Membership is open to all peace-loving nations. Today there are 193 countries in the UN - there are two members that are observers : the Vatican and Palestine.

Switzerland joined the UN in 2002 because the Swiss always wanted to be neutral.



UN member states - Date of membership
Image: (modified) PuebloUnited and Chanheigeorge,
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons



Words

  • join = to become a member
  • neutral = if you don't take sides in an argument or don't take part in a war
  • observer = a country that watches something and does not take action; it does not have all the rights that a member state has