CHAPTER NINE: How Globalization Works in Practice

Explore

International Monetary Fund
This link is the official site of the International Monetary Fund, an organization of 184 with goals of financial and monetary stability in the world.

Click on "What the IMF Does." What are the three main functions of the IMF?


Click on the "lends" tab in the first paragraph. What do countries do with the funds they are given by the IMF? What type of countries are most likely to require IMF assistance?


World Trade Organization
This site is the official location on the Web for the World Trade Organization, the only global international organization that deals with the rules of trade between nations.

Under "Resources," click on "Trade Statistics." Click on "International Trade Statistics, 2007." Click on "World Trade Developments PDF." How much did global trade grow in 2006? What accounts for this growth according to the WTO? Which region experienced the most growth in volume of merchandise trade? Is most trade confined to within regions (intraregion)? How much trade is done between regions (interregion)?


Exchange Rate
This site is one of many on the Internet that offer up-to-the-minute information about currency values and exchange rates across the world.

Looking at the table, locate Russia. What is Russia's currency? What is its value against the U.S. dollar? Has its value increased or decreased since yesterday?


To the left, click on "Currency Forecast." What is the dollar expected to do in the near future? What are some of the explanations provided?