The United Nations (UN) is an international organization of states, established on 24 October 1945 to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, promote human rights, and coordinate international cooperation. Its founding treaty, the United Nations Charter, defines its purposes, powers, and institutional structure. The UN has 193 member states and its headquarters in New York City. Its activities encompass diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, development, and the advancement of international law. (un.org)
Foundation and membership
The UN emerged from international planning during World War II. Representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco between 25 April and 26 June 1945 to draft its Charter. They signed the document on 26 June; Poland signed subsequently, bringing the number of original members to 51. The organization formally came into existence when the Charter entered into force following ratification by the five designated permanent Security Council members and a majority of the other signatories. (un.org)
Membership expanded over subsequent decades. South Sudan became the 193rd member on 14 July 2011. Under the Charter, admission is open to peace-loving states that accept its obligations and are judged able and willing to carry them out. Admission requires a Security Council recommendation followed by a General Assembly decision. Membership therefore depends on a specified institutional process rather than solely on a state's declaration of independence. (un.org)
Charter and governing principles
The Charter establishes the sovereign equality of members, connecting the organization to the principle of sovereignty. It requires states to settle international disputes peacefully and prohibits threats or uses of force against another state's territorial integrity or political independence. It also preserves the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs, subject to its provisions. The UN is an organization exercising treaty-defined powers, not a government replacing its members. (un.org)
These principles coexist with mechanisms for collective action. Members undertake to accept and carry out Security Council decisions in accordance with the Charter. Chapter VII permits the Council to determine threats to peace, breaches of peace, or acts of aggression and to decide measures ranging from economic restrictions to military action. (un.org)
Principal organs
The Charter established six principal organs, whose responsibilities differ:
- The General Assembly represents every member state and provides a forum for deliberation and policymaking.
- The Security Council has primary responsibility for international peace and security.
- The Economic and Social Council coordinates economic, social, and related work.
- The Secretariat carries out the organization's administrative and substantive work.
- The International Court of Justice is its principal judicial organ.
- The Trusteeship Council supervised the international trusteeship system. It suspended operations on 1 November 1994 after the last remaining trust territory, Palau, became independent. (un.org)
Each General Assembly member has one vote. Important questions require a two-thirds majority of members present and voting; other questions generally require a simple majority. The Assembly approves the UN budget and makes recommendations on matters within its competence. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, appointed by the Assembly upon the Council's recommendation. (un.org)
The Security Council comprises five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and ten elected members serving two-year terms. Substantive decisions require at least nine affirmative votes and are subject to the permanent members' veto. Procedural decisions require nine affirmative votes without that veto requirement. (un.org)
Peace and judicial functions
UN peacekeeping combines military, police, and civilian personnel to support security and political processes in conflict-affected countries. Its basic principles are consent of the main parties, impartiality, and non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. The UN has no military forces of its own; member states voluntarily supply troops and police. Peacekeeping is therefore distinct from an independent standing army. (peacekeeping.un.org)
The International Court of Justice, seated in The Hague, settles legal disputes submitted by states and gives advisory opinions requested by authorized international bodies. Its jurisdiction in disputes rests on state consent, which may be expressed through agreements, treaty clauses, or declarations accepting compulsory jurisdiction. Advisory opinions are generally not legally binding. (un.org)
Human rights and development
On 10 December 1948, the General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It set out a common standard of fundamental rights and subsequently informed the development of international human-rights treaties. (un.org)
The UN's development work includes the 2030 Agenda, adopted in 2015, and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These address poverty, education, inequality, environmental protection, and other interconnected priorities. Their approach to sustainable development combines economic, social, and environmental objectives, including responses to climate change. (sdgs.un.org)
UN system and resources
The wider UN system includes funds, programmes, and autonomous specialized agencies with their own leadership and budgets. Examples include the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency, and the World Health Organization. Their different institutional arrangements mean that the UN system is not a single centrally administered organization. (un.org)
The General Assembly apportions the organization's expenses among members. Peacekeeping uses a separate assessment formula reflecting countries' relative economic wealth and the permanent Council members' special responsibilities. Many funds and programmes depend on voluntary contributions. The six official UN languages are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish; interpretation and translation support participation across delegations. (un.org)