1. International Organizations (descriptions from organization websites)

2. IMF (International Monetary Fund)
Purpose: In establishing the IMF, the world community was reacting to the unresolved financial problems instrumental in initiating and protracting the Great Depression of the 1930s: sudden, unpredictable variations in the exchange values of national currencies and a widespread disinclination among governments to allow their national currency to be exchanged for foreign currency.
Powers:
1. Nations voluntarily join and abide by a code of conduct: allow their currency to be exchanged for foreign currencies freely and without restriction, to keep the IMF informed of changes they contemplate in financial and monetary policies that will affect fellow members' economies, and, to the extent possible, to modify these policies on the advice of the IMF to accommodate the needs of the entire membership.
2. The IMF administers a pool of money from which members can borrow when they are in trouble. The IMF is NOT, however, primarily a lending institution like the World Bank.
3. It is first and foremost an overseer of its members' monetary and exchange rate policies and a guardian of the code of conduct.
Comp. Gov. Member States: Mexico, UK, Russia, China, Iran, Nigeria (all of them)

3. World Bank
Purpose: to promote economic and social progress in developing countries by helping to raise productivity so that their people may live a better and fuller life.
Powers:
the Bank turned its attention to assisting the world's poorer nations, known as developing countries, to which it has since the 1940s loaned more than $330 billion.
investment bank, intermediating between investors and recipients, borrowing from the one and lending to the other. Its owners are the governments of its 188 member nations with equity shares in the Bank, which were valued at about $176 billion in June 1995.
It also borrows money by selling bonds and notes directly to governments, their agencies, and central banks. The proceeds of these bond sales are lent in turn to developing countries at affordable rates of interest to help finance projects and policy reform programs that give promise of success.
Comp. Gov. Member States: Mexico, UK, Russia, China, Iran, Nigeria (all of them)

4. IMF World Bank oversees the international monetary system
promotes exchange stability and orderly exchange relations among its member countries
assists all members--both industrial and developing countries--that find themselves in temporary balance of payments difficulties by providing short- to medium-term credits
supplements the currency reserves of its members through the allocation of SDRs (special drawing rights); to date SDR 21.4 billion has been issued to member countries in proportion to their quotas
draws its financial resources principally from the quota subscriptions of its member countries
has at its disposal fully paid-in quotas now totaling SDR 145 billion (about $215 billion)
has a staff of 2,300 drawn from 182 member countries
seeks to promote the economic development of the world's poorer countries
assists developing countries through long-term financing of development projects and programs
provides to the poorest developing countries whose per capita GNP is less than $865 a year special financial assistance through the International Development Association (IDA)
encourages private enterprises in developing countries through its affiliate, the International Finance Corporation (IFC)
acquires most of its financial resources by borrowing on the international bond market
has an authorized capital of $184 billion, of which members pay in about 10 percent
has a staff of 7,000 drawn from 180 member countries

5. OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
Purpose: the mission of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.
Powers:
Members’ oil ministers meet twice a year
Controls ¾ of the world’s “proven” oil reserves
Sets oil production targets for its members, which are then imposed by those governments on both government-owned and private oil companies
Comp. Gov. Member States: Iran, Nigeria
NOTE: Mexico and Russia are NOT OPEC nations

6. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Purpose: NATO’s essential purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
POLITICAL - NATO promotes democratic values and encourages consultation and cooperation on defense and security issues to build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
MILITARY - NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military capacity needed to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty—NATO’s founding treaty—or under a UN mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organizations.
Comp. Gov. Member States: United Kingdom

7. WTO (World Trade Organization)
Purpose: The only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
Powers/Duties:
Trade negotiations over issues of good, service, and intellectual property
Implementation and monitoring of WTO agreements (make sure they’re followed)
Dispute settlement for resolving trade disputes over violations of agreements
Building trade capacity in developing countries
Outreach—dialogue with NGOs, governments, the media, and the public
Comp. Gov. Member States: Mexico, UK, Russia, China, Nigeria
Observer negotiating accession: Iran

8. G7 (…formerly G8)
Purpose: an informal (no charter or secretariat) bloc of industrialized democracies--the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom--that meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.
Comp. Gov. Member States: UK, Russia (member since 1998, but suspended in 2014 as a result of Crimea conflict—hence, G8 became G7)
Outreach Five States (sometimes invited as guests to meetings): Mexico, China