Famous International Treaties
International treaties play a vital role in shaping global relations, covering areas such as peace, trade, environment, and human rights. This page briefly describes important international treaties and links to relevant PPSC MCQs, helping you prepare effectively for competitive exams.
Peace and War Treaties
Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
Ended the Thirty Years’ War in Europe; marked the beginning of the modern state system.
Treaty of Paris (1783)
Ended the American Revolutionary War between the U.S. and Great Britain.
Treaty of Versailles (1919)
Ended World War I and imposed heavy reparations on Germany.
Potsdam Agreement (1945)
Post-WWII agreement among Allies regarding Germany and Europe.
Treaty of San Francisco (1951)
Officially ended WWII between Japan and the Allied Powers.
Disarmament and Arms Control
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (1968)
Aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I & II) (1972, 1979)
U.S.-Soviet agreements on nuclear arms control.
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) (1996)
Bans all nuclear explosions; not yet in force.
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) (1987)
Eliminated U.S. and Soviet intermediate-range missiles (later abandoned in 2019).
Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
A foundational document (not a treaty, but widely referenced).
Geneva Conventions (1949)
Establish standards for humanitarian treatment during war.
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
Promotes children’s rights worldwide.
Environmental Treaties
Kyoto Protocol (1997)
Set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Paris Agreement (2015)
Global commitment to combat climate change.
Montreal Protocol (1987)
Phases out ozone-depleting substances.
Trade and Economic Treaties
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (1947)
Precursor to the WTO.
World Trade Organization Agreement (1995)
Governs international trade rules.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (1994)
Trade pact between U.S., Canada, and Mexico (replaced by USMCA in 2020).
Bretton Woods Agreements (1944)
Created the IMF and World Bank.
Political and Strategic Alliances
NATO Treaty (1949)
Establishes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Warsaw Pact (1955)
Soviet military alliance (now defunct).
Treaty of Lisbon (2007)
Reformed EU institutions and governance.