Ambassador

An ambassador is the highest-ranking official diplomat who represents their home country in a foreign state or international organization. Ambassadors head a country’s diplomatic mission, typically an embassy, and serve as the principal channel of communication between governments. Their duties include protecting nationals, negotiating agreements, reporting on political and economic developments, and promoting friendly relations and cultural ties.

Ambassadors are accredited to the receiving state or organization and enjoy certain legal immunities and privileges under international law, notably the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. They are usually appointed by the head of state or government on the recommendation of the foreign ministry, and may be career diplomats or political appointees; tenure and terms of appointment vary by country.

Many ambassadors hold the title ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, indicating full authority to negotiate and represent their government. Others serve as permanent representatives to international organizations, such as the United Nations. In the diplomatic hierarchy, ambassadors are distinct from lower-ranking diplomats, special envoys, or ambassadors-at-large.

Historically, the office developed with the growth of centralized state power and regularized diplomacy in early modern Europe, though forms of representation and envoy-relationships existed earlier in various cultures. The modern system emphasizes formal embassies, continuous diplomacy, and international law governing immunities and functions.

Outside government service, the term ambassador can also refer to brand or cultural ambassadors—public figures who promote a person, product, or institution.