United Nations (UN)

Founded 1945 · Headquarters: New York City, United States

Global

Purpose

Maintain international peace and security, promote human rights, foster social and economic development, and provide a forum for cooperation among nations.

Members:: 193 member states
Headquarters:: New York City, United States

History

The United Nations was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War to prevent future global conflicts, replacing the failed League of Nations. It was established on 24 October 1945 when its founding Charter, signed by 51 original member states in San Francisco, came into force.

Structure

General Assembly
Security Council (5 permanent members with veto power: US, UK, France, Russia, China)
Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General
International Court of Justice
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Key facts

Current Secretary-General: António Guterres (Portugal), since 2017
Operates six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
Pakistan has been one of the largest contributors of UN peacekeeping troops historically

Pakistan's relationship

Founding member (joined 30 September 1947); has twice served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and is among the largest historical contributors of UN peacekeeping troops.