United Nations

The UN is an international organization which was established in 1945 to:
(a) maintain international peace and security; (b) develop friendly
relations among nations, (c) achieve international cooperation in solving
economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems and in promoting
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and (d) be a center for
harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends. UN
membership includes approximately 170 nations. UN headquarters are located
in New York City. The UN structure includes six principal organs,
specialized agencies, major programs, autonomous agencies, committees,
subsidiary organs, and approximately a dozen peace-keeping forces. Some of
the specialized agencies and other bodies were established before the UN
was created.

The six principal UN organs are:
- The General Assembly (composed of all UN member nations)
- Security Council
- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- Trusteeship Council
- International Court of Justice (seated in The Hague, Netherlands)
- The Secretariat (which provides studies, information, and facilities
for UN bodies)

Some of the UN programs and specialized agencies are:
Headquarters

- Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Rome, Italy
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna, Austria
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD)Washington,
D.C.
- International Civil Aviation Organziation (ICAO) Montreal, Canada
- International Development Association (IDA) Washington, D.C.
- International Finance Corporation (IFC) Washington, D.C.
- International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)Rome, Italy
- International Labor Organization (ILO) Geneva, Switzerland
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) London, England
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) Washington, D.C.
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Geneva, Switzerland
- United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS)Nairobi, Kenya
- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) New York City
- United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)Geneva,
Switzerland
- United Nations Development Program (UNDP) New York City
- United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Paris, France
- United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Nairobi, Kenya
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)Geneva,
Switzerland
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)Vienna,
Austria
- United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)New York
City
- United Nations Regional Commissions (part of ECOSOC):
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Geneva, Switzerland
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC)Santiago,
Chile
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(ESCAP)Bangkok,
Thailand
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)Amman,
Jordan
- United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Vienna, Austria
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) New York City
- United Nations University (UNU) Tokyo, Japan
- Universal Postal Union (UPU) Bern, Switzerland
- World Food Council (WFC) Rome, Italy
- World Food Program (WFP) Rome, Italy
- World Health Organization (WHO) Geneva, Switzerland
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Geneva, Switzerland
- World Meterological Organization (WMO) Geneva, Switzerland

See: Food and Agricultural Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency
International Civil Aviation Organization
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
International Development Association
International Finance Corporation
International Fund for Agricultural Development
International Labor Organization
International Maritime Organization
International Telecommunication Union
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Development Program
United Nations Environment Program
United Nations Fund for Population Activities
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Regional Commissions
World Food Council
World Food Program
World Health Organization
World Intellectual Property Organization