The Economic Commission for Europe is the principal UN body studying and promoting economic cooperation and the improvement of economic relations among countries of Europe and North America. The ECE was created in 1947 by the UN Economic and Social Council and today brings together all European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, and Israel. The ECE, with its 54 members, was the first of five UN regional commissions. The ECE studies economic, environmental, demographic, technical and scientific problems of Europe and North America, considering such issues as trade, economic analysis and statistics, transport, industry, technology, agriculture, and timber.