)
Papua New Guinea
9 30 S
147 10 E

Port-Vila (capital)
Vanuatu
17 44 S
168 19 E

Port-au-Prince (capital)
Haiti
18 32 N
72 20 W

Port-of-Spain (capital)
Trinidad and Tobago
10 39 N
61 31 W

Porto-Novo (capital)
Benin
6 29 N
2 37 E

Portuguese East Africa (former name for Mozambique)
Mozambique
18 15 S
35 00 E

Portuguese Guinea (former name for Guinea-Bissau)
Guinea-Bissau
12 00 N
15 00 W

Portuguese Timor (former name for Timor-Leste)
Timor-Leste
9 00 S
126 00 E

Poznan (city)
Poland
52 25 N
16 55 E

Prague (capital)
Czech Republic
50 05 N
14 28 E

Praia (capital)
Cape Verde
14 55 N
23 31 W

Prathet Thai (local name for Thailand)
Thailand
15 00 N
100 00 E

Pretoria (administrative capital)
South Africa
25 42 S
28 13 E

Prevlaka peninsula
Croatia
42 24 N
18 31 E

Pribilof Islands
United States
57 00 N
170 00 W

Prince Edward Island
Canada
46 20 N
63 20 W

Prince Edward Islands
South Africa
46 35 S
38 00 E

Prince Patrick Island
Canada
76 30 N
119 00 W

Principe (island)
Sao Tome and Principe
1 38 N
7 25 E

Prussia (region)
Germany, Poland, Russia
53 00 N
14 00 E

Pukapuka Atoll
Cook Islands
10 53 S
165 49 W

Punjab (region)
India, Pakistan
30 50 N
73 30 E

Puntland (region)
Somalia
8 21 N
49 08 E

Qazaqstan (local name for Kazakhstan)
Kazakhstan
48 00 N
68 00 E

Qita Ghazzah (local name Gaza Strip)
Gaza Strip
31 25 N
34 20 E

Quebec (city)
Canada
46 48 N
71 15 W

Queen Charlotte Islands
Canada
53 00 N
132 00 W

Queen Elizabeth Islands
Canada
78 00 N
95 00 W

Queen Maud Land (claimed by Norway)
Antarctica
73 30 S
12 00 E

Quemoy (island)
Taiwan
24 27 N
118 23 E

Quito (capital)
Ecuador
0 13 S
78 30 W

Rabat (capital)
Morocco
34 02 N
6 51 W

Ralik Chain (island group)
Marshall Islands
8 00 N
167 00 E

Rangoon (capital; also Yangon)
Burma
16 47 N
96 10 E

Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Chile
27 07 S
109 22 W

Ratak Chain (island group)
Marshall Islands
9 00 N
171 00 E

Red Sea
Indian Ocean
20 00 N
38 00 E

Redonda (island)
Antigua and Barbuda
16 55 N
62 19 W

Republica Dominicana (local name for Dominican Republic)
Dominican Republic
19 00 N
70 40 W

Republique Centrafricain (local name for Central African Republic)
Central African Republic
7 00 N
21 00 E

Republique Francaise (local name for France)
France
46 00 N
2 00 E

Republique Gabonaise (local name for Gabon)
Gabon
1 00 S
11 45 E

Republique Rwandaise (local name for Rwanda)
Rwanda
2 00 S
30 00 E

Republique Togolaise (local name for Togo)
Togo
8 00 N
1 10 E

Revillagigedo Island
United States (Alaska)
55 35 N
131 06 W

Revillagigedo Islands
Mexico
19 00 N
112 45 W

Reykjavik (capital)
Iceland
64 09 N
21 57 W

Rhodes (island)
Greece
36 10 N
28 00 E

Rhodesia, Northern (former name for Zambia)
Zambia
15 00 S
30 00 E

Rhodesia, Southern (former name for Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe
20 00 S
30 00 E

Riga (capital)
Latvia
56 57 N
24 06 E

Riga, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
57 30 N
23 30 E

Rio Muni (mainland region)
Equatorial Guinea
1 30 N
10 00 E

Rio de Janiero (city)
Brazil
22 55 S
43 17 W

Rio de Oro (region)
Western Sahara
23 45 N
15 45 W

Rio de la Plata (gulf)
Atlantic Ocean
35 00 S
59 00 W

Riyadh (capital)
Saudi Arabia
24 38 N
46 43 E

Road Town (capital)
British Virgin Islands
18 27 N
64 37 W

Robinson Crusoe Island (Mas a Tierra)
Chile
33 38 S
78 52 W

Rocas, Atol das (island)
Brazil
3 51 S
33 49 W

Rockall (island)
United Kingdom
57 35 N
13 48 W

Rodrigues (island)
Mauritius
19 42 S
63 25 E

Rome (capital)
Italy
41 54 N
12 29 E

Roncador Cay (island)
Colombia
13 32 N
80 03 W

Roosevelt Island
Antarctica
79 30 S
162 00 W

Roseau (capital)
Dominica
15 18 N
61 24 W

Ross Dependency (claimed by New Zealand)
Antarctica
80 00 S
180 00 E

Ross Island
Antarctica
81 30 S
175 00 W

Ross Sea
Antarctica, Southern Ocean
76 00 S
175 00 W

Rossiya (local name for Russia)
Russia
60 00 N
100 00 E

Rota (island)
Northern Mariana Islands
14 10 N
145 12 E

Rotuma (island)
Fiji
12 30 S
177 05 E

Ruanda (former name for Rwanda)
Rwanda
2 00 S
30 00 E

Rub al Khali (desert)
Saudi Arabia
19 30 N
49 00 E

Rumelia (region)
Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia
42 00 N
22 30 E

Ruthenia (region; former name for Carpatho-Ukraine)
Ukraine
48 22 N
23 32 E

Ryukyu Islands
Japan
26 30 N
128 00 E

Saar (region)
Germany
49 25 N
7 00 E

Saaremaa (island)
Estonia
58 25 N
22 30 E

Saba (island)
Netherlands Antilles
17 38 N
63 10 W

Sabah (state)
Malaysia
5 20 N
117 10 E

Sable Island
Canada
43 55 N
59 50 W

Safety Islands (Iles du Salut)
French Guiana
5 20 N
52 37 W

Sahara Occidental (former name for Western Sahara)
Western Sahara
24 30 N
13 00 W

Sahel (region)
Burkina Faso, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea- Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal
15 00 N
8 00 W

Saigon (city; former name for Ho Chi Minh City)
Vietnam
10 45 N
106 40 E

Saint Barthelemy (island; also Saint Bart's)
Guadeloupe
17 55 N
62 52 W

Saint Brandon (Cargados Carajos Shoals)
Mauritius
16 25 S
59 38 E

Saint Christopher (island)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
17 20 N
62 45 W

Saint Christopher and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis
17 20 N
62 45 W

Saint Eustatius (island)
Netherlands Antilles
17 30 N
63 00 W

Saint George's (capital)
Grenada
12 03 N
61 45 W

Saint George's Channel
Atlantic Ocean
52 00 N
6 00 W

Saint Helena Island
Saint Helena
15 57 S
5 42 W

Saint Helens, Mount (volcano)
United States
46 15 N
122 12 W

Saint Helier (capital)
Jersey
49 12 N
2 07 W

Saint John (city)
Canada (New Brunswick)
45 16 N
66 04 W

Saint John's (capital)
Antigua and Barbuda
17 06 N
61 51 W

Saint Lawrence Island
United States
49 30 N
67 00 W

Saint Lawrence Seaway
Atlantic Ocean
49 15 N
67 00 W

Saint Lawrence, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
48 00 N
62 00 W

Saint Paul Island
Canada
47 12 N
60 09 W

Saint Paul Island
United States
57 11 N
170 16 W

Saint Paul Island (Ile Saint-Paul)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
38 43 S
77 29 E

Saint Peter Port (capital)
Guernsey
49 27 N
2 32 W

Saint Peter and Saint Paul Rocks (Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo)
Brazil
0 23 N
29 23 W

Saint Petersburg (city; former capital)
Russia
59 55 N
30 15 E

Saint Thomas (island)
Virgin Islands
18 21 N
64 55 W

Saint Vincent Passage
Atlantic Ocean
13 30 N
61 00 W

Saint-Denis (capital)
Reunion
20 52 S
55 28 E

Saint-Pierre (capital)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
46 46 N
56 11 W

Saipan (island)
Northern Mariana Islands
15 12 N
145 45 E

Sak'art'velo (local name for Georgia)
Georgia
42 00 N
43 30 E

Sakhalin Island (Ostrov Sakhalin)
Russia
51 00 N
143 00 E

Sakishima Islands
Japan
24 30 N
124 00 E

Sala y Gomez, Isla (island)
Chile
26 28 S
105 00 W

Salisbury (city; former name for Harare)
Zimbabwe
17 50 S
105 00 W

Salzburg (city)
Austria
47 48 N
13 02 E

Samar (island)
Philippines
12 00 N
125 00 E

Samaria (region)
West Bank
32 15 N
35 10 E

Samoa Islands
American Samoa, Samoa
14 00 S
171 00 W

Samos (island)
Greece
37 48 N
26 44 E

San Ambrosio, Isla (island)
Chile
26 21 S
79 52 W

San Andres y Providencia, Archipielago (island group)
Colombia
13 00 N
81 30 W

San Bernardino Strait
Pacific Ocean
12 32 N
124 10 E

San Felix, Isla (island)
Chile
26 17 S
80 05 W

San Jose (capital)
Costa Rica
9 56 N
84 05 W

San Juan (capital)
Puerto Rico
18 28 N
66 07 W

San Marino (capital)
San Marino
43 56 N
12 25 E

San Salvador (capital)
El Salvador
13 42 N
89 12 W

Sanaa (capital)
Yemen
15 21 N
44 12 E

Sandzak (region)
Montenegro, Serbia
43 05 N
19 45 E

Santa Cruz (city)
Bolivia
17 48 S
63 10 W

Santa Cruz Islands
Solomon Islands
11 00 S
166 15 E

Santa Sede (local name for the Holy See)
Holy See
41 54 N
12 27 E

Santiago (capital)
Chile
33 27 S
70 40 W

Santo Antao (island)
Cape Verde
17 05 N
25 10 W

Santo Domingo (capital)
Dominican Republic
18 28 N
69 54 W

Sao Paulo (city)
Brazil
23 35 S
46 43 W

Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo, Penedos de (rocks)
Brazil
0 23 N
29 23 W

Sao Tiago (island)
Cape Verde
15 05 N
23 40 W

Sao Tome (island)
Sao Tome and Principe
0 12 N
6 39 E

Sapporo (city)
Japan
43 04 N
141 20 E

Sapudi Strait
Pacific Ocean
7 05 S
114 10 E

Sarajevo (capital)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
43 52 N
18 25 E

Sarawak (state)
Malaysia
2 30 N
113 30 E

Sardinia (island)
Italy
40 00 N
9 00 E

Sargasso Sea (region)
Atlantic Ocean
30 00 N
55 00 W

Sark (island)
Guernsey
49 26 N
2 21 W

Savage Island (former name for Niue)
Niue
19 02 S
169 52 W

Savu Sea
Pacific Ocean
9 30 S
122 00 E

Saxony (region)
Germany
51 00 N
13 00 E

Schleswig-Holstein (region)
Germany
54 31 N
9 33 E

Schweiz (local German name for Switzerland)
Switzerland
47 00 N
8 00 E

Scopus, Mount
Israel, West Bank
31 48 N
35 14 E

Scotia Sea
Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean
56 00 S
40 00 W

Scotland (region)
United Kingdom
57 00 N
4 00 W

Scott Island
Antarctica
67 24 S
179 55 W

Senegambia (region; former name of confederation of Senegal and The Gambia)
The Gambia, Senegal
13 50 N
15 25 W

Senyavin Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
6 55 N
158 00 E

Seoul (capital)
South Korea
37 34 N
127 00 E

Serendib (former name for Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka
7 00 N
81 00 E

Serrana Bank (shoal)
Colombia
14 25 N
80 16 W

Serranilla Bank (shoal)
Colombia
15 51 N
79 46 W

Settlement, The (capital)
Christmas Island
10 25 S
105 43 E

Severnaya Zemlya (island group; also Northland)
Russia
79 30 N
98 00 E

Shaba (region)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
8 00 S
27 00 E

Shag Island
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
53 00 S
72 30 E

Shag Rocks
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
53 33 S
42 02 W

Shanghai (city)
China
31 14 N
121 30 E

Shenyang (city; also Mukden)
China
41 46 N
123 24 E

Shetland Islands
United Kingdom
60 30 N
1 30 W

Shikoku (island)
Japan
33 45 N
133 30 E

Shikotan (island)
Russia (de facto)
43 47 N
146 45 E

Shqiperia (local name for Albania)
Albania
41 00 N
20 00 E

Siam (former name for Thailand)
Thailand
15 00 N
100 00 E

Siberia (region)
Russia
60 00 N
100 00 E

Sibutu Passage
Pacific Ocean
4 50 N
119 35 E

Sicily (island)
Italy
37 30 N
14 00 E

Sicily, Strait of
Atlantic Ocean
37 20 N
11 20 E

Sidra, Gulf of
Atlantic Ocean
31 30 N
18 00 E

Sikkim (state)
India
27 50 N
88 30 E

Silesia (region)
Czech Republic, Germany, Poland
51 00 N
17 00 E

Sinai Peninsula
Egypt
29 30 N
34 00 E

Singapore (capital)
Singapore
1 17 N
103 51 E

Singapore Strait
Pacific Ocean
1 15 N
104 00 E

Sinkiang (autonomous region; also Xinjiang)
China
42 00 N
86 00 E

Sint Eustatius (island)
Netherlands Antilles
17 29 N
62 58 W

Sint Maarten (island; also Saint-Martin)
Netherlands Antilles
18 04 N
63 04 W

Sjaelland (island)
Denmark
55 30 N
12 00 E

Skagerrak (strait)
Atlantic Ocean
57 45 N
9 00 E

Skopje (capital)
Macedonia
41 59 N
21 26 E

Slavonia (region)
Croatia
45 27 N
18 00 E

Slovenija (local name for Slovenia)
Slovenia
46 00 N
15 00 E

Slovensko (local name for Slovakia)
Slovakia
48 40 N
19 30 E

Smyrna (region; former name for Izmir)
Turkey
38 25 N
27 10 E

Society Islands (Iles de la Societe)
French Polynesia
17 00 S
150 00 W

Socotra (island)
Yemen
12 30 N
54 00 E

Sofia (capital)
Bulgaria
42 41 N
23 19 E

Solomon Islands, northern
Papua New Guinea
6 00 S
155 00 E

Solomon Islands, southern
Solomon Islands
8 00 S
159 00 E

Solomon Sea
Pacific Ocean
8 00 S
153 00 E

Somaliland (region)
Somalia
9 30 N
46 00 E

Somers Islands (former name for Bermuda)
Bermuda
32 20 N
64 45 W

Songkhla (city)
Thailand
7 12 N
100 36 E

Sound, The (strait; also Oresund)
Atlantic Ocean
55 50 N
12 40 E

South Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
30 00 S
15 00 W

South China Sea
Pacific Ocean
10 00 N
113 00 E

South Georgia (island)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
54 15 S
36 45 W

South Island
New Zealand
43 00 S
171 00 E

South Korea
South Korea
37 00 N
127 30 E

South Orkney Islands
Antarctica
61 00 S
45 00 W

South Ossetia (region)
Georgia
42 20 N
44 00 E

South Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
30 00 S
130 00 W

South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
57 45 S
26 30 W

South Shetland Islands
Antarctica
62 00 S
59 00 W

South Tyrol (region)
Italy
46 30 N
10 30 E

South Vietnam (former name for the southern portion of Vietnam)
Vietnam
12 00 N
108 00 E

South Yemen (People's Democratic Republic of Yemen; now part of Yemen)
Yemen
14 00 N
48 00 E

South-West Africa (former name for Namibia)
Namibia
22 00 S
17 00 E

Southern Grenadines (island group)
Grenada
12 20 N
61 30 W

Southern Rhodesia (former name for Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe
20 00 S
30 00 E

Soviet Union (former name of a large Eurasian empire, roughly coequal with the former Russian Empire)
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Spanish Guinea (former name for Equatorial Guinea)
Equatorial Guinea
2 00 N
10 00 E

Spanish Morocco (former name for northern Morocco)
Morocco
32 00 N
7 00 W

Spanish North Africa (exclaves)
Spain (Ceuta, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera)
35 15 N
4 00 W

Spanish Sahara (former name)
Western Sahara
24 30 N
13 00 W

Spanish West Africa (former name for Ifni and Spanish Sahara)
Morocco, Western Sahara
25 00 N
13 00 W

Spice Islands (Moluccas)
Indonesia
2 00 S
28 00 E

Spitsbergen (island)
Svalbard
78 00 N
20 00 E

Srbija (local name for Serbia)
Serbia
44 00 N
21 00 E

St. John's (city)
Canada (Newfoundland)
47 34 N
52 43 W

Stanley (capital)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
51 42 S
57 41 W

Stockholm (capital)
Sweden
59 20 N
18 03 E

Strasbourg (city)
France
48 35 N
7 44 E

Stuttgart (city)
Germany
48 46 N
9 11 E

Sucre (constitutional capital)
Bolivia
19 02 S
65 17 W

Suez Canal
Egypt
29 55 N
32 33 E

Suez, Gulf of
Indian Ocean
28 10 N
33 27 E

Suisse (local French name for Switzerland)
Switzerland
47 00 N
8 00 E

Sulawesi (island; Celebes)
Indonesia
2 00 S
121 00 E

Sulawesi Sea
Pacific Ocean
3 00 N
122 00 E

Sulu Archipelago (island group)
Philippines
6 00 N
121 00 E

Sulu Sea
Pacific Ocean
8 00 N
120 00 E

Sumatra (island)
Indonesia
0 00 N
102 00 E

Sumba (island)
Indonesia
10 00 S
120 00 E

Sumba Strait
Pacific Ocean
9 10 S
120 00 E

Sumbawa (island)
Indonesia
8 30 S
118 00 E

Sunda Islands (Soenda Isles)
Indonesia, Malaysia
2 00 S
110 00 E

Sunda Strait
Indian Ocean
6 00 S
105 45 E

Suomi (local name for Finland)
Finland
64 00 N
26 00 E

Surabaya (city)
Indonesia
7 13 S
112 45 E

Surigao Strait
Pacific Ocean
10 15 N
125 23 E

Surinam (former name for Suriname)
Suriname
4 00 N
56 00 W

Suriyah (local name for Syria)
Syria
35 00 N
38 00 E

Surtsey (volcanic island)
Iceland
63 17 N
20 40 W

Suva (capital)
Fiji
18 08 S
178 25 E

Sverdlovsk (city; also Yekaterinburg)
Russia
56 50 N
60 39 E

Sverige (local name for Sweden)
Sweden
62 00 N
15 00 E

Svizzera (local Italian name for Switzerland)
Switzerland
47 00 N
8 00 E

Swains Island
American Samoa
11 03 S
171 15 W

Swan Islands
Honduras
17 25 S
83 56 W

Sydney (city)
Australia
33 53 S
151 13 E

T'bilisi (capital)
Georgia
41 43 N
44 49 E

Tadzhikistan (former name for Tajikistan)
Tajikistan
39 00 N
71 00 E

Tahiti (island)
French Polynesia
17 37 S
149 27 W

Taipei (capital)
Taiwan
25 03 N
121 30 E

Taiwan Strait
Pacific Ocean
24 00 N
119 00 E

Tallinn (capital)
Estonia
59 25 N
24 45 E

Tanganyika (former name for the mainland portion of Tanzania)
Tanzania
6 00 S
35 00 E

Tangier (city)
Morocco
35 48 N
5 45 W

Tannu-Tuva (region)
Russia
51 25 N
94 45 E

Tarawa (island)
Kiribati
1 25 N
173 00 E

Tartary, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
50 00 N
141 00 E

Tashkent (capital)
Uzbekistan
41 20 N
69 18 E

Tasman Sea
Pacific Ocean
4 30 S
168 00 E

Tasmania (island)
Australia
43 00 S
147 00 E

Tatar Strait
Pacific Ocean
50 00 N
141 00 E

Taymyr Peninsula (Poluostrov Taymyr)
Russia
76 00 N
104 00 E

Tchad (local name for Chad)
Chad
15 00 N
19 00 E

Tegucigalpa (capital)
Honduras
14 06 N
87 13 W

Tehran (capital)
Iran
35 40 N
51 26 E

Tel Aviv (capital, de facto)
Israel
32 05 N
34 48 E

Teluk Bone (gulf)
Pacific Ocean
4 00 S
120 45 E

Teluk Tomini (gulf)
Pacific Ocean
0 30 S
121 00 E

Terre Adelie (claimed by France; also Adelie Land)
Antarctica
66 30 S
139 00 E

Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises (local name for the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
43 00 S
67 00 E

Thailand, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
10 00 N
101 00 E

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia
41 50 N
22 00 E

Thessaloniki (city; also Salonika)
Greece
40 38 N
22 57 E

Thimphu (capital)
Bhutan
27 28 N
89 39 E

Thuringia (region)
Germany
51 00 N
11 00 E

Thurston Island
Antarctica
72 20 S
99 00 W

Tiberias, Lake
Israel
32 48 N
35 35 E

Tibet (autonomous region; also Xizang)
China
32 00 N
90 00 E

Tibilisi (see T'bilisi)
Georgia
41 43 N
44 49 E

Tien Shan (mountains)
China, Kyrgyzstan
42 00 N
80 00 E

Tierra del Fuego (island, island group)
Argentina, Chile
54 00 S
69 00 W

Timor (island)
Timor-Leste, Indonesia
9 00 S
125 00 E

Timor Lorosa'e (local name for Timor-Leste)
Timor-Leste
9 00 N
126 00 E

Timor Sea
Pacific Ocean
11 00 S
128 00 E

Tinian (island)
Northern Mariana Islands
15 00 N
145 38 E

Tiran, Strait of
Indian Ocean
28 00 N
34 27 E

Tirana, Tirane (capital)
Albania
41 20 N
19 50 E

Tirol, Tyrol (region)
Austria, Italy
47 00 N
11 00 E

Tobago (island)
Trinidad and Tobago
11 15 N
60 40 W

Tokyo (capital)
Japan
35 42 N
139 46 E

Tonkin, Gulf of
Pacific Ocean
20 00 N
108 00 E

Toronto (city)
Canada
43 40 N
79 23 W

Torres Strait
Pacific Ocean
10 25 S
142 10 E

Torshavn (capital)
Faroe Islands
62 01 N
6 46 W

Toshkent (see Tashkent)
Uzbekistan
41 20 N
69 18 E

Transcarpathia (region; alternate name for Carpatho-Ukraine)
Ukraine
48 22 N
23 32 E

Transjordan (former name for Jordan)
Jordan
31 00 N
36 00 E

Transkei (enclave)
South Africa
32 15 S
28 15 E

Transvaal (region; former name for northeastern South Africa)
South Africa
25 10 S
29 25 E

Transylvania (region)
Romania
46 30 N
24 00 E

Trindade, Ilha de (island)
Brazil
20 31 S
29 20 W

Trinidad (island)
Trinidad and Tobago
10 22 N
61 15 W

Tripoli (capital)
Libya
32 54 N
13 11 E

Tripoli (city)
Lebanon
34 26 N
35 51 E

Tripolitania (region)
Libya
31 00 N
14 00 E

Tristan da Cunha Group (island group)
Saint Helena
37 15 S
12 30 W

Trobriand Islands
Papua New Guinea
8 38 S
151 04 E

Trucial Coast (former name for the United Arab Emirates)
United Arab Emirates
24 00 N
54 00 E

Trucial Oman (former name for the United Arab Emirates)
United Arab Emirates
24 00 N
54 00 E

Trucial States (former name for the United Arab Emirates)
United Arab Emirates
24 00 N
54 00 E

Truk Islands (former name for the Chuuk Islands)
Federated States of Micronesia
7 25 N
151 47 E

Tsugaru Strait
Pacific Ocean
41 35 N
141 00 E

Tuamotu Islands (Iles Tuamotu)
French Polynesia
19 00 S
142 00 W

Tubuai Islands (Iles Tubuai)
French Polynesia
23 00 S
150 00 W

Tunb al Kubra (island)
Iran
26 14 N
55 19 E

Tunb as Sughra (island)
Iran
26 14 N
55 09 E

Tunis (capital)
Tunisia
36 48 N
10 11 E

Turin (city)
Italy
45 04 N
7 40 E

Turkish Straits (see Bosporus and Dardenelles)
Atlantic Ocean
40 40 N
28 00 E

Turkiye (local name for Turkey)
Turkey
39 00 N
35 00 E

Turkmenia, Turkmeniya (former name for Turkmenistan)
Turkmenistan
40 00 N
60 00 E

Turks Island Passage
Atlantic Ocean
21 40 N
71 00 W

Tuscany (region)
Italy
43 25 N
11 00 E

Tutuila (island)
American Samoa
14 18 S
170 42 W

Tyrrhenian Sea
Atlantic Ocean
40 00 N
12 00 E

Ubangi-Shari (former name for the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
6 38 N
20 33 E

Ukrayina (local name for Ukraine)
Ukraine
49 00 N
32 00 E

Ulaanbaatar (capital)
Mongolia
47 55 N
106 53 E

Ullung-do (island)
South Korea
37 29 N
130 52 E

Ulster (region)
Ireland, United Kingdom
54 35 N
7 00 W

Uman (local name for Oman)
Oman
21 00 N
57 00 E

Unimak Pass (strait)
Pacific Ocean
54 20 N
164 50 W

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or USSR (former name of a large Eurasian empire, roughly coequal with the former Russian Empire)
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

United Arab Republic or UAR (former name for a federation between Egypt and Syria)
Egypt, Syria

Upper Volta (former name for Burkina Faso)
Burkina Faso
13 00 N
2 00 W

Ural Mountains
Kazakhstan, Russia
60 00 N
60 00 E

Urdunn (local name for Jordan)
Jordan
31 00 N
36 00 E

Urundi (former name for Burundi)
Burundi
3 30 S
30 00 E

Ussuri River
China, Russia
48 28 N
135 02 E

Vaduz (capital)
Liechtenstein
47 09 N
9 31 E

Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
Afghanistan
37 00 N
73 00 E

Valletta (capital)
Malta
35 54 N
14 31 E

Valley, The (capital)
Anguilla
18 13 N
63 04 W

Van Diemen Strait (Osumi Strait)
Pacific Ocean
31 00 N
131 00 E

Vancouver (city)
Canada
49 16 N
123 08 W

Vancouver Island
Canada
49 45 N
126 00 W

Vatican City (capital)
Holy See
41 54 N
12 27 E

Velez de la Gomera, Penon de (island)
Spain
35 11 N
4 18 W

Venda (enclave)
South Africa
23 00 S
31 00 E

Verde Island Passage
Pacific Ocean
13 34 N
120 51 E

Victoria (capital)
Seychelles
4 38 S
55 27 E

Victoria (island)
Canada
71 00 N
110 00 W

Victoria Land (region)
Antarctica
72 00 S
155 00 E

Vienna (capital)
Austria
48 12 N
16 22 E

Vientiane (capital)
Laos
17 58 N
102 36 E

Vilnius (capital)
Lithuania
54 41 N
25 19 E

Viti Levu (island)
Fiji
18 00 S
178 00 E

Vladivostok (city)
Russia
43 10 N
131 56 E

Vojvodina (region)
Serbia
45 35 N
20 00 E

Volcano Islands
Japan
25 00 N
141 00 E

Vostok Island
Kiribati
10 06 S
152 23 W

Wake Atoll
Wake Island
19 17 N
166 39 E

Wakhan Corridor (see Vakhan)
Afghanistan
37 00 N
73 00 E

Walachia (region)
Romania
44 45 N
26 05 E

Wales (region)
United Kingdom
52 30 N
3 30 W

Wallis Islands
Wallis and Futuna
13 17 S
176 10 W

Walvis Bay (city; former exclave)
Namibia
22 59 S
14 31 E

Warsaw (capital)
Poland
52 15 N
21 00 E

Washington, DC (capital)
United States
38 53 N
77 02 W

Weddell Sea
Southern Ocean
72 00 S
45 00 W

Wellington (capital)
New Zealand
41 28 S
174 51 E

West Frisian Islands
Netherlands
53 26 N
5 30 E

West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany; former name for western portion of Germany)
Germany
53 22 N
5 20 E

West Island (capital)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
12 10 S
96 55 E

West Korea Strait (Western Channel)
Pacific Ocean
34 40 N
129 00 E

West Pakistan (former name for present-day Pakistan)
Pakistan
30 00 N
70 00 E

West Siberian Plain
Russia
60 00 N
75 00 E

Western Channel (West Korea Strait)
Pacific Ocean
34 40 N
129 00 E

Western Samoa (former name for Samoa)
Samoa
13 35 S
172 20 W

Wetar Strait
Pacific Ocean
8 20 S
126 30 E

White Sea
Arctic Ocean
65 30 N
38 00 E

Wilkes Land (region)
Antarctica
71 00 S
120 00 E

Willemstad (capital)
Netherlands Antilles
12 06 N
68 56 W

Windhoek (capital)
Namibia
22 34 S
17 06 E

Windward Passage
Atlantic Ocean
20 00 N
73 50 W

Winnipeg (city)
Canada
49 53 N
97 10 W

Wrangel Island (Ostrov Vrangelya)
Russia
71 14 N
179 36 W

Xianggang (local name for Hong Kong)
Hong Kong
22 15 N
114 10 E

Y'israel (local name for Israel)
Israel
31 30 N
34 45 E

Yaitopya (local name for Ethiopia)
Ethiopia
8 00 N
38 00 E

Yalu River
China, North Korea
39 55 N
124 20 E

Yamoussoukro (capital)
Cote d'Ivoire
6 49 N
5 17 W

Yangon (see Rangoon)
Burma
16 47 N
96 10 E

Yaounde (capital)
Cameroon
3 52 N
11 31 E

Yap Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
9 30 N
138 00 E

Yaren (governmental center)
Nauru
0 32 S
166 55 E

Yekaterinburg (city; formerly Sverdlovsk)
Russia
56 50 N
60 39 E

Yellow Sea
Pacific Ocean
36 00 N
123 00 E

Yemen Arab Republic (also Yemen (Sanaa); former name for northern portion of Yemen)
Yemen
15 00 N
44 00 E

Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of (also Yemen (Aden); former name for southern portion of Yemen)
Yemen
14 00 N
46 00 E

Yerevan (capital)
Armenia
40 11 N
44 30 E

Yokohama (city)
Japan
35 26 N
139 37 E

Youth, Isle of (Isla de la Juventud)
Cuba
21 40 N
82 50 W

Yucatan Channel
Atlantic Ocean
21 45 N
85 45 W

Yucatan Peninsula
Mexico
19 30 N
89 00 W

Yugoslavia (former name for a federation of Serbia and Montenegro)
Montenegro, Serbia
43 00 N
21 00 E

Yugoslavia, Kingdom of (former name for a Balkan federation)
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia
43 00 N
19 00 E

Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of (former name for a Balkan federation)
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia
43 00 N
19 00 E

Zagreb (capital)
Croatia
45 48 N
15 58 E

Zaire (former name for the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
15 00 S
30 00 E

Zakhalinskiy Zaliv (bay)
Pacific Ocean
54 00 N
142 00 E

Zaliv Shelikhova (bay)
Pacific Ocean
60 00 N
157 30 E

Zambezia (region)
Mozambique
16 00 S
37 00 E

Zanzibar (island)
Tanzania
6 10 S
39 11 E

Zhong Guo, Zhonghua (local name for China)
China
35 00 N
105 00 E

Zion, Mount (locale in Jerusalem)
Israel, West Bank
31 46 N
35 14 E

Zurich (city)
Switzerland
47 23 N
8 32 E

Contributors and Copyright Infomation

The World Factbook is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements. Information is provided by Antarctic Information Program (National Science Foundation), Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), Central Intelligence Agency, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Defense Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Department of Energy, Department of State, Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior), Maritime Administration (Department of Transportation), National Center for Medical Intelligence (Department of Defense), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (Department of Defense), Office of Insular Affairs (Department of the Interior), Office of Naval Intelligence (Department of Defense), US Board on Geographic Names (Department of the Interior), US Transportation Command (Department of Defense), Oil & Gas Journal, and other public and private sources.

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Africa

Antarctic Region

Arctic Region

Asia

Central America and the Caribbean

Europe

Middle East

North America

South America

Southeast Asia

Oceania

Physical Map of the World

Political Map of the World

Standard Time Zones of the World

United States

Flag of Aruba

Flag Description:

blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Antigua and Barbuda

Flag Description:

red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of United Arab Emirates

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Afghanistan

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other two bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Algeria

Flag Description:

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Azerbaijan

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Albania

Flag Description:

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Armenia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Andorra

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Angola

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of American Samoa

Flag Description:

blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Argentina

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Australia

Flag Description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Flag Description:

the flag of Australia is used

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Austria

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Anguilla

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Akrotiri

Flag Description:

the flag of the UK is used

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Bahrain

Flag Description:

red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Barbados

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Botswana

Flag Description:

light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Bermuda

Flag Description:

red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Belgium

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Bahamas

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Bangladesh

Flag Description:

green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Belize

Flag Description:

blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Flag Description:

a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Bolivia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Burma

Flag Description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 14, white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions and seven states

- Country Listing

- Reference Maps

- Appendixes

- Flags of the World

Flag of Benin

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side

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Flag of Belarus

Flag Description:

red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red

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Flag of Solomon Islands

Flag Description:

divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green

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Flag of Navassa Island

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Brazil

Flag Description:

green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

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Flag of Bhutan

Flag Description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

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Flag of Bulgaria

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red

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Flag of Bouvet Island

Flag Description:

the flag of Norway is used

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Flag of Brunei

Flag Description:

yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

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Flag of Burundi

Flag Description:

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)

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Flag of Canada

Flag Description:

two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

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Flag of Cambodia

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band

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Flag of Curacao

Flag Description:

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Flag of Chad

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red

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Flag of Sri Lanka

Flag Description:

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

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Flag of Congo

Flag Description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red

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Flag of Congo

Flag Description:

sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner

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Flag of China

Flag Description:

red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

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Flag of Chile

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence

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Flag of Cayman Islands

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

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Flag of Cocos

Flag Description:

the flag of Australia is used

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Flag of Cameroon

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

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Flag of Comoros

Flag Description:

four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, N'gazidja, Nzwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)

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Flag of Colombia

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red

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Flag of Northern Mariana Islands

Flag Description:

blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

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Flag of Coral Sea Islands

Flag Description:

the flag of Australia is used

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Flag of Costa Rica

Flag Description:

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

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Flag of Central African Republic

Flag Description:

four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band

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Flag of Cuba

Flag Description:

five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

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Flag of Cape Verde

Flag Description:

five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side

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Flag of Cook Islands

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

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Flag of Cyprus

Flag Description:

white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities

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Flag of Denmark

Flag Description:

red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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Flag of Djibouti

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

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Flag of Dominica

Flag Description:

green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

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Flag of Jarvis Island

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Dominican Republic

Flag Description:

a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

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Flag of Dhekelia

Flag Description:

the flag of the UK is used

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Flag of Ecuador

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

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Flag of European Union

Flag Description:

blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars is fixed

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Flag of Egypt

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

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Flag of Ireland

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

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Flag of Equatorial Guinea

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

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Flag of Estonia

Flag Description:

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

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Flag of Eritrea

Flag Description:

red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

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Flag of El Salvador

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

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Flag of Ethiopia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors

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Flag of Czech Republic

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

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Flag of Finland

Flag Description:

white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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Flag of Fiji

Flag Description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

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Flag of Falkland Islands

Flag Description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

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Flag of Micronesia

Flag Description:

light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

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Flag of Faroe Islands

Flag Description:

white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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Flag of French Polynesia

Flag Description:

two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

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Flag of Baker Island

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of France

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas

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Flag of French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Flag Description:

the flag of France is used

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Flag of Gambia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

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Flag of Gabon

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

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Flag of Georgia

Flag Description:

white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century

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Flag of Ghana

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

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Flag of Gibraltar

Flag Description:

two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

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Flag of Grenada

Flag Description:

a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions

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Flag of Guernsey

Flag Description:

white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

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Flag of Greenland

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white

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Flag of Germany

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

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Flag of Guam

Flag Description:

territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

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Flag of Greece

Flag Description:

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country

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Flag of Guatemala

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

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Flag of Guinea

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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Flag of Guyana

Flag Description:

green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green

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Flag of Haiti

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

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Flag of Hong Kong

Flag Description:

red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

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Flag of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Flag Description:

the flag of Australia is used

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Flag of Honduras

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

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Flag of Howland Island

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Croatia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

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Flag of Hungary

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

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Flag of Iceland

Flag Description:

blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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Flag of Indonesia

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red

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Flag of Isle of Man

Flag Description:

red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

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Flag of India

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band

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Flag of British Indian Ocean Territory

Flag Description:

white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

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Flag of Clipperton Island

Flag Description:

the flag of France is used

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Flag of Iran

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band

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Flag of Israel

Flag Description:

white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

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Flag of Italy

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797

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Flag of Cote d

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green

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Flag of Iraq

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors; Council of Representatives approved this flag as a compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag

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Flag of Japan

Flag Description:

white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

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Flag of Jersey

Flag Description:

white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with the three lions of England in yellow

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Flag of Jamaica

Flag Description:

diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

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Flag of Jan Mayen

Flag Description:

the flag of Norway is used

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Flag of Jordan

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

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Flag of Johnston Atoll

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Kenya

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center

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Flag of Kyrgyzstan

Flag Description:

red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

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Flag of Korea

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

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Flag of Kosovo

Flag Description:

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Flag of Kingman Reef

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Kiribati

Flag Description:

the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

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Flag of Korea

Flag Description:

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

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Flag of Christmas Island

Flag Description:

territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island

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Flag of Kuwait

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

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Flag of Kosovo

Flag Description:

centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars - each representing one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo - arrayed in a slight arc

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Flag of Kazakhstan

Flag Description:

sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle in the center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

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Flag of Laos

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

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Flag of Lebanon

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

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Flag of Latvia

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

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Flag of Lithuania

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

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Flag of Liberia

Flag Description:

11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

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Flag of Slovakia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side

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Flag of Palmyra Atoll

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Liechtenstein

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

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Flag of Lesotho

Flag Description:

three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

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Flag of Luxembourg

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

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Flag of Libya

Flag Description:

plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

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Flag of Madagascar

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

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Flag of Macau

Flag Description:

light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller

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Flag of Moldova

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; same color scheme as Romania

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Flag of Mayotte

Flag Description:

unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France

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Flag of Mongolia

Flag Description:

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

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Flag of Montserrat

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

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Flag of Malawi

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

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Flag of Montenegro

Flag Description:

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

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Flag of Macedonia

Flag Description:

a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field

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Flag of Mali

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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Flag of Monaco

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

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Flag of Morocco

Flag Description:

red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912

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Flag of Mauritius

Flag Description:

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

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Flag of Midway Islands

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Mauritania

Flag Description:

green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

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Flag of Malta

Flag Description:

two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red

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Flag of Oman

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

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Flag of Maldives

Flag Description:

red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

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Flag of Mexico

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band

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Flag of Malaysia

Flag Description:

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

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Flag of Mozambique

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

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Flag of New Caledonia

Flag Description:

the flag of France is used

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Flag of Niue

Flag Description:

yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each arm of the bold red cross

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Flag of Norfolk Island

Flag Description:

three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band

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Flag of Niger

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

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Flag of Vanuatu

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow

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Flag of Nigeria

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

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Flag of Netherlands

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

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Flag of Norway

Flag Description:

red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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Flag of Nepal

Flag Description:

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

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Flag of Nauru

Flag Description:

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

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Flag of Suriname

Flag Description:

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

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Flag of Netherlands Antilles

Flag Description:

white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

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Flag of Nicaragua

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

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Flag of New Zealand

Flag Description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

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Flag of Paraguay

Flag Description:

three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

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Flag of Pitcairn Islands

Flag Description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

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Flag of Peru

Flag Description:

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

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Flag of Pakistan

Flag Description:

green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

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Flag of Poland

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

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Flag of Panama

Flag Description:

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center

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Flag of Portugal

Flag Description:

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line

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Flag of Papua New Guinea

Flag Description:

divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

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Flag of Palau

Flag Description:

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

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Flag of Guinea-Bissau

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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Flag of Qatar

Flag Description:

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

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Flag of Serbia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side

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Flag of Marshall Islands

Flag Description:

blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

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Flag of Saint Martin

Flag Description:

the flag of France is used

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Flag of Romania

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

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Flag of Philippines

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown upside down with the red band at the top

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Flag of Puerto Rico

Flag Description:

five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

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Flag of Russia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

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Flag of Rwanda

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band

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Flag of Saudi Arabia

Flag Description:

green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

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Flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Flag Description:

a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions

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Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag Description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

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Flag of Seychelles

Flag Description:

five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

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Flag of South Africa

Flag Description:

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

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Flag of Senegal

Flag Description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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Flag of Saint Helena

Flag Description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

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Flag of Slovenia

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands

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Flag of Sint Maarten

Flag Description:

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Flag of Sierra Leone

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

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Flag of San Marino

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

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Flag of Singapore

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

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Flag of Somalia

Flag Description:

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

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Flag of Spain

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe

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Flag of Saint Lucia

Flag Description:

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

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Flag of Sudan

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

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Flag of Svalbard

Flag Description:

the flag of Norway is used

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Flag of Sweden

Flag Description:

blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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Flag of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

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Flag of Syria

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980

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Flag of Switzerland

Flag Description:

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

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Flag of Saint Barthelemy

Flag Description:

the flag of France is used

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Flag of Trinidad and Tobago

Flag Description:

red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

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Flag of Thailand

Flag Description:

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

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Flag of Tajikistan

Flag Description:

three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

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Flag of Turks and Caicos Islands

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

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Flag of Tokelau

Flag Description:

the flag of New Zealand is used

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Flag of Tonga

Flag Description:

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

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Flag of Togo

Flag Description:

five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square is in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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Flag of Sao Tome and Principe

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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Flag of Tunisia

Flag Description:

red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

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Flag of Timor-Leste

Flag Description:

red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; a white star is in the center of the black triangle

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Flag of Turkey

Flag Description:

red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening

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Flag of Tuvalu

Flag Description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

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Flag of Taiwan

Flag Description:

red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

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Flag of Turkmenistan

Flag Description:

green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or welayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

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Flag of Texas

Flag Description:

one blue vertical stripe that has a width equal to one-third the length of the flag, and two equal horizontal stripes, with the upper stripe white, the lower stripe red, and each having a length equal to two-thirds the length of the flag; one white, regular five-pointed star located in the center of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point faces upward, and sized so that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is equal to three-fourths the width of the blue stripe

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Flag of Tanzania

Flag Description:

divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

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Flag of Uganda

Flag Description:

six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side

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Flag of United Kingdom

Flag Description:

blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories

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Flag of United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Ukraine

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grain fields under a blue sky

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Flag of United States

Flag Description:

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

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Flag of Burkina Faso

Flag Description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center

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Flag of Uruguay

Flag Description:

nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy

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Flag of Uzbekistan

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

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Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag Description:

three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

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Flag of Venezuela

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

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Flag of British Virgin Islands

Flag Description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

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Flag of Vietnam

Flag Description:

red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

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Flag of Virgin Islands

Flag Description:

white field with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

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Flag of Holy See

Flag Description:

two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band

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Flag of Namibia

Flag Description:

a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green

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Flag of Wallis and Futuna

Flag Description:

unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag

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Flag of Wake Island

Flag Description:

the flag of the US is used

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Flag of Samoa

Flag Description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

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Flag of Swaziland

Flag Description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

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Flag of Yemen

Flag Description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, and of Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

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Flag of Zambia

Flag Description:

green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag

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Flag of Zimbabwe

Flag Description:

seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

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