United Nations Preamble of the United Nations Charter The Charter of the United Nations was adopted at the San Francisco Conference of 1945. The complete text is available on the UN website, www.un.org/aboutun /charter. We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and To establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, and for these ends To practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and To unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and To insure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and To employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples, have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims. Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.

Secretariat This is the directorate on UN operations, apart from political decisions. The staff works under the secretary-general, whom it assists and advises. Secretaries-General Ban Ki-moon, South Korea, Jan. 1, 2007 Kofi Annan, Ghana, 1997–2006 Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egypt, 1992–1996 Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Peru, 1982–1991 Kurt Waldheim, Austria, 1972–1981 U Thant, Burma (Myanmar), 1961–1971 Dag Hammarskjöld, Sweden, 1953–1961 Trygve Lie, Norway, 1946–1953

General Assembly The General Assembly is the world's forum for discussing matters affecting world peace and security, and for making recommendations concerning them. It has no power to enforce decisions. It is composed of the 51 original member nations and those admitted since, totaling 192. On important questions, including international peace and security, a two-thirds majority of those present and voting is required. Decisions on other questions are made by a simple majority. Emphasis is given to questions relating to international peace and security brought before it by members, the Security Council, or nonmembers. It also maintains a broad program of international cooperation in economic, social, cultural, educational, and health fields, and for assisting in human rights and freedoms.

The Difference between the U.K., Great Britain, England, and the British Isles Key differences of these names often used interchangeably: There are key differences between Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and England—names often used interchangeably. Great Britain Great Britain is an island that consists of three somewhat autonomous regions that include England, Scotland, and Wales. It is located east of Ireland and northwest of Francein the Atlantic Ocean. The United Kingdom The United Kingdom is a country that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Its official name is “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are often mistaken as names of countries, but they are only a part of the United Kingdom. The British Isles The British Isles is another term altogether and encompasses Great Britain, the island of Ireland, and several other smaller islands, such as the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man is not a part of the United Kingdom or the European Union, even though its Lord is the Monarch of the United Kingdom. The Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nationsis a voluntary association of countries that were formerly British colonies. Members of the Commonwealth of Nations recognize the United Kingdom Monarch as their own king or queen, but remain politically independent. Members of the Commonwealth of Nations Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Canada Cameroon Cyprus Dominica Gambia Ghana Grenada Guyana India Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mozambique Namibi a Nauru New Zealand Nigeria Papua New Guinea Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Swaziland Tanzania Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom Vanuatu Zambia

Former Place Names of Countries and Cities Current nameOld Name EthiopiaAbyssinia Ankara, TurkeyAngora, Turkey Czech Republic and SlovakiaBohemia, Moravia, Chechoslovakia Sri LankaCeylon Istanbul, TurkeyConstantinople, Turkey Beijing, ChinaPeking, China IranPersia IraqMesopotamia ZimbabweSouthern Rhodesia ZambiaNorthern Rhodesia Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamSaigon, South Vietnam St. Petersburg, RussiaPetrograd and Leningrad, Russia ThailandSiam TanzaniaTanganyika and Zanzibar, German East Africa Democratic Republic of CongoZaire NamibiaSouth-West Africa MoldovaMoldavia Burkina FasoUpper Volta LibyaTripolitania and Cyrenaica AlgeriaNumidia MaliSudanese Republic FranceGaul Central African Republic, ChadFrench Equatorial Africa Rwanda and BurundiGerman East Africa China (north)Cathay China (south)Mangi VietnamCochin-China (south), Annam (central), Tonkin (north) MyanmarBurma Tokyo, JapanEdo Korea (North and South)Choson CambodiaKampuchea TaiwanFormosa