international organization

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1 This website would like to remind you: Your browser (Apple Safari 4) is out of date. Update your browser for more security, comfort and the best experience on this site. Encyclopedic Entry international organization For the complete encyclopedic entry with media resources, visit: An international organization is one that includes members from more than one nation. Some international organizations are very large, such as business corporations. Others are small and dedicated to a specific purpose, such as conservation of a species. Intergovernmental Organizations Many international organizations are intergovernmental. Intergovernmental organizations form as multiple governments form an international organization. There are more than 300 intergovernmental organizations around the world. The United Nations (UN) is the largest and most familiar intergovernmental organization. In 1945, at the end of World War II, governments wanted to avoid future wars. They formed the UN. The UNs main goal is to keep peace. A UN peacekeeping mission is when the UN sends representatives to countries or regions in conflict. The UN currently has peacekeeping missions all over the world. In the nations of Sudan, Chad, and the Central African Republic, UN peacekeepers monitor the conflict in the area known as Darfur. On the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus, UN peacekeepers supervise the buffer zone in the dispute between Greek and Turkish claims to the island. The UN has several specialized subgroups, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. WHO is responsible for giving direction on international health issues, setting standards, and providing information for governments to make decisions. For example, WHO took the lead during the swine flu outbreak in It tracked the spread of the flu, offered recommendations about who should get vaccines, and told people how to avoid becoming sick. The World Bank is a bank for nations, not people. The World Bank has two separate groups. One group, the International Development Association, provides loans to the world's poorest countries. The other group, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, gives loans to developing countries. The UN also has groups focused on culture (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)), justice and law (the International Court of Justice (ICJ)), and immigration (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)), among others. Each of the subgroups has headquarters in a different place. The main UN offices are in New York City, New York. The World Health Organization has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Bank is based in Washington, D.C. The International Court of Justice is in The Hague, Netherlands. Most countries of the world belong to the UN and its subgroups. Many countries form regional multi-country organizations with military, economic, or political purposes. For 1 of 7

2 example, the United States, Canada, many European countries, and Turkey belong to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). NATO is a defense organization, meaning these nations have promised to support each other during times of conflict. Other intergovernmental organizations are based on trade. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group of 12 nations that export large amounts of oil. OPEC includes many members in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest exporter of oil. However, African nations such as Nigeria, and South American nations such as Venezuela, are also members of OPEC. OPEC members meet regularly to address issues concerning oil use and prices. Corporations Some international groups exist for profit. Toyota, the world's largest automaker, is an international corporation, often called a multinational corporation. It is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Toyota has factories around the world, including in the United States, China, and South Africa. Although the chief executive officer (CEO) of Toyota is responsible for the work of the entire company, Toyota employs managers and workers from the region in which the factory is located. Toyota sells, as well as manufactures, cars in different countries around the world. The company must advertise in dozens of languages. Multinational corporations like Toyota must consider local culture and traditions when establishing a factory or selling a product. For instance, an advertisement with models in bikinis may appeal to customers in the United States, but would probably not appeal to customers in Saudi Arabia, a much more conservative culture. Other large multinational corporations are Coca-Cola (based in Atlanta, Georgia), the de Beers diamond company (based in Johannesburg, South Africa) and Adidas (based in Herzogenaurach, Germany.) Nonprofits Several well-known nonprofit organizations are international. Nonprofit means these groups do not seek to make money from their efforts. Nonprofits usually have a focus or shared interest, such as the environment, humanitarian aid, or entertainment. The National Geographic Society is a nonprofit organization. It was formed in 1888, and has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world. National Geographic is primarily focused on exploration, geography, archaeology, and natural science. It also promotes environmental and historical conservation, with its logo, "Inspiring people to care about the planet." The National Geographic Society also supports international research and exploration. It has sponsored or assisted with more than 9,000 projects. Some of the most famous expeditions associated with the National Geographic Society include the expedition to the South Pole by Robert Peary and Matthew Henson in 1905; exploration of the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1913; discovery of the final resting place of the Titanic by Robert Ballard in 1985; and the National Geographic Bee, an annual geography contest for American students. Other international organizations share a more specific interest. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is an international nonprofit based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC organizes and regulates the summer and winter Olympics. The IOC includes administrators, sports officials, and former athletes from all over the world. The Red Cross provides food and other aid to people and areas in distress. The International Red Cross has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization is officially called the International Red Cross and Red 2 of 7

3 Crescent Movement. The Red Crescent honors members from primarily Muslim countries. The Red Crystal, a diamond shape, honors Israeli members of the organization. The Red Cross is probably the most recognizable aid organization in the world. It helps survivors of hurricanes, such as Hurricane Katrina, which hit the Gulf Coast of the United States in The Red Cross helped provide shelter for victims of Hurricane Katrina whose homes were destroyed, for instance. The Red Cross also helped survivors of the earthquake that struck Haiti in It worked to provide medical care for those injured in the quake and helped organize sites so survivors could find missing family members. Other International Organizations Some international organizations combine parts of all three types of organizations. There are parts of the National Geographic Society that are run as a corporation, for instance. They create revenue, or profit, to support themselves. Perhaps the most familiar type of international organization that does not fit neatly into the three categories is organized religion. Sometimes, a religion directly influences government. The government of Israel, for instance, supports Jews and Judaism around the world. Jews from other nations have a legal law of return to Israel, meaning they can emigrate there and establish citizenship. Jews from countries as diverse as Russia, Ethiopia, and Mexico have settled in Israel. Organized religion can indirectly influence governments, too. Priests and bishops of the Catholic Church, for instance, do not usually run for political office. But their influence on their congregations can be enormous. Catholics are led by the pope, with headquarters in Vatican City in Rome, Italy. In many ways, the Catholic Church is run like an international corporation. There is a similar structure for religious ceremonies (such as Mass) and organization (such as the way dioceses are divided) for Catholics all over the world. Local priests, nuns, and bishops work with their congregations to make life better for their communities. This is similar to the way an international corporation organizes its workers in other countries. VOCABULARY Term Part of Speech Definition administrator person who organizes and manages the policies, rules, and requirements of an organization. ancient adjective very old. archaeology study of human history, based on material remains. athlete person who participates or competes in sporting events. avoid verb to stay away from something. bikini women's two-piece swimsuit. bishop leader of a church's diocese. Catholic adjective having to do with the Christian denomination with the Pope as its leader. chief executive officer (CEO) highest-ranking leader of a company or other organization. citizen member of a country, state, or town who shares responsibilities for the area and benefits from being a member. 3 of 7

4 coin verb to produce money. colony people and land separated by distance or culture from the government that controls them. conflict a disagreement or fight, usually over ideas or procedures. congregation group of people who worship at the same church. conservation management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect. conservative adjective traditional or reluctant to change. cooperation the act of working together. corporation business made up of a group of stockholders, or people who own interest in the business. culture learned behavior of people, including their languages, belief systems, social structures, institutions, and material goods. Darfur region in western Sudan. destroy verb to ruin or make useless. diamond type of crystal that is pure carbon and the hardest known natural substance. diocese division of many churches or organized religions, led by a bishop. dispute debate or argument. dozen a group of 12. Dutch East India Company ( ) corporation established to expand trade and carry out colonial activities in Asia. earthquake the sudden shaking of Earth's crust caused by the release of energy along fault lines or from volcanic activity. economic adjective having to do with money. emigrate verb to move from one's native land to another. employ verb to hire or use. enormous adjective very large. entertainment performance or material produced to interest and amuse. environment conditions that surround and influence an organism or community. establish verb to form or officially organize. expedition journey with a specific purpose, such as exploration. exploration study and investigation of unknown places, concepts, or issues. export good or service traded to another area. flu (influenza) contagious disease, characterized by fever, exhaustion, and difficulty breathing. geography study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. government system or order of a nation, state, or other political unit. 4 of 7

5 Gulf Coast land in the United States surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. headquarters place where an organization or project is chiefly located. humanitarian adjective having to do with relief, aid, or other support to people in need. hurricane tropical storm with wind speeds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour. Hurricanes are the same thing as typhoons, but usually located in the Atlantic Ocean region. immigration process of moving to a new country or region with the intention of staying and living there. Inca people and culture native to the Andes Mountains and Pacific coast of South America. influence verb to encourage or persuade a person or organization to act a certain way. intergovernmental adjective having to do with the national governments of more than one state. International Court of Justice (ICJ) international organization United Nations body dedicated to resolving legal disputes between nations. unit made up of governments or groups in different countries, usually for a specific purpose. island body of land surrounded by water. Judaism religion based on the holy book of the Torah and the teaching surrounding it. justice administration of law. language set of sounds, gestures, or symbols that allows people to communicate. law public rule. law of return Israeli law allowing Jews from all over the world to emigrate to Israel and establish citizenship. loan money, goods, or services given to a person or organization with the intention that the person or organization will return it. Middle East region of southwest Asia and northeast Africa. military armed forces. moderate verb to preside and reduce conflict over a debate. monitor verb to observe and record behavior or data. multinational corporation business that manages the production of goods or delivers services in several countries. Muslim adjective having to do with Islam, the religion based on the words and philosophy of the prophet Mohammed. nation political unit made of people who share a common territory. National Geographic Society (1888) organization whose mission is "Inspiring people to care about the planet." NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Military alliance of 28 North American and European countries. 5 of 7

6 natural science study that focuses on physicial characteristics, nature, and natural environments. negotiate verb to discuss with others of different viewpoints in order to reach an agreement, contract, or treaty. nonprofit organization business that uses surplus funds to pursue its goals, not to make money. oil fossil fuel formed from the remains of marine plants and animals. Also known as petroleum or crude oil. Olympics international sports competition divided into summer and winter games held every four years. OPEC Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. outbreak sudden occurrence or rapid increase. photography art and science of producing still or moving images using the chemical reaction of light on a sensitive surface, such as film or an electronic sensor. policy set of actions or rules. pope leader of the Catholic Church. priest title of religious leader in many faiths. primarily adverb first or most important. profit money earned after production costs and taxes are subtracted. recognize verb to identify or acknowledge. Red Cross international organization focused on humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Formally called the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. refugee person who flees their home, usually due to natural disaster or political upheaval. religion a system of spiritual or supernatural belief. representative someone or something who acts in place of a group of people. research scientific observations and investigation into a subject, usually following the scientific method: observation, hypothesis, prediction, experimentation, analysis, and conclusion. revenue income, or money earned before production costs are subtracted. shelter structure that protects people or other organisms from weather and other dangers. specific adjective exact or precise. sponsor verb to support and finance. trade buying, selling, or exchanging of goods and services. tradition beliefs, customs, and cultural characteristics handed down from one generation to the next. treaty official agreement between groups of people. UNESCO the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. 6 of 7

7 United Nations international organization that works for peace, security and cooperation. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) UN peacekeeping mission United Nations agency whose goal is to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally, or to resettle in a third country. United Nations project to send armed representatives to regions in conflict. virus tiny organism that lives and multiplies in a living cell. wage money or goods traded for work or service performed. war large-scale armed conflict. World Bank United Nations organization that loans money to poor and developing nations. World Health Organization United Nations agency concerned with public health. World War II ( ) armed conflict between the Allies (represented by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union) and the Axis (represented by Germany, Italy, and Japan.) For Further Exploration Websites National Geographic Society: About the National Geographic Society United Nations: Member States United Nations: We the Peoples National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. 7 of 7