Calculation of geographic representation within FAO is based on three criteria:

• Membership to FAO;
• Member country population;
• Member country contribution to the FAO budget.

FAO encourages applications from qualified nationals of non- and under- represented member countries as well as qualified women.

Non-represented Countries: member countries with no nationals currently working for FAO on a professional post under the Regular Programme budget. 

The following countries were non-represented in the FAO Regular Programme as at 1 August 2017:

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas,  Bahrain, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Central African Republic,  Estonia, Guinea-Bissau, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libya, Marshall Islands, Federated Republic of Micronesia, Monaco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Swaziland, Timor Leste, Tuvalu.

Under-represented Countries: member countries with less than the established minimum number of nationals currently working for FAO under the Regular Programme budget.

The following countries were under-represented on the FAO Regular Programme as at 1 August 2017:

China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Venezuela.