an 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

FRG: Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information
dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

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

GDP: gross domestic product

GDR: German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information
dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

GNP: gross national product

GRT: gross register ton

GSM: global system for mobile cellular communications

GWP: gross world product

GUUAM: acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
Azerbaijan, Moldova

Hazardous Wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

HF: high-frequency

IADB: Inter-American Development Bank

HIV/AIDS: human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency
syndrome

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)

ICFTU: In