Key Concepts & Self-Assessment15 Key Facts
Review key United Nations: Specialized Agencies & Headquarters exam facts and rate your mastery to track revision.
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#1
The United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945 (United Nations Day) in San Francisco with 51 original signatory member states ratifying the UN Charter.
#2
The UN Security Council consists of 15 members: 5 permanent veto-wielding members (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) and 10 non-permanent members elected for 2-year terms by the UNGA.
#3
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the only principal UN organ located outside New York, situated at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands), comprising 15 judges serving 9-year terms.
#4
The UN functions across 6 official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, with English and French as official working languages of the Secretariat.
#5
Specialized agencies maintain independent governance and headquarters, including WHO and ILO in Geneva, UNESCO in Paris, FAO in Rome, and the IMF and World Bank in Washington, D.C.
#6
The UN General Assembly functions as the main deliberative organ, where each of the 193 member states holds one equal vote under Article 18.
#7
The UN Economic and Social Council coordinates international economic, social, and environmental work, comprising 54 members elected by the UNGA for three-year terms.
#8
The UN Trusteeship Council suspended formal operations in November 1994 following the independence of Palau, the last remaining UN trust territory.
#9
The UN Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council for a renewable five-year term.
#10
Trygve Lie of Norway served as the first Secretary-General of the United Nations from February 1946 until his resignation in November 1952.
#11
The International Atomic Energy Agency, established in 1957 as an autonomous organization within the UN system, is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
#12
The United Nations Environment Programme was established in 1972 following the Stockholm Conference and maintains its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
#13
The International Civil Aviation Organization was established by the Chicago Convention of 1944 and is permanently headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
#14
The World Intellectual Property Organization, established in 1967 to encourage creative activity and protect intellectual property worldwide, maintains its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
#15
The Universal Postal Union, established by the Treaty of Bern in 1874, is one of the oldest specialized agencies and is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland.
Subject Specialist Commentary
Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board
The United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945 in San Francisco to maintain international peace and promote global cooperation. It operates through six principal organs, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, which has five permanent veto-wielding members and ten non-permanent members. The International Court of Justice is the only principal organ located outside New York, based at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, with fifteen judges serving nine-year terms.
For competitive exams like SSC CGL and State PSCs, agency headquarters are a recurring question pattern. Remember that WHO and ILO reside in Geneva, UNESCO is in Paris, FAO operates from Rome, and the World Bank and IMF sit in Washington, D.C. A common test trap involves unexpected locations: UNEP is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and ICAO in Montreal, Canada. For quick revision, keep in mind that the UN operates across six official languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish.
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