Abstract

In this chapter we use the Multilateral Treaties Survey data. Each treaty is described using six attributes: policy domains, year of deposit, year of membership, regional group, number of current members, treaty participation Index. The core of the Treaty Participation Index, is constituted by the number of years lapsed between sovereign states’ signing and ratifying multilateral treaties. The Treaties Participation Index is shown for 193 sovereign states as well as for ten geo-historico-cultural groups (Sub-Saharan Africa, Sinic East, Returned West, Reformed West, Orthodox East, Old West, New West, Latin America, Islamic East, and Indic East) and for six policy domains (human rights, peace and disarmaments, trade, commerce and communications, the environment, intellectual property, labor).