About the IMF
The IMF is an international organization of 185 member countries. It was established to promote international monetary cooperation, exchange stability, and orderly exchange arrangements; to foster economic growth and high levels of employment; and to provide temporary financial assistance to countries to help ease balance of payments adjustment.
Since the IMF was established its purposes have remained unchanged but its operations—which involve surveillance, financial assistance, and technical assistance—have developed to meet the changing needs of its member countries in an evolving world economy.
Growth in IMF Membership, 1945 - 2003
(number of countries)
Preface
The International Monetary Fund is frequently in the news, but its role and functions are often misunderstood. This pamphlet aims to explain them.
Further information on the IMF can be obtained from the IMF's website (www.imf.org), including the full text of the IMF's Annual Report, the biweekly IMF Survey and its annual Supplement on the IMF, Fact Sheets, pamphlets, and other publications. This pamphlet was prepared by staff of the IMF's External Relations Department.
A Global Institution
The IMF's Role at a Glance
The International Monetary Fund was established by international treaty in 1945 to help promote the health of the world economy. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it is governed by its almost global membership of 184 countries.
The IMF is the central institution of the international monetary system—the system of international payments and exchange rates among national currencies that enables business to take place between countries.
It aims to prevent crises in the system by encouraging countries to adopt sound economi ...