The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance of North American and European countries that was founded in the aftermath of World War II. The purpose of NATO is to protect its members from attack by other countries, and to promote peace and security in the North Atlantic region.
As of 2023, NATO has 30 member countries: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
Each member country of NATO has a military force that is trained and equipped to defend the alliance against attack. The countries also share intelligence and resources, and they cooperate on military exercises and operations.
Who is in NATO?
NATO is a military alliance of North American and European countries.
- 30 member countries
- Founded in 1949
- Purpose: collective defense
- Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium
- Secretary General: Jens Stoltenberg
- Multinational military exercises
- Cooperation with partner countries
NATO is a key player in Euro-Atlantic security.
30 member countries
NATO has 30 member countries, each of which has a military force that is trained and equipped to defend the alliance against attack. The countries also share intelligence and resources, and they cooperate on military exercises and operations.
- Founding members (1949)
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States
- Joined in 1952
Greece, Turkey
- Joined in 1955
Germany
- Joined in 1982
Spain
After the end of the Cold War, NATO began to expand eastward. The following countries have joined the alliance since 1999:
- 1999
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
- 2004
Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
- 2009
Albania, Croatia
- 2017
Montenegro
- 2020
North Macedonia
NATO is a key player in Euro-Atlantic security, and its member countries are committed to defending each other against attack.