The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations.
WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world."
WIPO currently has 189 member states, administers 26 international treaties, and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The current Director-General of WIPO is Francis Gurry, who took office on October 1, 2008. 186 of the UN Members as well as the Cook Islands, Holy See and Niue are Members of WIPO. Non-members are the states of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, South Sudan and East Timor. The Palestinians have observer status.
A brief book issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) about patents. It provides basic information about patents, as well as, patents databases available to the public.