History Talk - The United Nations Flag
The flag of the United Nations was officially adopted in 1947

The organizers of the 1945 United Nations Conference in San Francisco, California wanted an insignia that could be made into a pin to identify delegates. The original colour was a gray blue that differs from the current United Nations flag. The olive branches placed around the world map, stand for Peace for all people - worldwide. The United Nations flag may also be flown as a Garrison Flag with other country flags.

The "United Nations Honour Flag"
was used as a symbol of the wartime allies, ca. 1943-1948
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Source: Basic Facts - About the United Nations
United Nations Publication


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Membership: 192 Member States
Established: 24 October 1945
Secretariat staffing as of 30 June 2009 (Secretary-General's report "Composition of the Secretariat" [A/64/352] ): about 40,000
Current UN peacekeeping operations: 16
Budget for 2008-2009: USD 4.171 billion (peacekeeping operations not included)
Official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish.
Information about the UN in other languages
UN Observances - The first day approved by the UN General Assembly was United Nations Day, 24 October (by resolution 168 (II) of 31 October 1947).