The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., in the United States, of 188 countries working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.

Formed in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference, it came into formal existence in 1945 with 29 member countries and the goal of reconstructing the international payment system. Countries contribute funds to a pool through a quota system from which countries with payment imbalances can borrow. As of 2010, the fund had SDR476.8 billion, about US$755.7 billion at then-current exchange rates.

Sl No. Name Nationality Dates
1 Camille Gutt Belgian 6 May 1946 “ 5 May 1951
2 Ivar Rooth Swedish 3 August 1951 “ 3 October 1956
3 Per Jacobsson Swedish 21 November 1956 “ 5 May 1963
4 Pierre-Paul Schweitzer French 1 September 1963 “ 31 August 1973
5 Johan Witteveen Dutch 1 September 1973 “ 16 June 1978
       
6 Jacques de Larosi¨re French 17 June 1978 “ 15 January 1987
7 Michel Camdessus French 16 January 1987 “ 14 February 2000
8 Horst K¶hler German 1 May 2000 “ 4 March 2004
9 Rodrigo Rato Spanish 7 June 2004 “ 31 October 2007
10 Dominique Strauss-Kahn French 1 November 2007 “ 18 May 2011
11 Christine Lagarde French 5 July 2011 “ Present