Metre Convention
The Metre Convention of May 20, 1875 is a treaty which established three international organizations to oversee the keeping of metric standards. It is written in French, in which it is called the Convention du Mètre. In English it is also called the Meter Convention or Treaty of the Meter. It was revised in 1921. In 1960, the system of units it established was renamed the "International System of Units" (Système international d'unités or SI).
The Convention created three main organizations:
- General Conference on Weights and Measures (Conférence générale des poids et mesures or CGPM) - a meeting every four to six years of delegates from all member states;
- International Bureau of Weights and Measures (Bureau international des poids et mesures or BIPM) - an international metrology centre at Sèvres in France; and
- International Committee for Weights and Measures (Comité international des poids et mesures or CIPM) - an administrative committee which meets annually at the BIPM.
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There were originally 17 signatories to the treaty. This number grew to 21 in 1900, 32 in 1950, 44 by 1975, 48 by 1997, and 49 by 2001. As of 2009[update], there are 51 signatories[1] (with year of accession in parentheses):
- Argentina (1877)
- Australia (1947)
- Austria (1875)
- Belgium (1875)
- Brazil (1921)
- Bulgaria (1911)
- Cameroon (1970)
- Canada (1907)
- Chile (1908)
- the People's Republic of China (1977)
- Czech Republic (1922)
- Denmark (1875)
- Dominican Republic (1954)
- Egypt (1962)
- Finland (1923)
- France (1875)
- Germany (1875)
- Greece (2001)
- Hungary (1925)
- India (1957)
- Indonesia (1960)
- Iran (1975)
- Ireland (1925) (already accepted as Ireland was part of the UK when the UK signed)
- Israel (1985)
- Italy (1875)
- Japan (1885)
- Korea (Democratic Republic of) [North] (1982)
- Korea (Republic of) [South] (1959)
- Malaysia (2001)
- Mexico (1890)
- The Netherlands (1929)
- New Zealand (1991)
- Norway (1875)
- Pakistan (1973)
- Poland (1925)
- Portugal (1876)
- Romania (1884)
- Russian Federation (1875)
- Serbia (1879)
- Singapore (1994)
- Slovakia (1922)
- South Africa (1964)
- Spain (1875)
- Sweden (1875)
- Switzerland (1875)
- Thailand (1912)
- Turkey (1875)
- United Kingdom (1884)
- United States (1878)
- Uruguay (1908)
- Venezuela (1879)
Several other states have associate status:
- Antigua and Barbuda (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Barbados (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Belarus (May 5, 2003)
- Belize (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Costa Rica (January 29, 2004}
- Croatia (June 16, 2005)
- Cuba (December 19, 2000)
- Dominica (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Ecuador (November 20, 2000)
- Estonia (January 27], 2005)
- Guyana (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Grenada (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Hong Kong (April 8, 2000)
- Jamaica (September 15, 2003)
- Kazakhstan (September 14, 2003)
- Kenya (September 24, 2002)
- Latvia (January 11, 2001)
- Lithuania (March 12, 2001)
- Malta (April 11, 2001)
- Panama (August 3. 2003)
- Philippines (June 1, 2002)
- Taiwan (April 26, 2002)
- Slovenia (June 2, 2003)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Saint Lucia (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Suriname (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Trinidad and Tobago (Through CARICOM, October 10, 2005)
- Ukraine (August 19, 2002)
- Vietnam (October 10, 2003)
ISO 8601 defines 1875 as the year the convention was signed, by way of a reference date.
