Established in the Cold War, NATO is a transatlantic security alliance composed of thirty member countries, including the United States.
NATO has focused in recent years on deterring Russian aggression, but it also conducts security operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and Somalia.
The United States spends far more on defense than other NATO members and has criticized those that have not yet met their financial obligations to the alliance.
Where are NATO 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, United States.
In Order Of Joining NATO
1949 – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States.
1952 – Greece, Turkey
1955 – Germany
1982 – Spain
1999 – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
2004 – Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
2009 – Albania, Croatia
2017 – Montenegro
2020 – North Macedonia
NATO Partner Countries
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyz Republic, Malta, The Republic of Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
Is NATO an Army?
NATO has access to about 40,000 troops in its NATO Response Force but so far has not activated that group. About 5,000 of those troops have been placed on heightened alert.
Some of the organization’s members have been supplying arms and equipment to Ukraine, but NATO isn’t taking similar action itself.
The Alliance counts on the military might of its 30 Allied and partner nations to support missions and operations around the world.