The United Federation of Planets, commonly abbreviated as UFP and commonly referred to as the Federation, was a supranational interstellar union of multiple planetary nation-states that operated semi-autonomously under a single central government, founded on the principles of liberty, equality, peace, justice, and progress, with the purpose of furthering the universal rights of all sentient life.
Federation members exchange knowledge and resources to facilitate peaceful cooperation, scientific development, space exploration, and mutual defense.
History[]
Overview[]
Purpose[]
The Federation is determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to reaffirm faith in the fundamental rights of sentient beings, in the dignity and worth of all lifeforms, in the equal rights of members of planetary systems large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interstellar law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of living on all worlds, and for these ends, to practice toleration and live together in peace with one another.
Federation Territory[]
By 3189, due to the consequences of "the Burn", the Federation was reduced to 38 official member worlds. This includes Kaminar, the unnamed Kili homeworld, Barzan II, Argeth, Denobula, Beta VI, Kaijur XII, Na’Seth, Reilling VII, Benthos IV, and Talax. Notably excluding Earth. The Federation had 350 member worlds at its peak a century before.
The following year, 4 more worlds joined including Kweijan, Titan, Ni’var, and Trill thus bringing the total up to 42 official. Later, it was confirmed by Michael Burnham that there are 59 member worlds as of 3190.
Known colonies include Tulgana IV, Alpha Centauri, and Tendara colony. In the year 3190, Sanctuary 1-4 and the Coridanite Colony aligned themselves with the Federation.
The Federation maintains extensive mining operations on the Dilithium nursery known as Theta Zeta, as of the year 3190. Starfleet is responsible for the protection of the nursery and the operations taking place there.
Enemies[]
- Emerald Chain
- Dominion (Gamma Quadrant - friendly terms)
- Borg
- Breen Confederacy
- Hirogen
- Species 8472
Politics[]
The Federation is a representative republic, with an elected president as the head of the entire interstellar state. An election is held every four years, and a president may serve for an unlimited number of terms. The current president is Elizabeth Garak, a hybrid between a Bajoran and a Cardassian from Tendara colony.
Political and direct administrative power is held within the Federation Council, which is composed of one councillor from every Member World. There is no limit as to how many terms a person may serve as councillor. Each individual Member determines how its councillors will be determined.
The Federation government has several executive departments whose heads form the Presidential Cabinet, who advise the president on their issues of jurisdiction and run their departments on a day-to-day basis. Cabinet members can have strong influence on Federation policy based upon their work with the president and the appropriate members of the Federation Council.
Galactic Reputation[]
Due to its size and history, the United Federation of Planets gained a reputation among the neighboring populations and beyond. Some of that reputation was based on dissemination of factual information, and some was fabricated or exaggerated for various purposes or simply through negligence.
Among the Dominion[]
While the Dominion's leaders considered themselves to be superior, they viewed the Federation as a threat.
When Odo returned to the Founders, the view of the Federation morphed over centuries with other Changelings absorbing Odo's feelings regarding the UFP and their essentiality to the Quadrant. Well into the 30-31th centuries, they maintained friendly relations and much earlier even in the 25th-26th centuries there was a formal alliance for the war against the Iconians.
Among the Emerald Chain[]
Due to many worlds holding the Federation in high regard as a beacon of light in a dark galaxy, Osyraa spread propaganda about them. Including the made up facts about Federation prisons, war history, secretive scientific experiments, and claimed it was a "Humans only club" in reference to how Federation and Starfleet as a whole was largely Earth centric for much of its existence.