II. The Membership of the Union

A. Membership of the Union shall be by countries. For this purpose a "country" shall be a territory wherein scientific matters are organized independently. Admission of a country to membership of the Union shall not constitute recognition of its political but only of its scientific status. In cases of doubt the advice of ICSU shall be sought. Each member country has the same rights and the same duties except as hereinafter provided.

B. Applications by countries to join the International Geographical Union may be made through a committee for the IGU, a principal academy, a Research Council, or some other similar institution, or through scientific societies or an association of such institutions or societies, or, in special cases, through an appropriate government department. All applications for membership shall be made to the Secretary‑General, considered by the Executive Committee, and decided by the General Assembly.

C. A Committee for the IGU, fully representative of geographers, shall be formed in each of the countries belonging to the Union. It shall be formed on the initiative, or with the co‑operation, of bodies such as those mentioned in B above.

D. The Committees for the IGU shall promote the objects of the Union in their respective countries with specific reference to international aspects. They shall diffuse information from the Executive Committee to the geographers in their country and report every four years to the Executive Committee about their activities and the state of geography in their country. The Committees for the IGU shall nominate delegates to represent them at meetings of the Union. Each Committee for the IGU, either singly or jointly with one or more other Committees for the IGU, has the right to submit to the Union, for discussion, questions within the objectives of the Union as defined in Section I. B.

F. In addition to full membership of the Union there shall be a class of associate members. If the development of geographical studies or the number of geographers is insufficient to make possible the formation of a Committee for the IGU as laid down in C above, any group of three or more persons may constitute themselves a Committee and apply for associate membership. The Executive Committee of the Union may submit to the General Assembly recommendations for the acceptance or the continuance of associate membership or for transfer of associate members to ordinary membership.

G. In order to maximize the Union's contacts with geographers throughout the world there shall be a class of corresponding members. These members may be either individuals or institutions.

H. Upon recommendation of the executive committee, the general assembly may authorize the admission of non-voting Corporate Sponsors to the union. Corporate Sponsors may be academic institutions, government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, or private firms that support the goals and programs of the International Geographical Union. The dues for IGU Corporate Sponsorship shall be set at the time of admission and may be adjusted from time to time by the IGU Executive Committee.

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