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The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an independent US Government agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers.

For more on the Agency's mission, visit our Strategic Intent.
Central Intelligence Agency
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appendix a :: abbreviations
A
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
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B
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
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C
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
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D
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
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E
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
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F
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
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G
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
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H
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
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I
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)
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K
kHz
kilohertz
km
kilometer
kW
kilowatt
kWh
kilowatt-hour
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L
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
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M
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
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N
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
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O
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
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P
PCA
Permanent Court of Arbitration
PFP
Partnership for Peace
PIF
Pacific Islands Forum
PPP
purchasing power parity
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R
Ramsar
see Wetlands
RG
Rio Group
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S
SAARC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SACU
Southern African Customs Union
SACEP
South Asia Co-operative 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)
SICA
Central American Integration System
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
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T
TAT
Trans-Atlantic Telephone
TEU
Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, a unit of measure for containerized cargo capacity
Tropical Timber 83
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
Tropical Timber 94
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
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U
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
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V
VHF
very-high-frequency
VSAT
very small aperture terminal
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W
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
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Z
ZC
Zangger Committee
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CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
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The online Factbook is updated bi-weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
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