After two world wars, countries wanted a body to keep peace. So they created the United Nations (UN) in 1945. Today almost every country is a member. The UN has six main organs. It also has many agencies, such as the WHO and UNESCO. Exams ask about the founding date, the organs, the Security Council and the agencies with their headquarters. This post explains them in simple words. It ends with 15 previous year questions.
Key Points (Quick Revision)
- The UN Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 at San Francisco. The UN came into being on 24 October 1945.
- Headquarters: New York. Members: 193. The newest member is South Sudan (2011).
- Six principal organs: General Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC, Trusteeship Council, ICJ and Secretariat.
- The Security Council has 15 members: 5 permanent with veto and 10 non-permanent elected for two years.
- The ICJ sits at The Hague. It is the only principal organ outside New York.
1. How the UN was born
The League of Nations, formed after the First World War, failed to stop the Second World War. Leaders decided to build a stronger body.
The name "United Nations" was first used by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942.
In 1945, delegates of 50 countries met at San Francisco. They signed the UN Charter on 26 June 1945. Poland signed later and became the 51st original member.
The Charter came into force on 24 October 1945. This day is celebrated every year as UN Day.
India is a founding member. It signed the Charter in 1945, before independence.
2. Basic facts
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York, USA |
| Other main offices | Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi |
| Members | 193 |
| Official languages | Six - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish |
| Working languages of the Secretariat | English and French |
| First Secretary-General | Trygve Lie of Norway |
| Term of the Secretary-General | Five years, renewable |
| UN emblem | A world map surrounded by olive branches, on a blue background |
3. The six principal organs
General Assembly (UNGA). All 193 members sit here. Each has one vote. It meets every year from September. It passes resolutions, approves the budget and elects members of other organs. Its resolutions are not binding. A new President is elected for each session. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit of India was the first woman President of the UNGA, in 1953.
Security Council (UNSC). The organ for peace and security. It has 15 members. The five permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each has a veto. The ten non-permanent members are elected by the UNGA for two-year terms. Its decisions are binding. The presidency rotates every month in alphabetical order.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Deals with economic, social and environmental matters. It has 54 members, elected for three-year terms. It coordinates the specialised agencies.
Trusteeship Council. Set up to look after trust territories until they became independent. It suspended its work in 1994 after Palau, the last trust territory, became independent.
International Court of Justice (ICJ). The main judicial organ. It sits at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It has 15 judges elected for nine years by the UNGA and the UNSC. It settles disputes between states and gives advisory opinions.
Secretariat. The administrative arm, headed by the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General is appointed by the UNGA on the recommendation of the UNSC for a five-year term.
4. Specialised agencies and their headquarters
Exams ask these again and again. Learn the table.
| Agency | Full form | Headquarters | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ILO | International Labour Organization | Geneva | 1919 |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization | Rome | 1945 |
| UNESCO | UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | Paris | 1945 |
| WHO | World Health Organization | Geneva | 1948 |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Washington DC | 1945 |
| World Bank | IBRD and IDA | Washington DC | 1945 |
| ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization | Montreal | 1947 |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization | London | 1948 |
| ITU | International Telecommunication Union | Geneva | 1865 |
| UPU | Universal Postal Union | Bern | 1874 |
| WMO | World Meteorological Organization | Geneva | 1950 |
| WIPO | World Intellectual Property Organization | Geneva | 1967 |
| UNIDO | UN Industrial Development Organization | Vienna | 1966 |
| IFAD | International Fund for Agricultural Development | Rome | 1977 |
The ITU and the UPU are older than the UN itself. The ILO was created with the League of Nations in 1919.
5. Funds, programmes and related bodies
| Body | Work | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| UNICEF | Children | New York |
| UNDP | Development; publishes the Human Development Report | New York |
| UNEP | Environment | Nairobi |
| UNHCR | Refugees | Geneva |
| WFP | Food aid; Nobel Peace Prize 2020 | Rome |
| UNFPA | Population | New York |
| UN Women | Gender equality | New York |
| UNCTAD | Trade and development | Geneva |
| IAEA | Atomic energy; a related organisation | Vienna |
| WTO | Trade; a related organisation, not a UN agency | Geneva |
6. India and the UN
- India is a founding member and has served as a non-permanent member of the Security Council eight times, most recently in 2021-22.
- India is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping and has sent troops to missions since the 1950s.
- Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first woman President of the General Assembly (1953).
- India proposed the International Day of Yoga on 21 June, adopted by the UNGA in 2014.
- India seeks a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council, along with Brazil, Germany and Japan, the G4 group.
7. Previous year questions
- When was the United Nations established? – 24 October 1945
- Where was the UN Charter signed? – San Francisco, USA
- Where are the headquarters of the United Nations? – New York
- How many principal organs does the UN have? – Six
- How many members does the UN Security Council have? – 15 (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent)
- What is the term of a non-permanent member of the Security Council? – Two years
- Where is the International Court of Justice located? – The Hague, Netherlands
- How many judges does the ICJ have and what is their term? – 15 judges, nine years
- How many members does ECOSOC have? – 54
- Which UN organ suspended its operations in 1994? – Trusteeship Council
- Who was the first Secretary-General of the UN? – Trygve Lie (Norway)
- How many official languages does the UN have? – Six
- Which is the newest member of the UN? – South Sudan (2011)
- Who was the first woman President of the UN General Assembly? – Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1953)
- Where is the headquarters of UNEP? – Nairobi, Kenya
8. How to revise this topic
Start with the three dates: 1 January 1942 name, 26 June 1945 Charter, 24 October 1945 birth.
Next, fix the numbers: 193 members, 15 in the UNSC, 54 in ECOSOC, 15 ICJ judges for nine years, six languages.
Then learn the six organs and what each does, with The Hague as the odd one out.
Finally, memorise the agencies table. Group them by city: Geneva, New York, Rome, Washington, Vienna, Paris.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was the UN founded?
The UN Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 at San Francisco and came into force on 24 October 1945, which is celebrated as UN Day. The headquarters are in New York.
What are the six principal organs of the UN?
The General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat.
Who are the permanent members of the Security Council?
China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each has the power of veto. The other ten members are elected for two-year terms.
Is the WTO a UN agency?
No. The WTO is a related international organisation that works with the UN but is not a specialised agency of it. The IAEA is also a related organisation.
How many times has India been a non-permanent member of the Security Council?
Eight times, most recently for the 2021-22 term. India is a founding member of the UN and a major contributor to peacekeeping.
For more Static GK topics in simple language, see our International Organisations and their Headquarters, Important International Organisations and Important Days and Dates posts, or browse the Static GK section. Preparing for SSC? Start with the SSC GD guide or join the 100 Hour GS Course.