Each year, U.S. officials from agencies with anti-money-laundering responsibilities meet to assess the money laundering situations in more than 175 jurisdictions. The review includes an assessment of the significance of financial transactions in the country's financial institutions that involve proceeds of serious crime, steps taken or not taken to address financial crime and money laundering, each jurisdiction's vulnerability to money laundering, the conformance of its laws and policies to international standards, the effectiveness with which the government has acted, and the government's political will to take needed actions.

The 2000 INCSR [International Narcotics Control Strategy Report] assigned priorities to jurisdictions using a classification system consisting of three categories titled Jurisdictions of Primary Concern, Jurisdictions of Concern, and Other Jurisdictions Monitored.

INCSR priorities draw upon a number of factors, which include: (1) whether the country's financial institutions engage in transactions involving significant amounts of proceeds from serious crime; (2) the extent to which the jurisdiction is or remains vulnerable to money laundering, notwithstanding its money laundering countermeasures, if any; (3) the nature and extent of the money laundering situation in each jurisdiction (for example, whether it involves drugs or other contraband); (4) the ways in which the U.S. regards the situation as having international ramifications; (5) the situation's impact on U.S. interests; (6) whether the jurisdiction has taken appropriate legislative actions to address specific problems; (7) whether there is a lack of licensing and oversight of offshore financial centers and businesses; (8) whether the jurisdiction's laws are being effectively implemented; and (9) where U.S. interests are involved, the degree of cooperation between the foreign government and U.S. government agencies. There are approximately two dozen sub-factors that are also considered.

A government (e.g., the United States or the United Kingdom) can have comprehensive laws on its books and conduct aggressive anti-money-laundering enforcement efforts but still be classified a "Primary Concern" jurisdiction. In some cases, this classification may simply or largely be a function of the size of the jurisdiction's economy. In such jurisdictions, the volume of money laundering is likely to be substantial, necessitating quick, continuous, and effective anti-money-laundering efforts by the government. Primary Concern jurisdictions will therefore likely receive priority attention from the United States. While the threat from jurisdictions classified under "Concern" is not as acute, they too must undertake efforts to develop or enhance their anti-money-laundering regimes. Finally, while jurisdictions in the "Other" category do not pose an immediate concern, it will nevertheless be important to monitor their money laundering situations because, under the right circumstances, virtually any jurisdiction of any size can develop into a significant money laundering center.

Countries/Jurisdictions of Primary Concern

Antigua and Barbuda     Hong Kong                Panama
Australia               Hungary                  Paraguay
Austria                 India                    Philippines
Bahamas                 Indonesia                Russia
Brazil                  Isle of Man              Singapore
Burma                   Israel                   Spain
Canada                  Italy                    St. Kitts and Nevis
Cayman Islands          Japan                    St. Vincent
China                   Jersey                   Switzerland
Colombia                Lebanon                  Taiwan
Cyprus                  Liechtenstein            Thailand
Dominica                Luxembourg               Turkey
Dominican Republic      Mexico                   United Arab Emirates
France                  Nauru                    United Kingdom
Germany                 Netherlands              United States
Greece                  Nigeria                  Uruguay
Grenada                 Pakistan                 Venezuela
Guernsey


Countries/Jurisdictions of Concern

Albania                 El Salvador              Niue
Argentina               Gibraltar                Palau
Aruba                   Guatemala                Peru
Bahrain                 Haiti                    Poland
Barbados                Honduras                 Portugal
Belgium                 Ireland                  Romania
Belize                  Jamaica                  Samoa
Bolivia                 Korea                    Seychelles
British Virgin Islands  Korea, North             Slovakia
Bulgaria                Latvia                   South Africa
Cambodia                Macau                    St. Lucia
Chile                   Malaysia                 Turks and Caicos
Cook Islands            Marshall Islands         Ukraine
Costa Rica              Monaco                   Vanuatu
Czech Republic          Netherlands Antilles     Vietnam
Ecuador                 Nicaragua                Yugoslavia
Egypt


Other Countries/Jurisdictions Monitored

Afghanistan             Iran                     Niger
Algeria                 Jordan                   Norway
Angola                  Kazakhstan               Oman
Anguilla                Kenya                    Papua New Guinea
Armenia                 Kuwait                   Qatar
Azerbaijan              Kyrgyzstan               Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh              Laos                     Senegal
Belarus                 Liberia                  Slovenia
Benin                   Lithuania                Solomon Islands
Bermuda                 Macedonia                Sri Lanka
Bosnia and Herzegovina  Madagascar               Suriname
Botswana                Malawi                   Swaziland
Brunei                  Maldives                 Sweden
Cameroon                Mali                     Tajikistan
Cote d'Ivoire           Malta                    Tanzania
Croatia                 Mauritius                Togo
Cuba                    Micronesia FS            Tonga
Denmark                 Moldova                  Trinidad and Tobago
Eritrea                 Mongolia                 Tunisia
Estonia                 Montserrat               Turkmenistan
Ethiopia                Morocco                  Uganda
Fiji                    Mozambique               Uzbekistan
Finland                 Namibia                  Yemen
Georgia                 Nepal                    Zambia
Ghana                   New Zealand              Zimbabwe
Guyana