Diplomatic bloc
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development — 38 high-income democracies.
Members
38
Founded
1961
Headquarters
Paris, France
What is the OECD?
The OECD is an intergovernmental organisation of 38 high-income, largely democratic market economies. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, it provides a forum where governments compare policies, collect comparable statistics, and agree common standards — earning it the nickname the 'rich countries' club' or a global economic think tank.
Key facts
- Full name
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Founded
- 1961 · Succeeded the OEEC, created in 1948 to administer the Marshall Plan
- Headquarters
- Paris, France
- Member states
- 38
- Working languages
- English and French
- Known for
- PISA rankings, tax standards, economic data
- Nickname
- The 'rich countries' club'
OECD member states
38 countries
Australia
AUS
Austria
AUT
Belgium
BEL
Canada
CAN
Chile
CHL
Colombia
COL
Costa Rica
CRI
Czech Republic
CZE
Denmark
DNK
Estonia
EST
Finland
FIN
France
FRA
Germany
DEU
Greece
GRC
Hungary
HUN
Iceland
ISL
Ireland
IRL
Israel
ISR
Italy
ITA
Japan
JPN
Latvia
LVA
Lithuania
LTU
Luxembourg
LUX
Mexico
MEX
Netherlands
NLD
New Zealand
NZL
Norway
NOR
Poland
POL
Portugal
PRT
Slovakia
SVK
Slovenia
SVN
South Korea
KOR
Spain
ESP
Sweden
SWE
Switzerland
CHE
Türkiye
TUR
United Kingdom
GBR
United States
USA
Why the OECD matters
The OECD's influence comes from data and standards rather than treaties: its PISA tests benchmark school systems worldwide, its Anti-Bribery Convention sets anti-corruption norms, and it brokered the global minimum corporate tax agreed by over 130 countries. Its analysis shapes economic policy well beyond its membership.
Related blocs & alliances
G7
7Industrialised democracies that coordinate global economic and security policy.
G20
19Premier forum for international economic cooperation, ~85% of global GDP.
EU27
2727-member political and economic union with a single market and shared institutions.
NATO
32North Atlantic Treaty Organization — 32-member transatlantic defensive alliance.
Frequently asked questions about the OECD
Quick answers to the most common questions about the OECD.
What is the OECD?
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development — a Paris-based group of 38 high-income democracies that compare policies, publish economic data, and set international standards.
Which countries are members of the OECD?
Thirty-eight countries, concentrated in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific — including the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Korea, alongside emerging members such as Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica.
What is the OECD known for?
Its data and standards: the PISA international school rankings, the Anti-Bribery Convention, and the global minimum corporate tax deal, plus widely cited economic forecasts.
When was the OECD founded and where is it based?
It was founded in 1961 — succeeding the post-war OEEC — and is headquartered in Paris, France.
Is the OECD the same as the G7 or the EU?
No. The OECD is larger and more technical than the G7 and is distinct from the EU; many, but not all, OECD members also belong to those groups.
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