Credit unions
Credit unions are non-profit institutions jointly organised and owned by their members (depositors). Their main objective is to satisfy the depository and lending requires of their members, who have to belong to a particular group (identified by occupation, association, geographical location). The members' deposits are used to provide loans to other members, and earnings from these loans are used to pay a higher rate of interest to member depositors. They are the most numerous amid the institutions composing depository institutions totalling about 8535 in 2006 according to the Credit Union National Association.