A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization created by private persons or organizations without participation or representation of any government. The term originated from the United Nations, and is usually used to refer to organizations that are not conventional for-profit business. NGOs can be organized on a local, national or international level (INGO).

See also the Wikipedia article Non-governmental organization

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) defines an INGO as "any organization which is not established by inter-governmental agreement" (Resolution 288 (X) 27 February 1950), "including organizations which accept members designated by government authorities, provided that such membership does not interfere with the free expression of views of the organizations" (Resolution 1296 (XLV) of 25 June 1968).

The editors are committed to as complete a coverage as is humanly possible. Therefore no entries are eliminated as a result of pressure to suppress an organization's profile. However, in cases where the possibility of danger to health and life is suggested, the entry is reworded to respect the concern of the body in question.

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It is not the intention of the editors to take a position with regard to the political or diplomatic implications of geographical names or continental groupings used in the Yearbook. The names of countries used may not be the complete official names of those countries. The geographical names used are chosen for the sake of brevity and common usage. Wherever possible, the country (or territory) name preferred by the organization concerned is used, providing this is possible within the limits of standardization required for mailing or statistical purposes.

It is important to note that some organizations insist on the inclusion of territories on the same basis as countries, or on the inclusion of geographical areas that are not recognized – whether under the specified name or indeed as a definable area at all – by other organizations. Giving precedence as much as possible to the organization’s preferences may lead to what appears to be duplication, as one geographical area may, according to some parties, have more than one possible name.

Some geographical names used in this publication may not, strictly speaking, even refer to geographical areas. An example is groups “in exile”, namely a group identifying itself by the name of a sovereign State but not actually present in that State.

Political changes over the years may lead to some questions in an organization’s description. Briefly: countries referred to in an organization’s description retain their old form when referring to a date prior to the change – for example, towns referred to in events prior to 1991 still retain their country as German DR (Democratic Republic) or Germany FR (Federal Republic), while subsequent dates refer simply to Germany.

The Yearbook of International Organizations, although originally covering only international organizations in the traditional sense, has broadened its scope in order to reflect international activity in a much more general manner.

The UIA has a mandate from the United Nations to produce the Yearbook, which includes all non-profit international organizations known to us, in particular those which are officially recognized by the United Nations or one of its specialized agencies. It therefore includes national organizations which have been granted consultative status by one of the United Nations agencies or included on the UN Department of Information (DPI) List, coding them as 'internationally-oriented national' bodies.

The organizations the UIA has on record range from major intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, through scholarly and scientific bodies, to the more subordinate, diffuse or peripheral. Special effort is made to include international activities which, although not organizations, have clearly recognized titles and behaviour, and which are of considerable interest and importance to Yearbook users. These may include free trade zones, projects, programmes, intergovernmental groupings with no fixed secretariat or treaty, etc.