Following independence in 1968, Nauru joined the Commonwealth of Nations as a Special Member; it became a full member in 2000.The country was admitted to the Asian Development Bank in 1991 and to the United Nations in 1999.[41] Nauru is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, the South Pacific Commission, and the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission.[42] The American Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program operates a climate-monitoring facility on the island.