The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) was founded in 1943 as an independent self-governing organization. The Academy includes more than 50 institutes, technological centres and other scientific units where fundamental and applied research is carried out in the fields of natural, technical and humanitarian sciences. The Academy has 102 full members, 21 corresponding members and 24 foreign and 3 honorary members representing three scientific divisions: physical, mathematical and technical sciences; natural sciences; and humanitarian sciences. It also has a scientific library, an information centre, an international educational centre, and a publishing house. The Academy organizes scientific exchange programmes and collaborates with scientific organizations worldwide.