Sixteen nations, representing five space agencies, contribute scientific, technological, and financial resources and knowledge to the International Space Station. The cooperating nations are: the United States (National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA), Russia (Russian Federal Space Agency), Canada (Canadian Space Agency or CSA), Japan (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency or JAXA), Brazil, and eleven member countries of the European Space Agency (ESA). The eleven member countries of the ESA are: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.