From the halls of Cardassia to the Romulan Senate, from the Ferengi "Tower of Commerce" to the Gorn Hegemeny one group rises from the fray to help the less fortunate, care for the sick, and fight for the oppressed... The United Federation of Planets.

Founded in 2161, after 7 years of negotiations during which a 3 year war occured between humanity and the Romulans, by Humans, Andorians, Vulcans, and Tellarites.  By 2372, the Federation had more than 150 member species on nearly 500 worlds.

The Federation's defense force, Starfleet, actually predates the Federation by 30 years.  Starfleet began as the United Earth Space Probe Agency, however, with large numbers of people in space, the UESPA created Starfleet, and oversaw it (at least the Earth-based portion) until 2267.