European Space Agency (ESA)
established - 31 May 1975 aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology members - (17) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK cooperating states - (5) Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania
European Union (EU)
note - see European Union entry at the end of the "country" listings
F
First World
another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
established - 16 October 1945 aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency members - (192) includes all UN member countries except Brunei, Liechtenstein, and Singapore (189 total); plus Cook Islands, EC, Faroe Islands, and Niue
former Soviet Union (FSU)