Here is the list of important “International organizations and Headquarters”, important for various competitive exams like SSC CGL,RRB NTPC, Banking, CDS,UPSC and all other state exams. At the end of this article we include some previous year questions on “International organizations and Headquarters” which was asked in SSC.
List of International organizations and their Headquarters
| Organizations | Headquarters | Formation | Head |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | New York City, USA | 22 November 1965 | Achim Steiner |
| United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) | Nairobi, Kenya | 5 June, 1972 | Inger Andersen
(Executive Director) |
| United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) | New York City, USA | 1969 | Natalia Kanem |
| United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) | Nairobi, Kenya | 1978 | Maimunah Mohd Sharif |
| United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) | New York City, USA | 11 December 1946 | Henrietta H. Fore |
| World Food Programme (WFP) | Rome, Italy | 19 December 1961 | David Beasley |
| Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) | Rome, Italy | 16 October 1945 | Qu Dongyu
(Director-General) |
| International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) | Montreal, Canada | 4 April 1947 | Salvatore Sciacchitano (President) |
| International Air Transport Association (IATA) | Montreal, Quebec Canada | 1945 | Willie Walsh
(Director-General) |
| International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) | Rome, Italy | 1977 | Gilbert Houngbo
(President) |
| International Labor Organization (ILO) | Geneva, Switzerland | 11 April 1919 | Guy Ryder
(Director-General) |
| International Monetary Fund (IMF) | Washington, DC, USA | July 1944 | Kristalina Georgieva
(Managing Director) Gita Gopinath (Chief Economist) |
| International Maritime Organization (IMO) | London, United Kingdom | 17 March 1948 | Kitack Lim (Secretary-General) |
| International Telecommunication Union (ITU) | Geneva, Switzerland | 17 May 1865 | Houlin Zhao (Secretary-General) |
| United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) | Paris, France | 16 November 1945 | Audrey Azoulay
(Director-General) |
| United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) | Vienna, Austria | 17 November 1966 | Li Yong
(Director-General) |
| United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) | Madrid, Spain | 1 November 1974 | Zurab Pololikashvili
(Secretary-General) |
| Universal Postal Union (UPU) | Bern, Switzerland | 9 October 1874 | Masahiko Metoki
(Director-general) |
| World Health Organization (WHO) | Geneva, Switzerland | 7 April 1948 | Tedros Adhanom
(Director-general) |
| World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) | Geneva, Switzerland | 14 July 1967 | Daren Tang
(Director General) |
| World Meteorological Organization (WMO) | Geneva, Switzerland | 23 March 1950 | Gerhard Adrian
(President) Petteri Taalas (Secretary-General) |
| United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) | Geneva, Switzerland | 26 July 1994 | Winnie Byanyima
(Executive Director ) |
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) | Geneva, Switzerland | 14 December 1950 | Filippo Grandi
(High Commissioner for Refugees) |
| International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) | Vienna, Austria | 29 July 1957 | Rafael Mariano Grossi
(Director General) |
| International Energy Agency (IEA) | Paris, France | November 1974 | Fatih Birol
(Executive Director) |
| International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) | Masdar City, Abu Dhabi | 26 January 2009 | Francesco La Camera
(Director-General) |
| International Organization for Migration works (IOM) | Geneva, Switzerland | 6 December 1951 | António Vitorino
(Director General) |
| Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) | The Hague, Netherlands | 29 April 1997 | Fernando Arias
(Director General) |
| United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) |
Bonn, Germany | 9 May 1992 | Patricia Espinosa
(Executive Secretary) |
| World Trade Organization (WTO) | Geneva, Switzerland | 1 January 1995 | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
(Director-General) |
| International Trade Centre (ITC) | Geneva, Switzerland | 1964 | Pamela Coke-Hamilton
(Executive Director) |
| United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) | Geneva, Switzerland | 30 December 1964 | Rebeca Grynspan
(Secretary-General) |
| United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) | Vienna, Austria | 1997 | Ghada Waly |
| Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) | Paris, France | 16 April 1948 | Mathias Cormann
(Secretary-General) |
| Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) | Vienna, Austria | 1965 | Mohammed Barkindo
(Secretary General) |
| Amnesty International | London, United Kingdom | July 1961 | Agnès Callamard
(Secretary-General) |
| North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) | Brussels, Belgium | 4 April 1949 | Jens Stoltenberg
(Secretary General) |
| Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) | Jakarta, Indonesia | 8 August 1967 | Lim Jock Hoi
(Secretary General) |
| Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) | Queenstown, Singapore | 1989 | Jacinda Ardern
(Chairperson)
Rebecca Fatima Santa Maria ( Executive Director) |
| South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) | Kathmandu, Nepal | 8 December 1985 | Esala Ruwan Weerakoon
(Secretary-General) |
| Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) | Ebene, Mauritius | 6 March 1997 | Dr Gatot Hari Gunawan
( Secretary General) |
| International Court of Justice (ICJ) | The Hague, Netherlands | 1945 | Joan Donoghue
(President) Kirill Gevorgian (Vice President) |
| International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) | Rome, Italy. | 15 December 1977 | Gilbert Houngbo
(President) |
| International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) | Paris, France | 1965 | Teresa Patricio
(President) Mario Santana (Secretary General) |
| International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) | Gland, Switzerland | 5 October 1948 | Dr Bruno Oberle
(Director General) Razan Al Mubarak (President) |
| World Economic Forum (WEF) | Cologny, Switzerland | 24 January 1971 | Klaus Schwab
(Executive Chairman) |
| World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) | Vaud, Switzerland | 29 April 1961 | Pavan Sukhdev
(President) |
| Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 1969 | Yousef Al-Othaimeen
(Secretary-General) |
| Transparency International (TI) | Berlin, Germany | 1993 | Daniel Eriksson
(Managing Director) |
| International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) or INTERPOL | Lyon, France | September 1923 | Kim Jong Yang
(President)
Alexander Prokopchuk (Vice President)
Jürgen Stock (Secretary General) |
| New Development Bank (NDB) | Shanghai, China | July 2015 | Marcos Prado Troyjo
(President) |
| Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) | Beijing, China | 16 January 2016 | Jin Liqun
(President) |
| European Central Bank (ECB) | Frankfurt, Germany | 1 June 1998 | Christine Lagarde
(president) Luis de Guindos (vice president) |
| Bank for International Settlements (BIS) | Basel, Switzerland | 17 May 1930 | Agustín Carstens
(General manager) |
| Asian Development Bank (ADB) | Manila, Philippines | 19 December
1966 |
Masatsugu Asakawa
(President) |
| African Development Bank Group (AfDB or ADB) | Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire | September 10, 1964 | Akinwumi Adesina
(President) |
| World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | 10 November 1999 | Witold Bańka
(President) |
| International Chamber of Commerce | Paris, France | 1919 | John W.H. Denton AO
(Secretary General) |
| Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) | Abuja, Nigeria | 28 May 1975 | Nana Akufo-Addo
(Chairman)
Jean-Claude Brou (President) |
| United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific | Bangkok, Thailand | 28 March 1947 | Armida Salsiah
(Executive Secretary) |
| European Free Trade Association (EFTA) | Geneva | 3 May 1960 | Henri Gétaz
(Secretary General) |
| Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa | Lusaka, Zambia | 8 December 1994 | Sindiso Ngwenya
(Secretary General) |
| Arctic Council | Tromsø, Norway | September 19, 1996 | —- |
| International Solar Alliance (ISA) | Gurugram, Haryana | 30 November 2015 | Ajay Mathur
(Director General) |
| Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) | Beijing, China | 15 June 2001 | Vladimir Norov
(Secretary-General) |
| Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
( BIMSTEC) |
Dhaka, Bangladesh | 6 June 1997 | Tenzin Lekphell
(Secretary General) |
MCQ’s on International organizations and Headquarters
1. The headquarters of UNESCO is in
(SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2003)
[A] New York
[B] The Hague
[C] Paris
[D] Moscow
2. The International Criminal Police Organsiation (INTERPOL) has its headquarters at _
(SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2004)
[A] London
[B] Paris
[C] Lyon, France
[D] Montreal
3. Where is headquarters of European Union located ?
(SSC Section Officer (Commercial mAudit) 2005)
[A] London
[B] Paris
[C] Brussels
[D] Bonn
4. Where is the headquarters of Botanical Survey of India located ?
(SSC Section Officer (Commercial Audit) 2005)
[A] Lucknow
[B] Darjeeling
[C] Kolkata
[D] Ootacmund
5. The headquarters of World Health Organisation (WHO) is at
(SSC Section Officer (Commercial Audit 2006)
[A] London
[B] Geneva
[C] Paris
[D] Washington
6. The headquarters of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries is located in_
(SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2007)
[A] Vienna
[B] Riyadh
[C] Kuwait City
[D] Abu Dhabi
7. The Headquarters of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) is at _
(SSC Section Officer (Audit) 2008)
[A] New York
[B] Paris
[C] Geneva
[D] Rome
8. The Headquarters of Inter national Atomic Energy Agency is in
(SSC CGL Tier-I 2011)
[A] Geneva
[B] Paris
[C] Vienna
[D] Washington
9. The Headquarters of the International Monetary Fund is located at _
(SSC Combined Matric Level (PRE) 1999)
(SSC Combined Matric Level (PRE) 2001)
[A] Paris
[B] Vienna
[C] Washingtan D.C.
[D] Geneva
10. The Headquarters of the International Monetary Fund is located at _
(SSC Combined Matric Level (PRE) 2002)
[A] New York
[B] London
[C] Washington
[D] Geneva
11. The Headquarters of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is located at
(SSC Combined Matric Level (PRE) 2008)
[A] Paris (France)
[B] Geneva (Switzerland)
[C] New York (USA)
[D] Bangkok (Thailand)
12. The Headquarters of International Court of Justice is located in
(SSC Data Entry Operator 2008)
[A] Paris (France)
[B] Geneva (Switzerland)
[C] New York (USA)
[D] The Hague (Netherlands)
13.Headquarters of World Health Organisation are situated at
(SSC (10+2) Level Data Entry Operator & LDC 2012)
[A] Hague
[B] Oslo
[C] Geneva (Switzerland)
[D] New York
14. Where is the headquarters of INTERPOL ?
(SSC (10+2) Level Data Entry Operator & LDC 2012)
[A] Paris
[B] London
[C] Lyons (France)
[D] Geneva
15. Match the following:
(SSC MTS 2013, Kolkata Region)
List-I (Organisations)
a. United Nations Industrial Organisation
b. Food and Agricultural Organisation
c. World Health Organisation
d. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
List-II (Headquarters)
1. Geneva
2. Paris
3. Berne
4. Rome
5. Vienna
[A] a-3, b-4, c-2, d-1
[B] a-5, b-2, c-4, d-3
[C] a-4, b-3, c-2, d-5
[D] a-5, b-4, c-1, d-2
16. The Headquarters of International Labour Organisation is located at
(SSC MTS 2013, Kolkata Region)
[A] Paris
[B] New York
[C] Rome
[D] Geneva
17. Which one of the following organisations is not having its headquarters in Geneva?
(SSC Graduate Level Tier-I 2013)
[A] World Trade Organisation
[B] World Health Organisation
[C] International Labour Organisation
[D] International Civil Aviation Organisation
Note:- The headquarters of International Civil Aviation Organization located in Montreal, Canada.
18. Which one of the following organizations and its headquarters are wrongly matched ?
(SSC (10+2) Level Data Entry Operator & LDC 2013)
[A] Interpol — Lyon
[B] Universal Postal Union — Berne
[C] Food and Agriculture Organization — Rome
[D] International Civil Aviation Organization — London
Note:- The headquarters of International Civil Aviation Organization located in Montreal, Canada.
19. Headquarter of European Union (EU) is situated in :
(SSC CGL Tier-I 2015)
[A] Paris (France)
[B] Munich (Germany)
[C] Brussels (Belgium)
[D] Milan (Italy)
20. The Headquarters of World Trade Organisation(WTO) is situated
in:(SSC Constable (GD) 2015)
[A] New Delhi
[B] Geneva, Switzerland
[C] London, UK
[D] Washington, USA
21. The headquaters of United Nations Organization is located at :
(SSC Constable (GD) 2015)
[A] Rome
[B] Geneva
[C] Washington
[D] New York
22. How many organs are there in U.N.O. ?
(SSC CHSL (10+2) LDC, DEO & PA/SA 2015)
[A] 06
[B] 03
[C] 04
[D] 05
Note:- The United Nations (UN) has six main organs.
1. The General Assembly
2. The Security Council
3. The Economic and Social Council
4. The Trusteeship Council
5. The Secretariat
6. The International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Except ICJ alll are based at UN Headquarters in New York. The sixth one that is the International Court of Justice (ICJ) , is located at The Hague in the Netherlands.
23. The World Trade Organisation, which replaced GATT, has its Headquarters in
(SSC CGL Tier-I (CBE) 2016)
[A] Vienna
[B] Brussels
[C] New York
[D] Geneva
24. Who of the following has been appointed as the eleventh President of the World Bank for a five year term with effect from July 1, 2007?
(SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2007)
[A] John Wolfensohn
[B] Paul Wolfowitz
[C] Robert Zoellick
[D] David Morgan
Note:- Current President of World Bank is David Malpass (13th President)
25. Who is the President of the World Bank ?
(SSC CGL Prelim 2005)
(SSC CHSL (10+2) DEO & LDC 2014)
[A] Paul Wolfowitz
[B] James Wolfensohn
[C] Rodrigo De Rato
[D] David Malpass
26. The Sccretary – General of the UNO is appointed by the :
(SSC CGL Prelim 1999)
[A] General Assembly
[B] Security Council
[C] Trusteeship Council
[D] World Bank
27. Who among the following is the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation ?
(SSC Section Officer (Commercial Audit) 2005)
[A] Chris Patten
[B] Supachai Panichtchpakdi
[C] Robert Joelick
[D] Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
28. The Secretary General of UNO is appointed by _
(SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2006)
[A] the General Assembly
[B] the Security Council
[C] the International Court of Justice
[D] the General Assembly on the recommendations of the Security Council
29. Who is the present Secretary General of the United Nations ?
(SSC Tax Assistant (Income Tax & Central Excise 2006)
[A] Javier Perez de Cuellar
[B] Kofi Annan
[C] U. Thant
[D] Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Note:- António Guterres of Portugal is the current Secretary General of the United Nations.
30. The first African National to become Secretary General of UNO was
(SSC Higher Secondary Level Data Entry Operator & LDC 2010)
[A] Kofi Annan
[B] Butros Gali
[C] Nelson Mandela
[D] Winni Mandela
Note:- Kofi A. Amman of Ghana, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, served from 1997 to 2006 .
31. Ban Ki Moon, the present Secretary General of U.N.O.,belongs to
(SSC Graduate Level Tier-I 2012)
[A] Austria
[B] China
[C] Republic of Korea
[D] Japan
Note:- Ban Ki Moon served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 2007 to December 2016. António Guterres is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations. He is the ninth Secretary-General, his term began 1 January 2017. He belongs to Portugal.
32. The first Secretary-General of the United Nations was
(SSC MTS 2013)
[A] U. Thant
[B] Dr. Kurt Waldheim
[C] Trygve Halvdan Lie
[D] Dag Hammarskjoeld
Note:- On 1 February 1946, Mr. Trygve Halvdan Lie was elected the first Secretary-General of the United Nations.
33. U.N.O was founded in the year?
(SSC CHSL (10+2) DEO & LDC 2014)
[A] 1945 (24October)
[B] 1946
[C] 1950
[D] 1953
34. October 2nd of every year has been declared by UNO as:
(SSC Higher Secondary Level Data Entry Operator & LDC 2010)
[A] International Non-violence day
[B] International heritage day
[C] International Moral Values day
[D] International anti-terrorism day
Note:- The United Nations General Assembly decided to observe the International Day of Non-Violence each year on 2 October – the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who helped lead India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
35. World Trade Organization (WTO) was started in the year
(SSC CISF ASI 2010)
[A] 1984
[B] 1994
[C] 1995 (1 January)
[D] 1996
