The original members of the United Nations were: China (then the Republic of China), France (then the Provisional Government), Russia (then the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom, the United States (these first five forming the Security Council), Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil (then the Vargas Era Brazil), Belarus (then the Byelorussian SSR), Canada, Chile (then the 1925–73 Presidential Republic), Colombia, Costa...

Four months after the San Francisco Conference ended, the United Nations officially began, on 24 October 1945, when it came into existence after its Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories.

The Charter entered into force on 24 October 1945, following ratification by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — China, [Note 2] France, [Note 3] the Soviet Union, [Note 4] the United Kingdom, and the United States —and a majority of the other signatories; this is considered the official starting date of the United Nations, with the first session of the General Assembly, representing all 51...