Appendix A - Abbreviations
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Appendixes
A Abbreviations | B International Organizations and Groups | C Selected International Environmental Agreements | D Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes | E Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes | F Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names | G Weights and Measures
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
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008