Summary
Contents
Countries A-Z
Political & Electoral Systems
Intergovernmental Organisations
Political Handbook of the World provides updated political profiles of all of the world’s countries and details the history and activities of a number of intergovernmental organizations. Each country profile provides basic facts about the country, detailed background information on the country’s history, government and politics, and political parties.
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Regime Type
icon angle down-
democracy
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- China: Taiwan
- Colombia
- Comoro Islands
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Palau
- Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somaliland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
-
dictatorship
- Algeria
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Cuba
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Paraguay
- People’s Republic of China
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
-
not rated
-
-
Democracy Type
icon angle down-
semi-democracy
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Bangladesh
- Burkina Faso
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Central African Republic
- Colombia
- Comoro Islands
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Russia
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somaliland
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Zambia
-
non-democracy
- Algeria
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Cuba
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Pakistan
- People’s Republic of China
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Somalia
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
-
newer democracy
- Andorra
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Bulgaria
- Cape Verde
- China: Taiwan
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Marshall Islands
- Mongolia
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Palau
- Panama
- Poland
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Tuvalu
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
-
older democracy
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- United States
-
-
Freedom House Rating
icon angle down-
partly free
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Armenia
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Colombia
- Comoro Islands
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mauritania
- Moldova
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- Somaliland
- Sri Lanka
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Venezuela
- Yemen
- Zambia
-
not free
- Algeria
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Brunei
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Cuba
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Guinea
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Laos
- Libya
- Maldives
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Pakistan
- People’s Republic of China
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Zimbabwe
-
free
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- China: Taiwan
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Palau
- Panama
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
-
-
Election System
icon angle down-
majoritarian
- Afghanistan
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Botswana
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Comoro Islands
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Haiti
- India
- Iran
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mongolia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
combined
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Cameroon
- Chad
- China: Taiwan
- Djibouti
- Georgia
- Germany
- Guinea
- Hungary
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Lesotho
- Lithuania
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization
- Panama
- Philippines
- Republic of Korea
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Tunisia
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
-
proportional representation (pr)
- Algeria
- Angola
- Austria
- Belgium
- Benin
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Finland
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Malta
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Uruguay
-
not rated
-
no elections
-
-
Election Rules
icon angle down-
single non-transferable vote
-
mixed member proportional system
-
list proportional representation
- Algeria
- Angola
- Austria
- Belgium
- Benin
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Finland
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Israel
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Moldova
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Uruguay
-
parallel systems
-
first past the post
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Canada
- Dominica
- Ethiopia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Palau
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
alternative vote
-
two round system
-
not rated
-
no free elections
-
party bloc vote
-
single transferable vote
-
block vote
-
-
Party System
icon angle down-
multi party-hyper competitive
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Benin
- Central African Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- India
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Venezuela
-
multi party-limited competition
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Chad
- China: Taiwan
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Fiji
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Honduras
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Ireland
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Somaliland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
-
two party
-
not rated
-
one party
-
-
System of Government
icon angle down-
unitary
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China: Taiwan
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nauru
- Nepal
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sri Lanka
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
federal
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Colombia
- Comoro Islands
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- People’s Republic of China
- Portugal
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- Somaliland
- South Africa
- Spain
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Sudan
- Switzerland
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- United States
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
-
- African Union (AU)
- Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Opanal)
- Andean Community of Nations (Can)
- Arab League
- Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)
- Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)
- Arctic Council
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
- Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- Bank For International Settlements (BIS/BIZ)
- Benelux Economic Union
- Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
- Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC)
- Central American Common Market (CACM/MCCA)
- Central American Integration System (SICA)
- Central European Initiative (CEI)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa)
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
- Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP)
- Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU)
- Council of Europe
- Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
- Council of the Entente
- East African Community (EAC)
- Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC)
- Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS/CEDEAO)
- Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
- European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
- European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
- European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol)
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- Group of Seven/Group of Eight
- Group of Ten
- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
- Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
- Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)
- Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
- International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO/INTERPOL)
- International Energy Agency (IEA)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM/OIM)
- International Organization of The Francophonie (OIF)
- Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (LAES/SELA)
- Latin American Integration Association (LAIA/ALADI)
- Mano River Union
- Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
- Nordic Council
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO/OTAN)
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/OCDE)
- Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
- Organization of American States (OAS/OEA)
- Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
- Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
- Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
- Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
- Pacific Community
- Pacific Islands Forum
- Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
- Permanent Interstate Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS)
- Regional and Subregional Development Banks
- South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
- Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR/MERCOSUL)
- The Commonwealth
- The European Union (EU)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations: Related Organization
- United Nations: Specialized Agencies
- West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA)
- Western European Union (WEU)
- World Customs Organization (WCO)/ Customs Co-Oprtion Council (CCC)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
