International organization

For the academic journal, see International Organization.

An international organization is an organization with an international membership, scope, or presence. There are two main types:

• International nongovernmental organizations (INGOs): non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that operate internationally. There are two types:
  • International non-profit organizations. Examples include the World Organization of the Scout Movement, International Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières.
  • International corporations, referred to as multinational corporations. Examples include The Coca-Cola Company and Toyota.

• Intergovernmental organizations, also known as international governmental organizations (IGOs): the type of organization most closely associated with the term 'international organization', these are organizations that are made up primarily of sovereign states (referred to as member states). Notable examples include the United Nations (UN), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Council of Europe (CoE), European Union (EU; which is a prime example of a supranational organization), and World Trade Organization (WTO). The UN has used the term "intergovernmental organization" instead of "international organization" for clarity.

The first and oldest intergovernmental organization is the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine, created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna.

See also

• Regional integration
• List of intergovernmental organizations