League of Nations

The **League of Nations** (abbreviated as **LN** in English) was an intergovernmental organisation founded on January 10th, 1920 as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the Great War of 1914. It was the first international organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. Its primary goals, as stated in its Covenant, included preventing wars through collective security and disarmament and settling international disputes through negotiation and arbitration. Other issues in this and related treaties included labor conditions, just treatment of native inhabitants, human and drug trafficking, the arms trade, global health, prisoners of war, and protection of minorities in Europe.

The diplomatic philosophy behind the League represented a fundamental shift from the preceding hundred years. The League initially lacked its own armed force and depended on the victorious Great Powers of the Great War (France, the UK, Italy and Japan were the permanent members of the executive Council) to enforce its resolutions, keep to its economic sanctions, or provide an army when needed. The Great Powers were often reluctant to do so. Sanctions could hurt League members, so they were reluctant to comply with them.

After some notable successes and some early failures in the 1920's, the League ultimately proved incapable of preventing aggression by the Axis powers in the 1930's. The credibility of the organization was somewhat weakened by the fact that the United States never officially joined the League and the Soviet Union joined late and only briefly. Germany withdrew from the League, as did Japan, Italy, Spain and others. While many questioned the value of the League of Nations following the onset of the Versailles War its quick resolution led to restructuring and revitalization of the League of Nations.

The headquarters of the League of Nations is in Geneva, Switzerland, and is subject to extraterritoriality. Further main offices are situated in London, Paris, Beijing, Moscow and Washington D.C. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.

The new League of Nations Charter was drafted at a conference in 1941 in Berlin, and was signed on January 1st, 1942 at the conclusion of the conference. The LN's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the growing divide between the United States and Western Europe. The organization participated in major actions in North Africa, the Levant and India. The organization's membership grew significantly following widespread decolonization in the 1950's and 1960's.

The LN has six principal organs: the General Assembly (the main deliberative assembly); the Security Council (for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security); the Economic Council (for promoting international economic and social co-operation and development); the Secretariat (for providing studies, information, and facilities needed by the LN); the International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ); the International Mandate Commission (for monitoring and supporting League of Nations Mandate territories) and the Executive Council (reserved for major powers). LN System agencies include the LN Bank Group, the LN Health Commission, the World Food Programme, International Commission on Intellectual Cooperation (ICIC), and International Children's Commission (ICC). The LN's most prominent officer is the Secretary-General.

The LN's Executive Council consists of France, Socialist Republic of China, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, United Kingdom and the United States. The Executive Council are permanent members of the Security Council as well as they vote on whether or not to accept country membership into the League of Nations. The Executive Council representatives can vote to either approve, reject or abstain from voting. A state must receive at least three approvals to be accepted as a Member State. A state that receives two or less approvals from the Executive Council can be sponsored by a member of the Executive Council to gain a unique Observe State Special Status.

There are currently 192 states recognized by the League of Nations, 186 of which are full members and 6 of which are Observer States, of those 6 there are 3 considered Special Status Observer States. Vatican City, Jerusalem and Mecca are all independent city-states that act as League of Nations Observer States in regards to the Jerusalem Accords. Kozakia, Kresowia and Uyghuristan are considered Observer States with Special Status due to being sponsored by an Executive Council member. For a list of nations with limited recognition click here.

For list of countries and territories by population click here.