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Home  »  The World Factbook, 2008  »  Abbreviations

The World Factbook. 2008.

Abbreviations

ABEDAArab Bank for Economic Development in Africa
ACCTAgency for the French-Speaking Community (see International Organization of the French-speaking World)
ACP GroupAfrican, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States
AfDBAfrican Development Bank
AFESDArab Fund for Economic and Social Development
Air PollutionConvention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
Air Pollution-Nitrogen OxidesProtocol 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 PollutantsProtocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85Protocol 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 94Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic CompoundsProtocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
AMFArab Monetary Fund
AMUArab Maghreb Union
Antarctic-Environmental ProtocolProtocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
Antarctic Marine Living ResourcesConvention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
Antarctic SealsConvention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
ANZUSAustralia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty
APECAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
ArabsatArab Satellite Communications Organization
ARFASEAN Regional Forum
ADBAsian Development Bank
ASEANAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations
AUAfrican Union
AutodinAutomatic Digital Network
BABaltic Assembly
bbl/daybarrels per day
BCIECentral American Bank for Economic Integration
BDEACCentral African States Development Bank
BeneluxBenelux Economic Union
BIMSTECBay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
BiodiversityConvention on Biological Diversity
BGNUnited States Board on Geographic Names
BISBank for International Settlements
BSECBlack Sea Economic Cooperation Zone
CCommonwealth
c.i.f.cost, insurance, and freight
CACMCentral American Common Market
CAEUCouncil of Arab Economic Unity
CANAndean Community of Nations
CaricomCaribbean Community and Common Market
CBcitizen’s band mobile radio communications
CBSSCouncil of the Baltic Sea States
CCCCustoms Cooperation Council
CDBCaribbean Development Bank
CECouncil of Europe
CEICentral European Initiative
CEMACEconomic and Monetary Community of Central Africa
CEPGLEconomic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
CERNEuropean Organization for Nuclear Research
CEPTConference Europeanne des Poste et Telecommunications
CISCommonwealth of Independent States
CITESsee Endangered Species
Climate ChangeUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Climate Change-Kyoto ProtocolKyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
COCOMCoordinating Committee on Export Controls
ComsatCommunications Satellite Corporation
COMESACommon Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
CPColombo Plan
CPLPComunidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa
CSTOCollective Security Treaty Organization
CTBTOPreparation commission for the Nuclear-Ban-Treaty Operation
CYcalendar year
DCdeveloped country
DDTdichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane
DesertificationUnited Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
DIAUnited States Defense Intelligence Agency
DSNDefense Switched Network
DSTdaylight savings time
DWTdeadweight ton
EACEast African Community
EADBEast African Development Bank
EAECEurasian Economic Community
EAPCEuro-Atlantic Partnership Council
EBRDEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ECEuropean Community
ECAEconomic Commission for Africa
ECEEconomic Commission for Europe
ECLACEconomic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
ECOEconomic Cooperation Organization
ECOSOCEconomic and Social Council
ECOWASEconomic Community of West African States
ECSCEuropean Coal and Steel Community
EECEuropean Economic Community
EFTAEuropean Free Trade Association
EEZexclusive economic zone
EIBEuropean Investment Bank
EMUEuropean Monetary Union
Endangered SpeciesConvention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
EntenteCouncil of the Entente
Environmental ModificationConvention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
ESAEuropean Space Agency
ESCAPEconomic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
ESCWAEconomic and Social Commission for Western Asia
est.estimate
EUEuropean Union
EuratomEuropean Atomic Energy Community
EutelsatEuropean Telecommunications Satellite Organization
Ex-ImExport-Import Bank of the United States
f.o.b.free on board
FAOFood and Agriculture Organization
FAXfacsimile
FLSFront Line States
FOCflags of convenience
FSUformer Soviet Union
FYfiscal year
FZFranc Zone
G-2Group of 2
G-3Group of 3
G-5Group of 5
G-6Group of 6
G-7Group of 7
G-8Group of 8
G-9Group of 9
G-10Group of 10
G-15Group of 15
G-11Group of 11
G-24Group of 24
G-77Group of 77
GATTGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO
GCCGulf Cooperation Council
GCTUGeneral Confederation of Trade Unions
GDPgross domestic product
GMTGreenwich Mean Time
GNPgross national product
GRTgross register ton
GSMglobal system for mobile cellular communications
GUAMOrganization for Democracy and Economic Development; acronym for member states – Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova
GWPgross world product
Hazardous WastesBasel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
HFhigh-frequency
HIV/AIDShuman immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome
IADBInter-American Development Bank
IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency
IANAInternet Assigned Numbers Authority
IBRDInternational Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)
ICAOInternational Civil Aviation Organization
ICCInternational Chamber of Commerce
ICCtInternational Criminal Court
ICJInternational Court of Justice (World Court)
ICRCInternational Committee of the Red Cross
ICRMInternational Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
ICSIDInternational Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes
ICTRInternational Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
ICTYInternational Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
IDAInternational Development Association
IDBIslamic Development Bank
IDPInternally Displaced Person
IEAInternational Energy Agency
IFADInternational Fund for Agricultural Development
IFCInternational Finance Corporation
IFRCSInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
IGADInter-Governmental Authority on Development
IHOInternational Hydrographic Organization
ILOInternational Labor Organization
IMFInternational Monetary Fund
IMOInternational Maritime Organization
IMSOInternational Mobile Satellite Organization
InmarsatInternational Maritime Satellite Organization
InOCIndian Ocean Commission
INSTRAWInternational Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women
IntelsatInternational Telecommunications Satellite Organization
InterpolInternational Criminal Police Organization
IntersputnikInternational Organization of Space Communications
IOCInternational Olympic Committee
IOMInternational Organization for Migration
IPUInter-parliamentary Union
ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
ISPInternet Service Provider
ITSOInternational Telecommunications Satellites Organization
ITUInternational Telecommunication Union
ITUCInternational Trade Union Confederation, the successor to ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) and the WCL (World Confederation of Labor)
kHzkilohertz
kmkilometer
kWkilowatt
kWhkilowatt-hour
LAESLatin American Economic System
LAIALatin American Integration Association
LASLeague of Arab States
Law of the SeaUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
LDCless developed country
LLDCleast developed country
London Conventionsee Marine Dumping
LOSsee Law of the Sea
mmeter
MarecsMaritime European Communications Satellite
Marine DumpingConvention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter
Marine Life ConservationConvention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas
MARPOLsee Ship Pollution
MedarabtelMiddle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union
MercosurSouthern Cone Common Market
MHzmegahertz
MICAHInternational Civilian Support Mission in Haiti
MINURSOUnited Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
MIGAMultilateral Investment Geographic Agency
MINUSTAHUnited Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
MONUCUnited Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
NAnot available
NAFTANorth American Free Trade Agreement
NAMNonaligned Movement
NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization
NCNordic Council
NEANuclear Energy Agency
NEGLnegligible
NGANational Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
NIBNordic Investment Bank
NICnewly industrializing country
NIEnewly industrializing economy
NISnew independent states
nmnautical mile
NMTNordic Mobile Telephone
NSGNuclear Suppliers Group
Nuclear Test BanTreaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water
NZNew Zealand
OAPECOrganization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
OASOrganization of American States
OAUOrganization of African Unity; see African Union
ODAofficial development assistance
OECDOrganization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OECSOrganization of Eastern Caribbean States
OHCHROffice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
OICOrganization of the Islamic Conference
OIFInternational Organization of the French-speaking World
ONUBUnited Nations Operation in Burundi
OOFother official flows
OPANALAgency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean
OPCWOrganization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
OPECOrganization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
OSCEOrganization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Ozone Layer ProtectionMontreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
PCAPermanent Court of Arbitration
PFPPartnership for Peace
PIFPacific Islands Forum
PPPpurchasing power parity
Ramsarsee Wetlands
RGRio Group
SAARCSouth Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SACUSouthern African Customs Union
SACEPSouth Asia Co-opeative Environment Programme
SADCSouthern African Development Community
SCOShanghai Cooperation Organization
SAFESouth African Far East Cable
SECISoutheast European Cooperative Initiative
SHFsuper-high-frequency
Ship PollutionProtocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
SpartecaSouth Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
SPCSecretariat of the Pacific Communities
SPFSouth Pacific Forum
sq kmsquare kilometer
sq misquare mile
TATTrans-Atlantic Telephone
TEUTwenty-Foot Equivalent Unit
Tropical Timber 83International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
Tropical Timber 94International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
UAEUnited Arab Emirates
UDEACCentral African Customs and Economic Union
UHFultra-high-frequency
UKUnited Kingdom
UNUnited Nations
UNAMSILUnited Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
UNCLOSUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as LOS
UNCTADUnited Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNDCPUnited Nations Drug Control Program
UNDOFUnited Nations Disengagement Observer Force
UNDPUnited Nations Development Program
UNEPUnited Nations Environment Program
UNESCOUnited Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
UNFICYPUnited Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus
UNFPAUnited Nations Population Fund
UNHCRUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEFUnited Nations Children’s Fund
UNICRIUnited Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
UNIDIRUnited Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
UNIDOUnited Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNIFILUnited Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
UNITARUnited Nations Institute for Training and Research
UNMEEUnited Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
UNMIKUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
UNMILUnited Nations Mission in Liberia
UNMITUnited Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste
UNMOGIPUnited Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
UNMOVICUnited Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission
UNOCIUnited Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire
UNOMIGUnited Nations Observer Mission in Georgia
UNOPSUnited Nations Office of Project Services
UNRISDUnited Nations Research Institute for Social Development
UNRWAUnited Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
UNSCUnited Nations Security Council
UNSSCUntied Nations System Staff College
UNTSOUnited Nations Truce Supervision Organization
UNUUnited Nations University
UNWTOWorld Tourism Organization
UPUUniversal Postal Union
USUnited States
USSRUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991
UTCCoordinated Universal Time
UVultra violet
VHFvery-high-frequency
VSATvery small aperture terminal
WADBWest African Development Bank
WAEMUWest African Economic and Monetary Union
WCLWorld Confederation of Labor
WCOWorld Customs Organization
WetlandsConvention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat
WEUWestern European Union
WFPWorld Food Program
WFTUWorld Federation of Trade Unions
WhalingInternational Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
WHOWorld Health Organization
WIPOWorld Intellectual Property Organization
WMOWorld Meteorological Organization
WPWarsaw Pact
WTOWorld Trade Organization
ZCZangger Committee