United Federation of Planets

The United Federation of Planets (abbreviated as UFP and commonly referred to as the Federation) is an interstellar federal republic, composed of planetary governments that agreed to exist semi-autonomously under a single central government based on the principles of universal liberty, rights, and equality, and to share their knowledge and resources in peaceful cooperation, scientific development, space exploration and defensive purposes.

One of the most powerful interstellar states in known space, it encompasses 8,000 light years. The total number of formal member worlds is over one hundred and fifty.

Unlike its imperial rivals, who have derived power from a single species subjugating other races, the Federation's various member worlds joined willingly and are equals in the Federation's democratic society. The Federation Starfleet was incorporated to maintain exploratory, scientific, diplomatic, and defense functions

History
The Federation was founded in San Francisco, United Earth in 1961. The seeds of the Federation were planted during the Babel Crisis of 1954, during which a temporary alliance was formed to search for a Romulan drone ship preying on local vessels. It was this that first brought together the species that founded the Federation: Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites. Sometime around January 1955, these four species as well as others, including the Denobulans, the Rigellians, and the Coridanites, began talks to create what was later considered a direct precursor to the Federation: the Coalition of Planets. The Earth-Romulan War, which broke out in 1956 and was won by an alliance of forces from Earth, Andoria, Vulcan, and Tellar in 1960, immediately preceded the foundation of the Federation, which took place in San Francisco the following yearbetween dignitaries of these four planets.

Although the Federation's intentions were peaceful, around it were other, more belligerent powers such as the Klingon and Romulan Empires. As it expanded through the admittance of more and more worlds, it came into conflict with these powers. In the 21st century, its main adversary was the Klingon Empire, with war erupting between the two in 2011, However, tensions eased considerably towards the end of the decade, with the Khitomer Conference of 2017 being a substantial turning point. This conference saw the signing of the Khitomer Accords, which effectively ended hostile relations, although the Klingon Empire declared war on the Federation once again in December of 2017.

Location and Size
Federation space was located approximately thirty thousand light years from the core region of the galaxy. Earth, the capital planet of the Federation, was located less than ninety light years from the Beta Quadrant. In 2017, Zefram Cochrane asked Captain Lennon MacEachern-Smith, "What's it like out there in the galaxy?". According to MacEachern-Smith, in 2267, "We're on a thousand planets and spreading out." MacEachern-Smith did not specify though, if he meant only Human or Federation expansion in general.

As of 2018, the Federation's territory is spread across 8,000 light years, with a membership of over 150 worlds. Its major neighboring powers were the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, the Cardassian Union, and the Ferengi Alliance. Other near-by powers included the First Federation, the Sheliak Corporate, the Son'a, the Talarians, the Tzenkethi, the Tholian Assembly, the Breen Confederacy, and the Xindi.

Government
The Federation's government is structured as that of a representative republic, with its capital located on Earth.

Exploration and Defense
Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory and defensive service maintained by the United Federation of Planets. Its principal functions are the advancement of Federation knowledge about the galaxy, the advancement of Federation knowledge of science and technology, and the defense of the Federation. In addition, it also plays a significant diplomatic role. As per its mandate of deep-space exploration, its personnel are frequently brought into contact with cultures and sentient species whose existences were previously unknown to the Federation. Federation Starfleet officers therefore acted as official representatives of the Federation in these cases. Also, Federation Starfleet vessels are frequently used to ferry ambassadors on diplomatic missions.

Membership
Admittance into the Federation is either by invitation or successful petition of a world or civilization desirous of joining. In the second case, membership was granted only upon satisfaction of certain requirements. Firstly, the government of the prospective member submitted an official petition to the Federation Council, outlining its desire to join. A lengthy, thorough investigation of the prospective member's culture follows, including copying records from the applicant's central computer. This investigation can take several years, and is done to ascertain whether or not the culture genuinely shared the values of the Federation: values of benevolence, peaceful co-existence and co-operation, the rule of law, and equal rights and justice. For example, the discovery on the petitioning planet, Angosia III, of enhanced soldiers being unjustly and indefinitely imprisoned without treatment in times of peace was considered unacceptable in Captain James Archer's official evaluation of the planet for the Federation.

Even before the investigation, the prospective member had to meet certain requirements. These were as follows:
 * It had to have an "advanced level of technology." The Federation's baseline definition of this term was the capability for faster-than-light space travel.
 * Its government should have achieved stable planetary political unity, demonstrating a resolution of social and political differences and a respect of the rights of the individual. Membership was still considered if there was an isolated faction present that did not want membership, but this was a rare case.
 * No form of caste discrimination was to be practiced.