World Organisations & HQs — Study Notes

Overview

International organisations play a crucial role in fostering cooperation among nations on economic, political, social, and health-related matters. For UPSSSC PET, questions on world organisations typically test candidates' knowledge of headquarters locations, formation years, primary objectives, and member countries. This topic appears regularly in the General Awareness section with 1–2 direct questions asking "Which organisation has its headquarters in…?" or "When was [organisation] established?" A strong grasp of the major global and regional organisations—especially UN, WHO, IMF, World Bank, WTO, ASEAN, and SAARC—is essential.

Expect questions that mix facts: matching organisation to HQ city, identifying the founding year, or recognising the purpose (e.g., "Which organisation promotes trade liberalisation?"). Often, questions also link these organisations to current affairs—recent summits, India's membership status, or leadership appointments. Memorising the key facts in this note will secure easy marks.

Key Concepts

**United Nations (UN)**: The largest international organisation, established in 1945 to maintain international peace and promote cooperation. Its headquarters is in New York City, USA. The UN has six principal organs: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (The Hague, Netherlands), and the Secretariat.

**World Health Organization (WHO)**: A specialised UN agency focused on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. WHO coordinates responses to health emergencies, sets health standards, and monitors disease outbreaks.

**International Monetary Fund (IMF)**: Created in 1944 (Bretton Woods Conference) and operational from 1945, headquartered in Washington D.C., USA. The IMF works to ensure global monetary cooperation, financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment, reduce poverty, and provides financial assistance to countries in balance-of-payments difficulties.

**World Bank**: Also born from the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, headquartered in Washington D.C., USA. Comprises two institutions: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International Development Association (IDA). Its mission is to reduce poverty by providing loans and grants for development projects in developing countries.

**World Trade Organization (WTO)**: Established on 1 January 1995, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. WTO replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It regulates international trade, resolves trade disputes, and promotes trade liberalisation through negotiations and agreements.

**Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)**: A regional intergovernmental organisation of 10 Southeast Asian countries, founded on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok. Its headquarters is in Jakarta, Indonesia. ASEAN promotes economic growth, regional stability, and cooperation in political, security, economic, and socio-cultural matters.

**South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)**: Established on 8 December 1985 in Dhaka, with headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal. SAARC has 8 member countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan. It aims to promote economic and regional integration in South Asia.

Formulas / Key Facts

**United Nations (UN)** HQ: New York City, USA | Established: 24 October 1945 | Members: 193 | Current Secretary-General: António Guterres (Portugal)

**World Health Organization (WHO)** HQ: Geneva, Switzerland | Established: 7 April 1948 | Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ethiopia)

**International Monetary Fund (IMF)** HQ: Washington D.C., USA | Established: 1944 (operational 1945) | Members: 190 countries | Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva (Bulgaria)

**World Bank** HQ: Washington D.C., USA | Established: 1944 (operational 1946) | Members: 189 countries | President: Ajay Banga (India-born, USA)

**World Trade Organization (WTO)** HQ: Geneva, Switzerland | Established: 1 January 1995 | Members: 164 countries | Director-General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria)

**Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)** HQ: Jakarta, Indonesia | Established: 8 August 1967 | Members: 10 (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)

**South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)** HQ: Kathmandu, Nepal | Established: 8 December 1985 | Members: 8 (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)

**Other Important Organisations (brief facts)**

**UNESCO** (UN Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation): HQ Paris, France | Established: 16 November 1946
**UNICEF** (UN Children's Fund): HQ New York, USA | Established: 11 December 1946
**International Labour Organization (ILO)**: HQ Geneva, Switzerland | Established: 1919
**International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)**: HQ Vienna, Austria | Established: 1957
**INTERPOL** (International Criminal Police Organisation): HQ Lyon, France | Established: 1923

Worked Examples

**Example 1**: Which organisation has its headquarters in Geneva and was established to promote free and fair international trade? **Solution**: The question refers to WTO (World Trade Organization). It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and was established on 1 January 1995 to regulate and liberalise international trade. **Answer**: WTO

**Example 2**: Name the South Asian regional organisation whose headquarters is in Kathmandu. **Solution**: SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) is the regional body for South Asia with its headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was established on 8 December 1985. **Answer**: SAARC

**Example 3**: A question asks: "Which two major financial institutions were established at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 and are headquartered in Washington D.C.?" **Solution**: The Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 led to the creation of the IMF and the World Bank. Both organisations have their headquarters in Washington D.C., USA, and aim to stabilise the global economy and promote development. **Answer**: IMF and World Bank

Common Mistakes

**Confusing Geneva-based organisations**: Students often mix up WHO, WTO, ILO, and UNHCR since all are in Geneva. **Fix**: Remember WHO = health, WTO = trade, ILO = labour, UNHCR = refugees. Associate each with its unique mandate.

**Mixing IMF and World Bank roles**: Both are in Washington D.C., but IMF focuses on monetary stability and short-term balance-of-payments support, while World Bank provides long-term development loans. **Fix**: IMF = monetary/financial crisis; World Bank = development projects.

**Forgetting ASEAN vs SAARC distinction**: Both are regional groups, leading to HQ confusion. **Fix**: ASEAN = Southeast Asia, HQ Jakarta; SAARC = South Asia, HQ Kathmandu. Geography is the key.

**Wrong founding years**: Many students remember 1945 for both UN and IMF/World Bank. **Fix**: UN was formally established on 24 October 1945; IMF and World Bank were created at Bretton Woods in 1944 but became operational in 1945–1946.

**Overlooking current leadership**: Exam questions sometimes ask about current heads (Secretary-General, Director-General). **Fix**: Keep updated on recent appointments—António Guterres (UN), Tedros (WHO), Kristalina Georgieva (IMF), Ajay Banga (World Bank), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (WTO).

Quick Reference

**UN** → New York, USA | 1945 | Peace & cooperation | 193 members
**WHO** → Geneva, Switzerland | 1948 | Global health | Tedros (DG)
**IMF** → Washington D.C., USA | 1944 | Monetary stability | 190 members
**World Bank** → Washington D.C., USA | 1944 | Development loans | 189 members
**WTO** → Geneva, Switzerland | 1995 | Trade regulation | 164 members
**ASEAN** → Jakarta, Indonesia | 1967 | Southeast Asia regional cooperation | 10 members
**SAARC** → Kathmandu, Nepal | 1985 | South Asia cooperation | 8 members
**Bretton Woods twins**: IMF + World Bank (both Washington D.C.)
**Geneva trio** (exam favourites): WHO, WTO, ILO

World Organisations & HQs