United Nations (UN)

United Nations (UN) is an organization of nations that works for world peace and security and the betterment of humanity. Almost all of the world's independent countries belong to the UN. Each member nation sends representatives to UN Headquarters in New York City, where they discuss and try to solve problems.

The United Nations has two main goals: peace and human dignity. If fighting between two or more countries breaks out anywhere, the UN may be asked to try to stop it. After the fighting stops, the UN may help work out ways to keep it from starting again. But the UN tries above all to deal with problems and disputes before they lead to fighting. It seeks the causes of war and tries to find ways to eliminate them.

The United Nations has met with both success and failure in its work. It has been able to keep some disputes from developing into major wars. The organization has also helped people in numerous parts of the world gain their freedom and better their way of life. For many years, however, disagreements among UN member nations prevented the organization from operating effectively. Since the mid-1980's, greater cooperation among members has enabled the UN to attempt missions in more and more countries. But these missions have added to the UN's financial troubles.

The United Nations was established on Oct. 24, 1945, shortly after World War II. As the war drew to an end, the nations that opposed Germany, Italy, and Japan decided that such a war must never happen again. Representatives of these nations met in San Francisco in April 1945 and worked out a plan for an organization to help keep world peace. This plan was described in a document called the Charter of the United Nations. In June 1945, 50 nations signed it. They were the first UN members. Since then, over 100 other nations have joined.

In some ways, the UN resembles the League of Nations, which was organized after World War I (see League of Nations). Many of the nations that founded the UN had also founded the League. Like the League, the UN was established to help keep peace between nations. The main organs of the UN are much like those of the League. But the UN differs from the League in two main ways. First, all the great military powers except Communist China were UN members from the beginning, and Communist China gained membership in 1971. By contrast, several powerful countries, including the United States, either did not join the League or withdrew from it. Second, the UN's concern with economic and social problems gives it broader responsibilities than the League had.

The six major organs of the United Nations carry on the work of the organization. These organs are (1) General Assembly, (2) Security Council, (3) Secretariat, (4) Economic and Social Council, (5) International Court of Justice, and (6) Trusteeship Council. A variety of specialized agencies related to the UN deal with such problems as communications, food and agriculture, health, and labor.

UN Headquarters consist of several buildings along the East River in New York City. The three main buildings are the General Assembly Building, the Secretariat Building, and the Conference Building. The flags of all the members fly in front of UN Headquarters.