This new edition of the most comprehensive and detailed reference ever published on the United Nations thoroughly revises and updates the 1990 edition. It demystifies the workings of this multifaceted world body, with accessible articles on every country, organization, office, and department within the United Nations as well as on every non-governmental organization, committee, and joint effort (such as peacekeeping operations) that is in any way connected to the United Nations. It also defines every international treaty since the founding of the League of Nations, and gives lengthy quotations or the full text of many treaties, depending on their importance. The extensive cross-referencing will help users navigate the many acronyms and multiple names of organizations, treaties and meetings, and a thorough, analytical index provides another access point.