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An orthographic projection of the world centred on the Atlantic Ocean. 32 NATO member states are highlighted in blue.
The member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2024

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance consisting of 32 member states in Europe and North America.

Background

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance. Established in 1949 with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C., NATO's goal was to counter the threat posed by the Soviet Union in Europe.[1] The North Atlantic Treaty stipulated that an armed attack on a NATO member state would be considered an attack against all members, provided that it occurred in the European and North American mainlands, islands above the Tropic of Cancer, Turkey, or French Algeria.[a]

Accession process

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NATO had 12 member states when it was formed in 1949; four more members joined throughout the course of the Cold War. Since the disestablishment of its chief rival, the Warsaw Pact, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, membership has doubled from 16 states to 32 states. While two members of the alliance—the United States and Canada—are located in North America, membership in NATO is open to only European states "in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area."[2] A state can accede to NATO only with the unanimous consent of all present members of the alliance.

In 1999, NATO introduced the Membership Action Plan (MAP) as a step for aspiring members to be reviewed by current members. 11 states have joined NATO after first participating in the MAP.

List of member states

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Country Date of Accession Population Area Mil. Budget GDP (USD) NWS?
 Albania No
 Belgium Sharing
 Bulgaria No
 Canada No
 Croatia No
 Czechia No
 Denmark No
 Estonia No
 Finland No
 France Yes
 Germany Sharing
 Greece No
 Hungary No
 Iceland No
 Italy Sharing
 Latvia No
 Lithuania No
 Luxembourg No
 Montenegro No
 Netherlands Sharing
 North Macedonia No
 Norway No
 Poland No
 Portugal No
 Romania No
 Slovakia No
 Slovenia No
 Spain No
 Sweden No
 Türkiye Sharing
 United Kingdom Yes
 United States Yes

Aspiring member states

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As of 2024, NATO recognizes three countries as aspiring members: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine.

The parliament of Kosovo adopted a resolution in 2022 urging the Kosovar government to "take all necessary steps" toward NATO membership.

Member state comparison

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Notes

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  1. ^ French Algeria ceased to be a part of NATO after its independence in 1962.

References

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  1. ^ Gatopoulos, Alex (14 June 2021). "Desperately seeking relevance: NATO in the 21st century". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  2. ^ Walmsley, Laurel (27 March 2022). "NATO, explained: Why the alliance was formed — and what it's doing for Ukraine". NPR. Retrieved 15 March 2024.