
Last modified: 2023-06-03 by  zachary harden
 zachary harden
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![[Northern Forum Flag]](../images/i/int-nfor.gif) 
 
image by Zoltan Horvath, 15 October 2013
The Northern Forum is a non-profit, international organization composed of 
sub-national or regional governments from eight northern countries.
Northern regions share characteristics that set them apart from other areas of 
the world. These include: economies based upon the extraction of natural 
resources; lack of internal capital resources; limited infrastructural 
development; harsh climates and vulnerable ecosystems; diverse and relatively 
strong indigenous cultures; and sparse populations.
Such complex factors create unique challenges for regional Governors and other 
executives. From throughout the North, the Northern Forum brings these leaders 
together to address common political, environmental and economic issues.
In today's world, where climate change and globalization create new challenges 
for the Northern regions of the world, the ability of the Northern Forum to 
bring together these regions and find new partners at the international level, 
such as the UNDP and the UNEP and networks of regions around the globe, opens 
new horizons for its members.
The idea of creating an organization of northern regional governments was raised 
in 1974 by the government of Hokkaido, Japan, during the first of a series of 
international conferences on northern issues. The Northern Forum developed from 
a Northern Regions Conference held in 1990 in Anchorage, Alaska, attended by 
more than 600 delegates from 10 countries. The Forum was formally established in 
November 1991.
Its members are displayed in
this map.
Zoltan Horvath, 15 October 2013
Its flag is blue with disc-shped emblem in the middle. Disc depicts northern 
part of the globe, with Ursa Maior constellation on purple background. Name of 
the organization is written around the disc on its white egde.
Image of flag: 
http://yatoday.ru/files/news/849/large.jpg . 
Zoltan Horvath, 15 October 2013