In today’s interconnected world, international organisations play a pivotal role in shaping the global agenda, fostering stronger political ties, and facilitating the implementation of crucial development programs. These multilateral institutions have been established through extensive negotiations, with the primary objective of defining global goals, enacting international laws, and formulating policies that address the needs of diverse nations. By providing a platform for member states to discuss, negotiate, and ultimately reach consensus on pressing issues, these organisations have become indispensable in resolving conflicts and addressing challenges that transcend national borders.
Understanding the Typology of International Organisations
International organisations can be broadly categorised into three distinct types: Intergovernmental Organisations, International Non-Governmental Organisations, and Multinational Enterprises. Intergovernmental Organisations, such as the United Nations, are established by governments and serve as forums for member states to collaborate on a wide range of issues. International Non-Governmental Organisations, like Amnesty International, operate independently of governments and focus on specific areas of concern, often advocating for social, economic, or environmental causes. Multinational Enterprises, on the other hand, are private-sector entities that engage in cross-border economic activities, shaping global trade and investment patterns.
The Significance of International Organisations for UPSC Aspirants
The headquarters of various international organisations and their respective years of establishment are a crucial topic for UPSC aspirants. This knowledge holds immense significance, as it forms a substantial part of the International Relations section in the General Studies Paper-2 Syllabus. Additionally, questions related to international organisations and their headquarters are frequently asked in both the UPSC Preliminary and Mains examinations, underscoring the importance of this subject matter for successful IAS preparation.
Headquarters of Major International Organisations
To provide a comprehensive understanding, we have compiled a detailed list of prominent international organisations and their respective headquarters:
United Nations (UN) and its Specialised Agencies
- United Nations (UN) – Headquarters: New York, United States of America (1945)
- United Nations Security Council – Headquarters: New York, United States of America (1945)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – Headquarters: Paris, France (1945)
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Headquarters: New York, United States of America (1965)
- United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) – Headquarters: New York, United States of America (1946)
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – Headquarters: New York, United States of America (1969)
- United Nations World Tourism Organization – Headquarters: Madrid, Spain (1974)
- United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) – Headquarters: Turin, Italy (1968)
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization – Headquarters: Vienna, Austria (1966)
- UN Women – Headquarters: New York, United States of America (2010)
- UN Habitat – Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya (1978)
Economic and Financial Organisations
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) – Headquarters: Washington D.C., United States of America (1944)
- World Bank Group (IBRD, IDA, IFC) – Headquarters: Washington D.C., United States of America (1944)
- Bank for International Settlements (BIS) – Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland (1930)
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – Headquarters: Paris, France (1961)
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) – Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines (1966)
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – Headquarters: Beijing, China (2016)
- New Development Bank (NDB) – Headquarters: Shanghai, China (2015)
Trade and Commerce Organisations
- World Trade Organization (WTO) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1995)
- International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – Headquarters: Paris, France (1919)
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1947)
Specialised Agencies
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – Headquarters: Rome, Italy (1945)
- International Labour Organization (ILO) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1919)
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1948)
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) – Headquarters: London, United Kingdom (1948)
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – Headquarters: Montreal, Canada (1947)
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1865)
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1967)
Regional Organisations
- European Union (EU) – Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium (1993)
- African Union (AU) – Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2002)
- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia (1967)
- South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) – Headquarters: Kathmandu, Nepal (1985)
- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Headquarters: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1981)
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) – Headquarters: Beijing, China (2001)
- Commonwealth of Nations – Headquarters: London, United Kingdom (1931)
Specialised Organisations
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – Headquarters: Vienna, Austria (1957)
- International Criminal Court (ICC) – Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands (2002)
- International Court of Justice (ICJ) – Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands (1945)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM) – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland (1951)
- Interpol – Headquarters: Lyon, France (1923)
- International Olympic Committee (IOC) – Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland (1894)
Environmental and Energy Organisations
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya (1972)
- International Energy Agency (IEA) – Headquarters: Paris, France (1974)
- International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – Headquarters: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2009)
- International Seabed Authority – Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica (1994)
Security and Defence Organisations
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium (1949)
- Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands (1997)
- Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) – Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan (1987)
India’s Membership in International Organisations
As a prominent member of the global community, India is part of numerous international organisations, each providing financial assistance and supporting the country’s development initiatives. Some of the key international organisations that India is a member of include:
- Asian Development Bank (ADB)
- African Development Bank (AfDB)
- BRICS
- Commonwealth of Nations
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
- International Development Association (IDA)
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- International Maritime Organization (IMO)
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
- South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
- United Nations (UN)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
Mnemonics and Tricks to Remember Headquarters
To help you easily recall the headquarters of various international organisations, we have devised some helpful mnemonics and tricks:
Organisations with Headquarters in London
Remember the mnemonic “I Am a Common man in London”:
- I – International Maritime Organization (IMO)
- Am – Amnesty International
- Common – Commonwealth of Nations
- Common – Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization
Organisations with Headquarters in New York
Remember the phrase “UN Child Emergency in New York”:
- UN – United Nations Organization
- Child – United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
- Emergency – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Organisations with Headquarters in Vienna, Austria
Organisations involved in “industrial development,” “petroleum,” or “atomic” matters often have their headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
UN Organizations
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| United Nations | UN | New York City, USA | 1945 |
| Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO | Palazzo FAO, Rome, Italy | 1945 |
| International Labour Organization | ILO | Geneva, Switzerland | 1919 |
| International Civil Aviation Organization | ICAO | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | 1947 |
| International Maritime Organization | IMO | London, United Kingdom | 1959 |
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | UNHCR | Geneva, Switzerland | 1950 |
| Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS | UNAIDS | Geneva, Switzerland | 1996 |
| United Nations Atomic Energy Commission | UNAEC | New York City, USA | 1946 |
| United Nations Capital Development Fund | UNCDF | New York City, USA | |
| United Nations Children’s Fund | UNICEF | New York City, USA | 1946 |
| United Nations Development Programme | UNDP | New York City, USA | 1965 |
| United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | UNESCO | Paris, France | 1946 |
| United Nations Environment Programme | UNEP | Nairobi, Kenya | 1972 |
| United Nations Human Settlements Programme | UN-Habitat | Nairobi, Kenya | 1978 |
| United Nations Industrial Development Organization | UNIDO | Vienna, Austria | 1985 |
| United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction | UNISDR | Geneva, Switzerland | 2000 |
| United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime | UNODC | Vienna, Austria | 1997 |
| Universal Postal Union | UPU | Bern, Switzerland | 1874 |
| World Health Organization | WHO | Geneva, Switzerland | 1948 |
| World Intellectual Property Organization | WIPO | Geneva, Switzerland | 1967 |
| World Food Programme | WFP | Rome, Italy | 1961 |
| World Meteorological Organization | WMO | Geneva, Switzerland | 1950 |
| World Tourism Organization | UNWTO | Madrid, Spain | 1957 |
| International Rescue Committee | IRC | New York City, United States | 1933 |
| International Atomic Energy Agency | IAEA | Vienna, Austria | 1957 |
| International Telecommunication Union | ITU | Geneva, Switzerland | 1947 |
| Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights | OHCHR | Geneva, Switzerland | 1993 |
Political and Economic Organizations
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| European Union | EU | Brussels | 1958 |
| African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States | ACP | Brussels – Belgium | 1975 |
| African Union | AU | Addis Ababa, Johannesburg | 2001y |
| Andean Community | CAN | Lima, Peru. | 1969 |
| Arab League(League of Arab States) | – | Cairo | 1905y |
| Arab Maghreb Union | AMU | Rabat, Morocco | 1956 |
| Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation | APEC | Singapore | 1905y |
| Association of Southeast Asian Nations | ASEAN | Jakarta, Indonesia | 1967 |
| Caribbean Community | CARICOM | Georgetown, Guyana. | 1973 |
| Central American Parliament | PARLACEN | Guatemala City | 1980 |
| Common Market of East and Southern Africa | COMESA | Lusaka, Zambia | 1994 |
| Commonwealth of Nations (British Commonwealth) | – | London, United Kingdom | 1926 |
| Commonwealth of Independent States (Russian Commonwealth) | CIS | Moscow, Russian | 1991 |
| Council of Europe | CoE | Strasbourg, France | 1949 |
| East African Community | EAC | Arusha | 1967 |
| Economic Community of West African States | ECOWAS | Abuja, Nigeria | 1975 |
| European Free Trade Association | EFTA | Geneva, Switzerland | 1960 |
| Gulf Cooperation Council | GCC | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 1981 |
| Indian Ocean Commission | IOC | Port Louis, Mauritius | 1982 |
| Non-Aligned Movement | NAM | New York City, USA | 1961 |
| Nordic Council | – | Copenhagen, Denmark | 1952 |
| Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development | OECD | Paris, France | 1948 |
| Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe | OSCE | Vienna, Austria | 1973 |
| Organization of American States | OAS | Washington, D.C. | 1948 |
| Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States | OECS | Castries, Saint Lucia | 1981 |
| Organisation of Islamic Cooperation | OIC | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 1969 |
| Secretariat of the Pacific Community | SPC | Nouméa | 1947 |
| Pacific Islands Forum | – | Suva, Fiji | 1971 |
| South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation | SAARC | Kathmandu, Nepal | 1985 |
| Southern African Development Community | SADC | Gaborone, Botswana | 1992 |
| Union of South American Nations | USAN | Quito, Ecuador | 2004 |
| Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization | UNPO | The Hague, Netherlands | 1991 |
| World Trade Organization | WTO | Geneva, Switzerland | 1995 |
| Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific | ESCAP | Bangkok, Thailand | 1947 |
Military Organizations
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| North Atlantic Treaty Organisation | NATO | Brussels, Belgium | 1949 |
| European Security and Defence Policy | ESDP | Paris | |
| Shanghai Cooperation Organisation | SCO | Beijing, China | 1996 |
| Collective Security Treaty Organization | CSTO | Moscow, Russia | 1992 |
| Peace and Security Council | PSC | Addis Ababa |
Financial Organizations
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| World Bank | – | Washington D.C., United States | 1944 |
| African Development Bank | AfDB | Abidjan, Ivory Coast(statutory) & Tunis, Tunisia (temporary) | 1963 |
| Asian Development Bank | ADB | Metro Manila, Philippines | 1966 |
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | EBRD | London | 1991 |
| Inter-American Development Bank | IDB | Washington, D.C. | 1959 |
| International Monetary Fund | IMF | Washington, D.C | 1945 |
| Islamic Development Bank | IDB | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 1973 |
| International Monetary Fund | IMF | Washington, D.C., United States | 1945 |
| International Fund for Agricultural Development | IFAD | Rome, Italy | 1977 |
| Bank for International Settlements | BIS | Basel, Switzerland | 1930 |
| Black Sea Trade and Development Bank | BSTDB | Thessaloniki, Greece | 1997 |
| Caribbean Development Bank | CDB | Bridgetown, Barbados | 1969 |
| Nordic Development Fund | NDF | Helsinki, Finland. | 1989 |
| Nordic Investment Bank | NIB | Helsinki, Finland. | 1970 |
| European Central Bank | ECB | Frankfurt, Germany | 1998 |
Sports Federations
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| Asian Football Confederation | AFC | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1954 |
| Confederation of African Football | CAF | 6th of October City, Egypt. | 1957 |
| Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football | CONCACAF | Miami, Florida, U.S. | 1961 |
| South American Football Confederation | CONMEBOL | Luque, Paraguay | 1916 |
| Oceania Football Confederation | OFC | Auckland, New Zealand | 1966 |
| Union of European Football Associations | UEFA | Nyon, Switzerland | 1954 |
| World Chess Federation(Fédération Internationale des Échecs ) | FIDE | Athens, Greece | 1924 |
| International Federation of Association Football(Fédération Internationale de Football Association) | FIFA | Zürich, Switzerland | 1904 |
| International Cricket Council | ICC | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 1909 |
| International Olympic Committee | IOC | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1894 |
| International Paralympic Committee | IPC | Bonn, Germany | 1989 |
| World Rugby(International Rugby Football Board) | IRFB | Dublin,Ireland | 1886 |
| Commonwealth Games Federation | CGF | London, United Kingdom | 1930 |
| International Tennis Federation | ITF | London, UK | 1913 |
| Badminton World Federation | BWF | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1934 |
| International Hockey Federation | FIH | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1924 |
Financial Organizations :
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| European Space Agency | ESA | Paris,France | 1975 |
| Indian Space Research Organisation | ISRO | Bangalore, India | 1969 |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | NASA | Washington, D.C. , USA | 1958 |
| United Kingdom Space Agency | UKSA | Swindon, Wiltshire | 2010 |
| China National Space Administration | CNSA | Beijing, China | 1993 |
| Russian Federal Space Agency | Roscosmos | Moscow, Russia | 1992 |
| French Space Agency | CNES | Paris, France | 1961 |
| Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | JAXA | Tokyo, Japan | 2003 |
| German Aerospace Center | DLR | Cologne | 1969 |
| Italian Space Agency | ASI | Rome, Italy | 1988 |
Other Important Organization :
| Organizations Name | Abbreviation | Headquarters | Formation |
| Colombo Plan | – | Colombo, Sri Lanka | 1950 |
| Antarctic Treaty System | ATS | Washington, D.C., USA | 1959 |
| Intergovernmental Authority on Development | IGAD | Djibouti City | 1986 |
| International Committee of the Red Cross | ICRC | Geneva, Switzerland | 1863 |
| International Court of Justice | ICJ | The Hague, Netherlands | 1945 |
| International Criminal Court | ICC | The Hague, Netherlands | 1998 |
| International Criminal Police Organization | INTERPOL | Lyon, France | 1923 |
| International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies | IFRC | Geneva, Switzerland | 1919 |
| International Organization for Migration | IOM | Geneva, Switzerland | 1951 |
| International Centre for Migration Policy Development | ICMPD | Vienna, Austria | 1993 |
| Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons | OPCW | The Hague, Netherlands | 1997 |
| Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries | OPEC | Vienna, Austria | 1960 |
| World Toilet Organization | WTO | Singapore | 2001 |
Conclusion
The headquarters of international organisations and the year of their establishment are crucial knowledge for UPSC aspirants. By understanding the typology of these organisations, their roles, and the strategic locations of their headquarters, candidates can enhance their preparation for the UPSC examination, particularly the International Relations section. This comprehensive guide provides a valuable resource for navigating the complex global landscape of international organisations and strengthening your IAS preparation journey.
