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UN Organisations and Headquarters
A compact, tabular revision focused on the United Nations system: its six principal organs, specialised agencies, programmes and funds, their headquarters and founding years, plus India's UN role, for CAPF current events
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At a glance
SubjectCurrent Events
RevisionCurrent EventsUnited NationsOrganisationsHeadquartersPaper 1
One screen per section. Cover the right column and test yourself. The structure, headquarters and founding years of the UN system are durable static facts; the Secretary-General and other office-holders rotate, so for any named office-holder verify the latest. This sheet drills the UN system specifically; the broader list of all international bodies is in international organisations and headquarters.
| Item |
Fact |
| Founded |
24 October 1945 (UN Day) |
| Founding Charter signed |
San Francisco, 1945 |
| Membership |
193 member states |
| Headquarters |
New York, USA |
| Official languages |
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish |
| Predecessor |
League of Nations (1920-1946) |
| Organ |
Seat / note |
| General Assembly |
New York; all members, one vote each |
| Security Council |
New York; 5 permanent (US, UK, France, Russia, China) plus 10 non-permanent |
| Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) |
New York; coordinates economic and social work |
| Secretariat |
New York; headed by the Secretary-General |
| International Court of Justice |
The Hague, Netherlands; the only organ not in New York |
| Trusteeship Council |
Suspended operations in 1994 |
| Agency |
Headquarters |
Focus |
| WHO |
Geneva |
Health |
| UNESCO |
Paris |
Education, science, culture |
| ILO |
Geneva |
Labour (won Nobel Peace Prize 1969) |
| FAO |
Rome |
Food and agriculture |
| IMF |
Washington DC |
Monetary stability |
| World Bank Group |
Washington DC |
Development finance |
| IAEA |
Vienna |
Atomic energy (UN-affiliated) |
| WIPO |
Geneva |
Intellectual property |
| UNIDO |
Vienna |
Industrial development |
| WMO |
Geneva |
Meteorology |
| ICAO |
Montreal |
Civil aviation |
| IMO |
London |
Maritime affairs |
| IFAD |
Rome |
Agricultural development |
| UPU |
Bern |
Postal union |
| ITU |
Geneva |
Telecommunications |
| Body |
Headquarters |
Focus |
| UNICEF |
New York |
Children |
| UNHCR |
Geneva |
Refugees (Nobel Peace Prize 1954, 1981) |
| UNDP |
New York |
Development; publishes the Human Development Report |
| UNEP |
Nairobi |
Environment |
| WFP |
Rome |
Food aid (Nobel Peace Prize 2020) |
| UNFPA |
New York |
Population |
| UN Women |
New York |
Gender equality |
| UNCTAD |
Geneva |
Trade and development |
| UN-Habitat |
Nairobi |
Human settlements |
| UNODC |
Vienna |
Drugs and crime |
| Item |
Fact |
| Founding member |
India signed the UN Charter in 1945 (before independence) |
| Security Council |
India has served several terms as a non-permanent member; seeks permanent membership through the G4 |
| Peacekeeping |
India is among the largest contributors of troops to UN peacekeeping operations |
| UNESCO World Heritage |
India has a large number of inscribed World Heritage Sites (verify the latest count) |
| Human Rights Council |
India has been an elected member several times |
| Peg |
Recall |
| UN founding date |
24 October 1945 |
| UN members |
193 |
| Only principal organ outside New York |
International Court of Justice (The Hague) |
| Health agency seat |
WHO, Geneva |
| Refugee agency |
UNHCR, Geneva |
| Aviation body seat |
ICAO, Montreal |
| Maritime body seat |
IMO, London |