What is WOSM?

About World Scouting

The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)



The World Organization of the Scout Movement is an international, non-governmental organization composed of its recognized national Scout organizations. Its governing body is the World Conference, which meets every three years, and its executive is the World Committee composed of elected volunteers.

The World Scout Bureau is the secretariat of the Movement. It serves national Scout organizations from its headquarters in Geneva and its six regional offices in Geneva and Brussels; Cairo; Manila; Nairobi, Dakar and Capetown; Santiago de Chile; and Yalta-Gurzuf.

The World Scout Bureau's services are funded by fees from National Scout Organizations, based on their membership and adjusted according to their country's per capita income. Other funding comes from contributions and grants from foundations, corporations, agencies and individuals. Significant support is received from the World Scout Foundation.

There are more than 28 million Scouts, young people and adults, male and female, in 216 countries and territories.



There are 154 countries with internationally recognized National Scout Organizations. How many Scouts do they have? When was Scouting founded? When did they join World Scouting? The names of the organizations are found here.


There are 26 main territories where Scouting exists, often as overseas branches of member Scout Organizations.


There are 36 countries where Scouting exists (be it embryonic or widespread) but where there is no National Scout Organization which is yet a member of WOSM.


There are 7 countries where Scouting does not exist.