The 1998 CIA World Factbook

by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

opened for signature-1 December 1959 entered into force-23 June 1961 objective- to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes, such as, for international cooperation in scientific research, and that it does not become the scene or object of international discord parties-(43) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

note-abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes opened for signature-22 March 1989 entered into force-5 May 1992 objective-to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate parties-(118) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified-(3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US Biodiversity see Convention on Biological Diversity Convention on Biological Diversity

note-abbreviated as Biodiversity
opened for signature-5 June 1992
entered into force- 29 December 1993
objective-to develop national strategies for the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity
parties-(173) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified- (12) Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Liberia, Libya, Malta, Sao Tome and Principe,
Thailand, Tuvalu, UAE, US, former Yugoslavia
Climate Change see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas

note-abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation opened for signature-29 April 1958 entered into force-20 March 1966 objective-to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited parties-(37) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, former Yugoslavia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified-(21) Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

note-abbreviated as Air Pollution opened for signature-13 November 1979 entered into force-16 March 1983 objective-to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution parties-(43) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, former Yugoslavia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified-(2) Holy See, San Marino Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

note-abbreviated as Endangered Species
opened for signature-3 March 1973
entered into force-1 July 1975
objective-to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation
by means of a system of import/export permits
parties-(134) Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius,
Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified-(4) Cambodia,
Ireland, Kuwait, Lesotho
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter (London Convention)

note-abbreviated as Marine Dumping opened for signature-29 December 1972 entered into force-30 August 1975 objective-to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention parties-(77) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, EU, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu, former Yugoslavia Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

note-abbreviated as Environmental Modification opened for signature-10 December 1976 entered into force-5 October 1978 objective- to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations parties-(64) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen countries that have signed, but not yet ratified-(17) Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

note-abbreviated as Wetlands
opened for signature-2 February 1971
entered into force- 21 December 1975
objective-to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands
now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological
functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and
recreational value
parties-(97) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada,
Chad, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico,
Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, former
Yugoslavia, Zambia
Desertification see United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/
or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
Endangered Species see Convention on the International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Environmental Modification see Convention on the Prohibition of
Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification
Techniques
Hazardous Wastes see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

note-abbreviated as Whaling opened for signature-2 December 1946 entered into force- 10 November 1948 objective-to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks parties-(57) Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark (including Greenland), Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kiribati, Latvia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands (Netherlands also extended the convention to Netherlands Antilles), NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Tuvalu, UK, US, former Yugoslavia International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983