legations

Legation is a term used in diplomacy to refer to a country’s diplomatic mission in a foreign state, historically led by a minister rather than an ambassador. The word derives from the Latin legatio, meaning a dispatch or deputation, and from legatus, an envoy or representative. A legation typically comprises political, administrative, and consular staff who represent their government and manage relations with the host state.

Historically, legations were common in the 18th and 19th centuries. The head of such a mission held the rank of minister (often “minister plenipotentiary”) or envoy, while the highest-ranking missions in many capitals were designated embassies led by ambassadors. Over time, the distinction in status between legations and embassies diminished, and the ambassadorial rank became standard in most major bilateral relationships. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 further codified the modern framework for diplomatic missions, contributing to the predominance of embassies as the form of most formal diplomatic missions worldwide.

Today, embassies headed by ambassadors are the norm in most countries, but legations persist in some cases, often due to historical arrangements, relationships with certain states, or organizational peculiarities. In such instances, a legation performs similar core functions as an embassy, including political reporting, negotiation, protection of nationals, consular services, and the management of cultural and economic ties.

In addition to the diplomatic mission, legation can also refer to the act or body of persons sent on a diplomatic mission, or more broadly to a delegation or deputation sent to carry out a specific task.