YEARBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Descriptions always include the organization name

Organization name: In all languages in which it is available, as well as abbreviations.

Descriptions may include the following information

Addresses: Main address for correspondence, including: telephone; fax; e-mail; website URL. Secondary addresses are listed below the main address.

History: Date and location of founding or of establishment (IGOs) as well as history of the organization.

Aims: Principal objectives of the organization.

Structure: Key organs, commissions, committees and offices of the organization.

Languages: Official and working languages used by the organization.

Staff: Number of paid and voluntary staff

Finance: Sources of funding and the annual budget

Consultative Status: Officially recognized relationship(s) to a major intergovernmental organization.

IGO Relations: Special relationship(s) to an intergovernmental organization.

NGO Relations: Special relationship(s) with international non-governmental organizations.

Activities: Summary of the main activities and programme concerns of each organization.

Events: Dates and locations of previous and future periodic meetings or other events. For details, see the International Congress Calendar.

Publications: Titles of major periodical and non-periodical publications of the organization.

Information Services: Libraries, databanks and library and publications consultancy services operated by the organization.

Members: Types of membership and numbers of members. May include the list of countries and of international and regional organization members.

Date: On which the most recent information has been received.

Descriptions of each field that may be found in an organization's profile are given below. In the case of some large complex organizations with many semi-autonomous sub-units, such units may be described in separate entries.

The entry may be deliberately abridged when:

• insufficient information has been obtained for whatever reason, but particularly when the organization is in the process of formation
• a brief mention is adequate to: clarify the nature of the organization; or explain why a more extensive description is not included; or explain why it is not eligible for to be classified Type A to D
• the organization is apparently inactive or has ceased to exist

Descriptions always include the organization name

Organization name: The official English title usually appears first, followed by its abbreviation or initials if any. It is normally followed by the French name and any initials, and then, when available, the Spanish and German names and initials. Where appropriate, names in other languages are also given. When an organization does not have an official name in English or French, the editors may provide translated versions (unless the organization strongly objects), in which case 'unofficial translation' follows the unofficially translated name.

Descriptions may include the following information

Main address: The main address for correspondence, normally the office of the Secretary-General or of the Executive President. Personal names of the officers, telephone, telefax, e-mail and telex numbers are also given when available.

Secondary addresses: These appear below the main address. Addresses included here are registered offices, continental regional offices, information offices and addresses for secondary correspondence.

Electronic services (URL): An organization’s home page is indicated, with an indication (in case of multiple home pages) as to which aspect of the organization it refers.

History / Established: The date and location of founding (or of "establishment" in the case of intergovernmental organizations) are indicated under this heading. In the absence of a precise legal date, the date of the first General Meeting is given. Other information on the history and changes in structure or name of the organization is also given. Where another organization listed in the Yearbook is cited, its title is given (usually in English) and, following the title, in parentheses, its abbreviation. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile. Organization names and abbreviations without separate descriptions, including alternative or previous names, may appear simply in italics.

Aims: Principal objectives are summarized, wherever possible on the basis of the organization’s statutes. In some cases keywords are given in italics. These, along with keywords in current and past names, are then used to determine the subject(s) classification of the organization.

Structure: The key organs and commissions of the organization are enumerated, together with some indication of the frequency of their meetings and of composition of the executive body. Where another organization listed in the Yearbook is cited, its title is given (usually in English) and, following the title, in parentheses, its abbreviation. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

Languages: Official and working languages used by the organization, where available. “Official languages” are normally those specified in the statutes of the organization.

Staff: The number of paid and voluntary staff, where available.

Finance: Sources of funding and the annual budget figure, where available. The names of sponsoring bodies listed in the Yearbook may be cited by title and abbreviation (usually in English). The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

Consultative Status: Where the organization has some officially recognized relationship to a major intergovernmental organization, this is indicated. The abbreviation of each cited body is given, or its title, usually in English followed by the abbreviation, in parentheses. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

IGO Relations: Where the organization has some special relationship to an intergovernmental organization, this is indicated. The abbreviation of each cited body is given or, its title, usually in English followed by abbreviation, in parentheses. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

NGO Relations: Where the organization has some special relationship (organic or working) with international non-governmental organizations, this is indicated. Where another organization is cited, its title is given (usually in English) and, following the title, in parentheses, its abbreviation. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

Activities: Under this heading appears a summary of the main activities and programme concerns of each organization. Special emphasis is placed on developmental activities, where relevant. Where another organization is cited, its title is given (usually in English) and, following the title, in parentheses, its abbreviation. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

Events: Date and location of previous periodic meetings or other events (exhibitions, seminars, etc.) held to date, and of future events (for more details, see the International Congress Calendar). Such conference information is extracted into two special indexes by date and by place of meeting (available directly from the editors).

Publications: Titles of major periodical and non-periodical publications produced. Those titles appearing in italics are extracted into the Bibliography section of the Yearbook Online.

Information Services: Names of libraries, databanks and consultancy services in the library and publications field, operated by the organization. Those titles appearing in italics are extracted into the Bibliography section of the Yearbook Online. Websites or other homepages are not listed here but following the organization's address.

Members: Types of membership and numbers of members. This includes, where available, the list of countries represented or in which members are located. Where another organization is cited, its title is given (usually in English) and, following the title, in parentheses, its abbreviation. The title is usually linked to the organization's Yearbook profile.

Note: The geographical names used in this database are chosen for the sake of brevity and common usage. Wherever possible, the country (or territory) name preferred by the organization concerned is used, providing this is possible within the limits of standardization required for mailing or statistical purposes. It is important to note that some organizations insist on the inclusion of territories on the same basis as countries, or on the inclusion of countries or territories which are not recognized by other organizations. It is not the intention of the editors to take a position with regard to the political or diplomatic implications of geographical names or continental groupings used.

Type 1 and Type 2: Uppercase (Type 1) and lowercase (Type 2) letters indicate the type of organization as per UIA's classification system.

Date: The last line of the entry may include a date, indicating the last date on which information was received. Two forms are used:

• 2013.02.16 indicates that the organization concerned checked the entry and returned it on that date
• 2013 indicates that the organization concerned has not recently checked the entry, but information has been received in that year from another source

Dates which are several years in the past,, or no date, may well be a first indication that an organization is becoming inactive.