The World Trade Organization (WTO) was founded in 1995 in the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is an intergovernmental organization that deals with the rules of trade between nations, ensuring that trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible. The founding of the WTO marked a major change in the way international trade was structured, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that was established in 1947. The WTO has 164 member countries, and its main purpose is to promote and liberalize trade by reducing barriers such as tariffs, quotas, and subsidies.