How the World Is Organized

The United Nations (UN)

Founded in 1945 after World War II to stop another one. Almost every country (193) is a member.

• General Assembly: every country gets one vote.
• Security Council: 15 members, including 5 permanent ones (the US, UK, France, Russia and China). Each permanent member has a veto, so any of them can block a decision.
• UN agencies include the WHO (health), UNICEF (children) and UNESCO (education and culture).

NATO

A military alliance founded in 1949 by the US, Canada and Western European countries. Its key rule, Article 5: an attack on one member is an attack on all. Finland (2023) and Sweden (2024) joined after Russia invaded Ukraine, bringing it to 32 members.

The European Union (EU)

27 European countries that trade freely, share many laws, and let citizens live and work in any member country. Most of them use the euro. The UK voted to leave in 2016 (Brexit) and officially left in 2020.

The money clubs

• G7: seven big rich democracies (US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada). Leaders meet every year.
• G20: the 19 biggest economies plus the EU and the African Union.
• IMF and World Bank: lend money to countries and set economic rules.

BRICS

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, big emerging economies that want more say in a system built mostly by the West. It started expanding beyond five members in 2024.