United Nations (Организация Объединённых Наций)

The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 192 states.

UN membership is open to all "peace-loving states" that accept the obligations of the UN Charter and, in the judgment of the organization, are able and willing to fulfill these obligations. The General Assembly determines admission upon recommendation of the Security Council.

The United Nations System is based on six principal organs: 1) UN General Assembly; 2) UN Security Council; 3) UN Economic and Social Council; 4) UN Trusteeship Council; 5) UN Secretariat; 6) International Court of Justice.

The UN came into existence on October 24, 1945, after the Charter had been ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council — Republic of China, France, the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and the United States — and by a majority of the other 46 signatories.

The United Nations headquarters building was constructed in New York City in 1949 and 1950 beside the East River on land purchased by an 8.5 million dollar donation from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer. UN headquarters officially opened on January 9, 1951. While the principal headquarters of the UN are in New York, there are major agencies located in Geneva, the Hague, Vienna, and elsewhere.

UN peacekeepers are sent to various regions where armed conflict has recently stopped, in order to enforce the terms of peace agreements. These forces are provided by member states of the UN; the UN does not maintain any independent military. All UN peacekeeping operations must be approved by the Security Council.

In conjunction with other organizations, such as the Red Cross, the UN provides food, drinking water, shelter and other humanitarian services to inhabitants suffering from famine, displaced by war, or suffering from some other disaster.

The six official languages of the United Nations include those of the founding nations: Chinese, English, French, Russian as well as Spanish. In addition, Arabic was added in 1982. All formal meetings are interpreted in these official languages. Additionally, all official documents, in print or online, are translated in all six languages.

1. How many countries are the UN members?

2. Which country can become a member of the United Nations?

3. Where is the UN headquarters located?

4. What are the UN principal organs?

5. When was the UN created?

6. What are the main activities of the UN?

7. What are the official languages of the United Nations?