Un.int - About Us | United Nations

The United Nations ( UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. [2] It is the world's largest and most familiar international organization. [3]

The UN officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, after ratification of the United Nations Charter by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (the Republic of China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and a majority of the other signatories. [5]

The U.N. was officially established in 1945 following the horrific events of World War II, when international leaders proposed creating a new global organization to maintain peace and avoid the abuses of war. The U.N. initially had just 51 member states; today, the organization, which is headquartered in New York City, has 193 members.

The UN Secretariat, based in New York City, has offices in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi. Also part of the UN Secretariat are the Regional Economic Commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva, and Santiago.