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Columbia Encyclopedia entry: International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund (IMF), specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1945. It was planned at the Bretton Woods Conference (1944), and its headquarters are in Washington, D.C. There is close collaboration between it and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Its primary mission is to ensure stability in the international monetary system. The IMF provides policy advice and financing to member countries with economic problems. The organization, using a fund subscribed by the member nations, purchases foreign currencies on application from its members so as to discharge international indebtedness and stabilize exchange rates. The IMF currency reserve units are called Special Drawing Rights (SDRs); from 1974 to 1980 the value of SDRs was based on the currencies of 16 leading trading nations. Since 1980 it has been reevaluated every five years and based on the relative international economic importance of the British pound sterling, the European Union euro (formerly the French franc and German mark), the Japanese yen, and the U.S. dollar. To facilitate international trade and reduce inequities in exchange, the fund has limited power to set the par value of currencies. Members are provided with technical assistance in making monetary transactions.

In 1995 the fund moved to increase disclosure requirements of countries borrowing money and at the same time created an emergency bailout fund for countries in financial crisis. IMF was criticized in 1998 for exacerbating the Asian financial crisis, through the fund's decision to require Asian nations to raise their interest rates to record levels. During the international financial crisis of the early 21st cent., the IMF provided loans and access to credit of more than $100 billion to developing countries that were affected by falling demand for their exports and other financial problems. The fund is ruled by a board of governors, with one representative from each nation. The board of governors elects an executive board of some 20 representatives to conduct regular operations. There are 186 members in the IMF.

See studies by H. G. Grubel (1970), T. Agmon et al., ed. (1984); R. D. Hormats (1987), T. Ferguson (1988), E. P. McLellan, ed. (2002), D. Vines and C. L. Gilbert, ed. (2004), E. M. Truman, ed. (2006), and G. Bird (2003) and as ed. with D. Rowlands (2 vol., 2007).

Wikipedia search results for: International Monetary Fund
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The International Monetary Fund is an international organization that oversees the global financial system by following the macroeconomic policies of its member countries, in particular those with an impact on exchange rates and the balance of payments. It is an organization formed with a stated objective of stabilizing international exchange rates and facilitating development. It also offers highly leveraged loans mainly to poorer countries. Its headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., United States. The International Monetary Fund was created in July 1945, originally with 45 members, with a goal to stabilize exchange rates and assist the...more »
Columbia Encyclopedia search results: International Monetary Fund
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  • international monetary system

    International monetary system, rules and procedures by which different national currencies are exchanged for each other in world trade. Such a system is necessary to define a common standard o...

  • monetary agreement

    Monetary agreement, attempt by two (bilateral) or more (multilateral) nations to regulate and coordinate their financial relations by treaty. The objectives are usually to promote trade by fac...

  • European Monetary Agreement

    European Monetary Agreement (EMA), international governmental organization to facilitate settlement of balance of payments accounts between member states. The EMA, which was administered by th...

  • Special Drawing Rights

    Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), type of international monetary reserve currency established (1968) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Created in response to worries concerning the limita...

  • Bretton Woods Conference

    Bretton Woods Conference, name commonly given to the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, held (July 1–22, 1944) at Bretton Woods, N.H. The conference resulted in the creation of ...

  • International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

    International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) (IBRD), independent specialized agency of the United Nations, with headquarters at Washington, D.C.; one of five closely associated...

  • Duisenberg, Willem Frederik

    Duisenberg, Willem Frederik, 1935–2005, Dutch banker and advocate of European monentary union. He worked (1965–69) as an economist with the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., and...

  • Ásgeirsson, Ásgeir

    Ásgeirsson, Ásgeir, 1894–1972, Icelandic statesman, president of Iceland (1952–68). He was a member of the Icelandic parliament from 1923 to 1952, headed the government bureau of education (19...

  • Geithner, Timothy F.

    Geithner, Timothy F., 1961–, U.S. government official, b. New York City, grad. Dartmouth (B.A. 1983), Johns Hopkins (M.A. 1985). In 1998 he began working at the Treasury Dept., where he held a...

  • Frondizi, Arturo

    Frondizi, Arturo, 1908–95, president of Argentina (1958–62). A lawyer and economist, he opposed Juan Perón and rose to prominence after the latter was overthrown in 1955. A realist, he accepte...

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