UN Membership

The United Nations was established by the Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice.

The Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of 50 countries; Poland signed on 15 October 1945. There were 51 Founding Members in 1945. The founding members of the United Nations are the countries that were invited to participate in the 1945 San Francisco Conference at which the UN Charter and Statute of the ICJ was adopted. Participation was determined by virtue of having signed or adhered to the Declaration by United Nations (1942) or as approved at the Conference.

In accordance with Article 110, the Charter entered into force on 24 October 1945, after ratification by the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of the other countries. Twenty-two countries subsequently deposited their instruments of ratification. The table below reflects the pattern of ratification: first the five permanent members, then the other countries that ratified by 24 October, and then the remaining countries.

Since 1945, some of the Founding Members have changed their names, others have been dissolved and new states have succeeded them.

Related Research Guides