Charter of the United Nations

Overview
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the United Nations. It was signed on June 26, 1945, in San Francisco. It entered into force on October 24, 1945, after being ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council.

As a charter, it is a constituent treaty, and all members are bound by its articles. Furthermore, the Charter states that obligations to the United Nations prevail over all other treaty obligations. Most countries in the world have now ratified the Charter. One notable exception is the Holy See, which has chosen to remain a permanent observer state and therefore is not a full signatory to the Charter.