New York State History

The United Nations headquarters, shown above, is composed of four main buildings. The massive rectangular building, tallest of the group, is the marble-and-glass Secretariat. Behind it is the Library. In front along the East River, the General Conference Building contains the Social and Economic Council, the Security Council and the Trusteeship. The five official languages of English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese may often be heard by visitors on daily tours open to the public. The UN headquarters stands on a site donated in 1947 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and land donated by the City of New York. The area is bounded by First Avenue and Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and by East 42nd Street and East 48th Street. The General Assem­bly has seats for 626 delegates, for 500 observers and newspapermen and for 800 visitors.