United Nations (UN): Definition, Purpose, Structure, and Members

What Is the United Nations (UN)?

The United Nations, commonly referred to as the U.N., is an international nonprofit organization formed in 1945 to increase political and economic cooperation among member countries.

Key Takeaways

• The United Nations is an international governing body formed in 1945 to increase political and economic cooperation among its member countries.
• The U.N. grew out of the League of Nations following World War II; now, nearly every country in the world is a member.
• It has five principal component parts, including the U.N. Economic and Social Council, which coordinates the work of 15 specialized agencies.

Purpose of the United Nations

The United Nations was formed in 1945 to reduce international tensions, promote human rights, and decrease the possibility of large-scale conflicts. It is a successor to the League of Nations, a body devoted to international cooperation that was formed in 1920 after World War I but found itself unable to prevent the outbreak of war in Europe and Asia in the 1930s. The U.S. never joined the League of Nations.

Today, almost every country in the world is represented in the U.N., including the United States (U.N. headquarters is located in New York City). Some states lack U.N. membership due to non-recognition or blockage by powerful member states.

There are five permanent U.N. members: the U.S., Russia, France, the U.K., and China. When a new state applies to join the U.N., it only takes one permanent member to veto the application.

Structure of the UN

The U.N. is made up of five principal bodies: the U.N. General Assembly, the U.N. Secretariat, the International Court of Justice, the U.N. Security Council, and the U.N. Economic and Social Council. The U.N. Trusteeship Council has been inactive since 1994.

UN General Assembly

The U.N. General Assembly is the main deliberative body, where all members have equal representation. Its responsibilities include setting the U.N.’s budget, appointing rotating members to the Security Council, and passing non-binding resolutions.

UN Secretariat

The U.N. Secretariat is the executive wing of the U.N., responsible for implementing policies. Its head, the Secretary-General, is the U.N.’s top official. The Secretariat includes the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice settles disputes and issues advisory opinions. There are 15 judges, and the court’s official languages are French and English.

UN Security Council

The U.N. Security Council maintains international security, authorizes peacekeeping missions, accepts new U.N. members, and approves changes to the U.N. charter. It consists of permanent and rotating member states.

UN Economic and Social Council

The U.N. Economic and Social Council coordinates the work of specialized agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the World Bank.

Which Countries Are Not Members of the United Nations?

There are 193 U.N. member countries. Observer states like the Holy See and Palestine can participate in General Assembly meetings but cannot vote. Certain other states, including Kosovo and Taiwan, are not U.N. members because they’re not recognized by all U.N. members.

Who Founded the United Nations?

In April 1945, representatives of 50 countries gathered in San Francisco for the United Nations Conference on International Organization. They drafted and signed the U.N. Charter, creating the United Nations, which officially began on Oct. 24, 1945.

Who Is the Secretary-General of the UN?

The ninth U.N. Secretary-General, António Guterres, took office on Jan. 1, 2017. He was recently sworn in for a second five-year term starting in January 2022.

What Are the Agencies Inside the United Nations?

The U.N. has specialized agencies that operate autonomously inside the organization, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the World Bank.

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