Established in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international financial institution comprising 191 member countries. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the IMF’s primary purpose is to ensure the stability of the international monetary system—the system of exchange rates and international payments that enables countries to transact with each other. It achieves this by providing policy advice, financial assistance, and technical support to its member countries, particularly during economic crises.