World Meteorological Organization
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World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
(WMO), an association with the goal of assisting international cooperation in the development of meteorological observations and research and in the coordination of the activities of national meteorological and hydrometeorological services. It was founded by the United Nations in 1947.
Before the World Meteorological Organization was created, its functions were fulfilled by the International Meteorological Organization, founded in 1871. On June 1, 1970, 122 governments were members of WMO. The highest organ of WMO is the World Meteorological Congress, which convenes once every four years. The Executive Committee consists of 24 directors of national services and meets not less than once a year. Six regional associations coordinate the activities of services in large geographical regions (Africa, Asia, South America, North and Central America, Southwest Pacific Ocean, and Europe). Eight technical commissions were created to investigate special technical questions connected with problems of carrying out and standardizing meteorological observations, exchanging meteorological information forecasting weather, and meteorological research and applied meteorology. The permanent organ of WMO is the Secretariat, which is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
I. V. KRAVCHENKO