Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 and has served as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council three times. Kurt Waldheim, born in Austria in 1918, was appointed Secretary General of the United Nations in 1972. Kurt Waldheim was the fourth Secretary General and served a five year term.

Vienna is the home of one of the four headquarters for the UN Secretariat along with Geneva, Nairobi and New York City. The Austrian Government built the Vienna International Centre to home the permanent offices of the UN in the 1970's. The United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) provides a host of services including information, conference, safety and security services. In addition UNOV manages the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are situated in Austria along with a number of other United Nations offices including:

The International Narcotics Control Board
The United Nations Postal Administration
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation
The United Nations Office for Project Services
The United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
The United Nations Environment Programme - Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention
The International Trade Law Division of the United Nations Secretariat
The International Money Laundering Information Network
The United Nations Information Service

In addition to being a member of the United Nations, Austria is also a member of the European Union and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.