Major International Organizations
International organizations bring countries together to cooperate on global issues such as peace, health, trade, labour, education, finance, agriculture, science, environment and development.
This page provides a quick reference to important international organizations along with their full forms, established dates, headquarters, categories and primary purposes.
Showing all organizations
United Nations
UN
United Nations
Established:
24 October 1945
Headquarters:
New York City, USA
Purpose
Maintains international peace and security,
promotes cooperation among nations,
protects human rights and supports
international development.
Health
WHO
World Health Organization
Established:
7 April 1948
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Provides international leadership and
coordination on global health matters
and works toward the highest attainable
level of health for all people.
Finance
IMF
International Monetary Fund
Established:
27 December 1945
Headquarters:
Washington, D.C., USA
Purpose
Promotes international monetary cooperation,
financial stability and sustainable economic
growth and provides financial assistance
to member countries.
Finance & Development
World Bank
World Bank Group
Established:
1944
Headquarters:
Washington, D.C., USA
Purpose
Provides financing, knowledge and technical
assistance to developing countries to reduce
poverty and promote sustainable development.
International Trade
WTO
World Trade Organization
Established:
1 January 1995
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Provides a framework for international trade,
helps negotiate trade agreements and supports
the settlement of trade disputes.
Education, Science & Culture
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization
Established:
16 November 1945
Headquarters:
Paris, France
Purpose
Promotes education, science, culture,
communication and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage.
Children & Human Development
UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund
Established:
11 December 1946
Headquarters:
New York City, USA
Purpose
Protects children's rights and supports
health, nutrition, education, protection
and development of children worldwide.
Labour
ILO
International Labour Organization
Established:
29 October 1919
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Promotes decent work, labour rights,
social justice and international
labour standards.
Food & Agriculture
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
Established:
16 October 1945
Headquarters:
Rome, Italy
Purpose
Leads international efforts to fight hunger,
improve food security and promote sustainable
agriculture and food systems.
Nuclear Science
IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
Established:
29 July 1957
Headquarters:
Vienna, Austria
Purpose
Promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy
and works to prevent the spread of nuclear
weapons through safeguards and verification.
Civil Aviation
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
Established:
4 April 1947
Headquarters:
Montreal, Canada
Purpose
Develops international standards and
policies for safe, secure and efficient
civil aviation.
Maritime Transport
IMO
International Maritime Organization
Established:
17 March 1958
Headquarters:
London, United Kingdom
Purpose
Promotes safe, secure, environmentally
sound and efficient international shipping.
Telecommunications
ITU
International Telecommunication Union
Established:
17 May 1865
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Coordinates international telecommunications
and information and communication technologies
and develops technical standards.
Intellectual Property
WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization
Established:
14 July 1967
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Promotes and protects intellectual property
through international cooperation and
legal frameworks.
Meteorology
WMO
World Meteorological Organization
Established:
23 March 1950
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Promotes international cooperation in
meteorology, climatology, hydrology and
related Earth sciences.
Postal Services
UPU
Universal Postal Union
Established:
9 October 1874
Headquarters:
Bern, Switzerland
Purpose
Coordinates international postal services
and develops standards for worldwide
postal cooperation.
Industrial Development
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Established:
17 November 1966
Headquarters:
Vienna, Austria
Purpose
Promotes inclusive and sustainable
industrial development, particularly
in developing countries.
Agriculture & Rural Development
IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Established:
1977
Headquarters:
Rome, Italy
Purpose
Works to reduce rural poverty and hunger
by investing in rural people and
agricultural development.
Development
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme
Established:
1965
Headquarters:
New York City, USA
Purpose
Supports countries in reducing poverty,
building resilient institutions and
achieving sustainable development.
Environment
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme
Established:
1972
Headquarters:
Nairobi, Kenya
Purpose
Coordinates international environmental
action and promotes protection of the
global environment.
Refugees & Humanitarian Affairs
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Established:
14 December 1950
Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland
Purpose
Protects refugees, displaced people and
stateless persons and helps find durable
solutions for displacement.
Food Assistance
WFP
World Food Programme
Established:
1961
Headquarters:
Rome, Italy
Purpose
Provides food assistance and works to
combat hunger and improve food security
during emergencies and crises.
International Law Enforcement
INTERPOL
International Criminal Police Organization
Established:
7 September 1923
Headquarters:
Lyon, France
Purpose
Facilitates international police cooperation
and assists law enforcement agencies in
combating transnational crime.
Energy
OPEC
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
Established:
14 September 1960
Headquarters:
Vienna, Austria
Purpose
Coordinates and unifies petroleum policies
among member countries and seeks to
stabilize international oil markets.
Economic Cooperation
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Established:
30 September 1961
Headquarters:
Paris, France
Purpose
Promotes policies that improve economic
and social well-being and provides a forum
for governments to cooperate on policy.
South Asian Regional Cooperation
SAARC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
Established:
8 December 1985
Headquarters:
Kathmandu, Nepal
Purpose
Promotes regional cooperation and
development among South Asian countries.
Southeast Asian Cooperation
ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Established:
8 August 1967
Headquarters:
Jakarta, Indonesia
Purpose
Promotes economic growth, social progress,
cultural development and regional peace
and stability in Southeast Asia.
Defence & Security
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Established:
4 April 1949
Headquarters:
Brussels, Belgium
Purpose
Provides collective defence and promotes
security and political cooperation among
its member countries.
Global Economic Forum
G20
Group of Twenty
Established:
1999
Headquarters:
No permanent headquarters
Purpose
Provides a forum for major economies
to discuss international economic,
financial and development issues.
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