International law consists of international legal rules governing laws of states. International agreements and treaties, diplomatic notes, amendments and protocols are part of this branch of law.

International law can be divided into public and private. Public international law means the set of legal principles governing relations between states. Individuals, therefore, are not immediate subject of its rules.

Private international law, meanwhile, has as its main objective the resolution of conflicts of international jurisdiction. It is responsible for defining what the applicable law and to determine the legal status of foreigners.

Another branch of international law is international humanitarian law. In this case, it is the rules that, in wartime, protect civilians who are not part of the conflict. International humanitarian law seeks to limit the inherent human suffering in armed clashes.