The Metric System was invented by the French Academy of Science at the request of The National Assembly of France. Metre Convention (also known as the Convention du Mètre in French, and the Treaty of the Meter in English) of May 20, 1875 is a treaty which established three international organizations to oversee the keeping of metric standards.[1] It was revised in 1921 by the 6th CGPM (Conférence générale des poids et mesures, or International Committee for Weights and Measures). In 1960, the system of units it established was renamed the "International System of Units" (Système international d'unités or SI).
The Convention created three main organizations, which are the General Conference on Weights and Measures (Conférence générale des poids et mesures or CGPM) - a meeting every four to six years of delegates from all member states; the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (Bureau international des poids et mesures or BIPM) - an international metrology centre at Sèvres in France; and the International Committee for Weights and Measures (Comité international des poids et mesures or CIPM) - an administrative committee which meets annually at the BIPM.[2]
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There were originally 17 countries involved with this treaty. This number grew to 21 in 1900, 32 in 1950, and 49 in 2001. As of 1 August 2011[update], there are 55 Member States and 34 Associate States and Economies of the General Conference (with year of partnership between brackets):[3]