The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (Portuguese: Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa; abbreviated as the CPLP), also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth ("Comunidade Lusófona"), is an international organization and political association of Lusophone nations across four continents, where Portuguese is an official language. The CPLP operates as a privileged, multilateral forum for the mutual cooperation of the governments, economies, non-governmental organizations, and peoples of the "Lusofonia". The CPLP consists of 9 member states and 19 associate observers, located in Europe, South America, Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania.