International Monetary Fund

The International Monetary Fund is an international financial institution headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a membership of most of the world's countries. Established in the aftermath of the Second World War, it works to promote monetary cooperation, exchange-rate stability, and the orderly functioning of the international financial system. Its core activities include surveillance of member economies, the provision of financial assistance to countries facing balance-of-payments difficulties, and technical assistance and capacity development. The IMF also produces economic research and data, including analysis of fiscal and energy-related issues such as energy subsidies and the macroeconomic effects of energy policy. Its lending is typically accompanied by policy conditions agreed with borrowing governments.