Organization established by treaty between governments
An international organization, also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is an organization that is established by a treaty, or is an instrument governed by international law and possessing its own legal personality, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, International Union for Conservation of Nature, and NATO.[2][3] International organizations are composed of primarily member states, but may also include other entities, such as other international organizations, firms, and nongovernmental organizations.[4] Additionally, entities (including states) may hold observer status.[5] An alternative definition is that an international organization is a stable set of norms and rules meant to govern the behavior of states and other actors in the international system.[6][7][4]