The 2008 CIA World Factbook, United States. Central Intelligence Agency [primary phonics books .TXT] 📗

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,