Purpose: To protect human rights; promote the protection of the environment; help the advancement of women and the rights of children; fight epidemics, famine, poverty. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees and help improve telecommunication; deliver food aid and protect consumers; combat disease and help expand food production; make loans to developing countries and help stabilize financial markets.

Date of Origin: October 24, 1945

Original Membership: 51 Countries

Current Membership: Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN - 185 countries in all.

Location: All six parts of the UN are based at UN Headquarters in New York, except the International Court of Justice, which is located at The Hague, Netherlands.

Structure: The United Nations is an organization of sovereign nations. It provides the means to help find solutions to international problems or disputes, and to deal with pressing concerns that face people everywhere.

The UN is comprised of six primary parts( The General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat).

The General Assembly: The General Assembly is similar to a world parliament. 185 nations are represented in it, and each has one vote. Decisions on ordinary matters are taken by simple majority. Important questions require a two-thirds majority. The Assembly has the right to discuss and make recommendations on all matters within the scope of the UN Charter but it has no power to compel action by any Government, but its recommendations carry the weight of world opinion. The Assembly also sets policies and determines programs for the UN Secretariat, directs activities for development, and approves the UN budget, including peacekeeping operations. Occupying a central position in the UN, the Assembly receives reports from other organs, admits new Members and appoints the UN secretary-general.

The Security Council: The UN's founding document, the UN charter obligates countries to settle their disputes by peaceful means. They are to refrain from the threat or use of force against other countries and may bring any dispute before the Security Council. The Security Council is the part of the UN to which the Charter gives primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security. It can be convened at any time, whenever peace is threatened. Member States are obligated to carry out its decisions. The Council has 15 members. Five of these - China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States - are permanent members. The other 10 are elected by the Assembly for two-year terms. Decisions require nine votes; except in votes on procedural questions, a decision cannot be taken if there is a negative vote (veto) by a permanent member. The Council may take actions to enforce its decisions by imposing sanctions on countries or parties that threaten the peace or send peacekeeping missions to troubled areas, to keep opposing forces apart or to put a peace agreement into effect.

The Economic and Social Council: The Council oversees UN activities and policies promoting economic growth in developing countries, administering development projects, promoting the observance of human rights, and fostering international cooperation in areas such as housing, family planning, environmental protection and crime prevention. The Trusteeship Council was established to ensure that Governments responsible for administering Trust Territories (colonies) take adequate steps to prepare them for self-government or independence. The task of the Trusteeship System was completed in 1994, when the Security Council terminated the Trusteeship Agreement for the last of the original 11 UN Trusteeships, the Trust Territory of Palau, administered by the United States. All Trust Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or by joining neighboring independent countries. The Trusteeship Council will now meet as and where circumstances so demand. The International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (also known as the World Court) is the main judicial organ of the UN, settling legal disputes between Member States. To find out more go to our page on the world court. The Secretariat works for the other five organs of the UN and administers their programs. With a staff of some 8,900 under the regular budget, working at Headquarters and all over the world, it carries out the day-to-day work of the UN and is headed by the secretary-general.

Peace Keeping Missions:

AFRICA

ANGOLA - UNAVEM I
United Nations Angola Verification Mission I, January 1989 - June 1991

ANGOLA - UNAVEM II
United Nations Angola Verification Mission II, June 1991 - February 1995

ANGOLA - UNAVEM III
United Nations Angola Verification Mission III, February 1995 - June 1997

CHAD/LIBYA - UNASOG
United Nations Aouzou Strip Observer Group, May - June 1994

CONGO - ONUC
United Nations Operation in the Congo, July 1960 - June 1964

LIBERIA - UNOMIL
United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia, September 1993 - September 1997

MOZAMBIQUE - ONUMOZ
United Nations Operation in Mozambique, December 1992 - December 1994

NAMIBIA - UNTAG
United Nations Transition Assistance Group, April 1989 - March 1990

RWANDA - UNAMIR
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda October, 1993 - March 1996

RWANDA/UGANDA - UNOMUR
United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda, June 1993 - September 1994

SOMALIA - UNOSOM I
United Nations Operation in Somalia I, April 1992 - March 1993

SOMALIA - UNOSOM II
United Nations Operation in Somalia II, March 1993 - March 1995

AMERICAS

CENTRAL AMERICA - ONUCA
United Nations Observer Group in Central America, November 1989 - January 1992

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - DOMREP
Mission of the Representative of the Secretary-General in the Dominican Republic, May 1965 - October 1966

EL SALVADOR - ONUSAL
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador, July 1991 - April 1995

GUATEMALA - MINUGUA
United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala, January- May 1997

HAITI - UNMIH
United Nations Mission in Haiti, September 1993 - June 1996

HAITI - UNSMIH
United Nations Support Mission in Haiti, July 1996 - July 1997

HAITI - UNTMIH
United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti, August-November 1997

ASIA

AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN - UNGOMAP
United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan, April 1988 - March 1990

CAMBODIA - UNAMIC
United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia October 1991 - March 1992

CAMBODIA - UNTAC
United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia, March 1992 - September 1993

INDIA/PAKISTAN - UNIPOM
United Nations India-Pakistan Observation Mission, September 1965 - March 1966

WEST NEW GUINEA - UNSF
United Nations Security Force in West New Guinea (West Irian), October 1962 - April 1963

EUROPE

CROATIA - UNCRO
United Nations Confidence Restoration Organization in Croatia, March 1995 - January 1996

CROATIA - UNTAES
United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium, January 1996 - January 1998

FORMER YUGOSLAVIA - UNPROFOR
United Nations Protection Force, March 1992 - December 1995

MIDEAST IRAN/IRAQ - UNIIMOG
United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group, August 1988 - February 1991

LEBANON - UNOGIL
United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon, June - December 1958

MIDDLE EAST - UNEFI
First United Nations Emergency Force, November 1956 - June 1967

MIDDLE EAST - UNEF II
Second United Nations Emergency Force, October 1973 - July 1979

YEMEN - UNYOM
United Nations Yemen Observation Mission, July 1963 - September 1964