United Nations

[jems007mbond]

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated
aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international
security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and
achievement of world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War
II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries,
and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple
subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions.

There are currently 193 member states, including every internationally
recognised sovereign state in the world but the Vatican City. From its
offices around the world, the UN and its specialized agencies decide
on substantive and administrative issues in regular meetings held
throughout the year. The organization has six principal organs: the
General Assembly (the main deliberative assembly); the Security
Council (for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security); the
Economic and Social Council (for assisting in promoting international
economic and social cooperation and development); the Secretariat (for
providing studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN); the
International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ); and the
United Nations Trusteeship Council (which is currently inactive).
Other prominent UN System agencies include the World Health
Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF). The UN's most visible public figure is the
Secretary-General, currently Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, who attained
the post in 2007.

The United Nations Headquarters resides in international territory in
New York City, with further main offices at Geneva, Nairobi, and
Vienna. The organization is financed from assessed and voluntary
contributions from its member states, and has six official languages:
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.