Member states of NATO

Current NATO members highlighted in blue

Timeline of countries becoming NATO members as of 2020. Dark blue marks countries that were already NATO members at the given time. Light blue marks new members.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an international alliance that consists of 30 member states from Europe, North America, and Asia. It was established at the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949. Article Five of the treaty states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it shall be considered an attack against all members, and other members shall assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary.^[1]

Of the 30 member countries, 27 are mainly located in Europe, two in North America, and one in Asia. All members have militaries, except for Iceland, which does not have a typical army (but it does have a coast guard and a small unit of civilian specialists for NATO operations). Three of NATO's members are nuclear weapons states: France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. NATO has 12 original founding member states. Three more members joined between 1952 and 1955, and a fourth new member joined in 1982. After the end of the Cold War, NATO added 14 more members from 1999 to 2020.

NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine as aspiring members.^[2]

Founding and changes in membership

NATO has added new members eight times since its foundation in 1949 with a current total of 30 members. Twelve countries took part in the founding of NATO: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1952, Greece and Turkey became members of the Alliance, joined later by West Germany (in 1955) and Spain (in 1982). In 1990, with the reunification of Germany, NATO grew to include the former country of East Germany. Between 1994 and 1997, wider forums for regional cooperation between NATO and its neighbours were set up, including the Partnership for Peace, the Mediterranean Dialogue initiative and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. In 1997, three former Warsaw Pact countries, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland, were invited to join NATO. After this fourth enlargement in 1999, the Vilnius group of the Baltics and seven East European countries formed in May 2000 to cooperate and lobby for further NATO membership. Seven of these countries joined in the fifth enlargement in 2004. The latest waves of expansion saw 4 Southeastern European states join; Albania and Croatia joined in the sixth enlargement in 2009, Montenegro in 2017 and North Macedonia in 2020.

Member countries

Member state	Capital	Accession^[3]	Population^[a]	Area^[5]
Albania	Tirana	1 April 2009	3,088,385	28,748 km² (11,100 sq mi)
Belgium	Brussels	24 August 1949^[b]	11,778,842	30,528 km² (11,787 sq mi)
Bulgaria	Sofia	29 March 2004	6,919,180	110,879 km² (42,811 sq mi)
Canada	Ottawa	24 August 1949^[b]	37,943,231	9,984,670 km² (3,855,103 sq mi)
Croatia	Zagreb	1 April 2009	4,208,973	56,594 km² (21,851 sq mi)
Czech Republic	Prague	12 March 1999	10,702,596	78,867 km² (30,451 sq mi)
Denmark	Copenhagen	24 August 1949^[b]	5,894,687	42,943 km² (16,580 sq mi)^[6]
Estonia	Tallinn	29 March 2004	1,220,042	45,228 km² (17,463 sq mi)
France	Paris	24 August 1949^[b]	68,084,217	643,427 km² (248,429 sq mi)
Germany^[c]	Berlin	8 May 1955	79,903,481	357,022 km² (137,847 sq mi)
Greece	Athens	18 February 1952	10,569,703	131,957 km² (50,949 sq mi)
Hungary	Budapest	12 March 1999	9,728,337	93,028 km² (35,918 sq mi)
Iceland	Reykjavík	24 August 1949^[b]	354,234	103,000 km² (39,769 sq mi)
Italy	Rome	24 August 1949^[b]	62,390,364	301,340 km² (116,348 sq mi)
Latvia	Riga	29 March 2004	1,862,687	64,589 km² (24,938 sq mi)
Lithuania	Vilnius	29 March 2004	2,711,566	65,300 km² (25,212 sq mi)
Luxembourg	Luxembourg	24 August 1949^[b]	639,589	2,586 km² (998 sq mi)
Montenegro	Podgorica	5 June 2017	607,414	13,812 km² (5,333 sq mi)
Netherlands	Amsterdam	24 August 1949^[b]	17,337,403	41,543 km² (16,040 sq mi)
North Macedonia	Skopje	27 March 2020	2,128,262^[d]	25,713 km² (9,928 sq mi)
Norway	Oslo	24 August 1949^[b]	5,509,591	323,802 km² (125,021 sq mi)
Poland	Warsaw	12 March 1999	38,185,913	312,685 km² (120,728 sq mi)
Portugal	Lisbon	24 August 1949^[b]	10,263,850	92,090 km² (35,556 sq mi)
Romania	Bucharest	29 March 2004	21,230,362	238,391 km² (92,043 sq mi)
Slovakia	Bratislava	29 March 2004	5,436,066	49,035 km² (18,933 sq mi)
Slovenia	Ljubljana	29 March 2004	2,102,106	20,273 km² (7,827 sq mi)
Spain	Madrid	30 May 1982	47,260,584	505,370 km² (195,124 sq mi)
Turkey	Ankara	18 February 1952	82,482,383	783,562 km² (302,535 sq mi)
United Kingdom	London	24 August 1949^[b]	67,081,000	243,610 km² (94,058 sq mi)
United States	Washington, D.C.	24 August 1949^[b]	334,998,398	9,833,520 km² (3,796,743 sq mi)

Military personnel

The following list is constructed from The Military Balance, published annually by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Country	Active military	Reserve military	Paramilitary	Total	Per 1,000 capita (total)	Per 1,000 capita (active)
Albania^[8]	7,500	0	500	8,000	2.6	2.4
Belgium^[8]	24,450	5,900	0	30,350	2.6	2.1
Bulgaria^[8]	36,950	3,000	0	39,950	5.8	5.3
Canada^[8]	66,500	34,400	4,500	105,400	2.8	1.8
Croatia^[8]	16,700	21,000	3,000	40,700	9.7	4
Czech Republic^[8]	26,600	0	0	26,600	2.5	2.5
Denmark^[8]	15,400	44,200	0	59,600	10.1	2.6
Estonia^[8]	7,200	17,500	15,800	40,500	33.2	5.9
France^[8]	203,250	41,050	100,500	344,800	5.1	3
Germany^[8]	183,400	30,050	0	213,450	2.7	2.3
Greece^[8]	143,300	221,350	4,000	368,650	34.8	13.5
Hungary^[8]	34,200	20,000	12,000	66,200	6.8	3.5
Iceland^[8]	0	250	250	500	1.4	0
Italy^[8]^[e]	161,550	17,900	176,350	355,800	5.7	2.6
Latvia^[8]	8,750	11,200	0	19,950	10.7	4.7
Lithuania^[8]	23,000	7,100	14,150	44,250	16.3	8.5
Luxembourg^[8]	410	0	600	1,010	1.6	0.6
Montenegro^[8]	2,350	2,800	10,100	15,250	25.1	3.9
Netherlands	33,600	6,000	6,500	46,100	2.7	1.9
North Macedonia^[8]	8,000	4,850	7,600	20,450	9.6	3.8
Norway^[8]	25,400	40,000	0	65,400	11.9	4.6
Poland^[8]	114,050	0	75,400	189,450	5	3
Portugal^[8]	27,250	211,700	24,700	263,650	25.7	2.7
Romania^[8]	71,500	55,000	57,000	183,500	8.6	3.4
Slovakia^[8]	17,950	0	0	17,950	3.3	3.3
Slovenia^[8]	6,950	1,200	0	8,150	3.9	3.3
Spain^[8]	122,850	14,900	75,800	213,550	4.5	2.6
Turkey^[8]	355,200	378,700	156,800	890,700	10.8	4.3
United Kingdom^[8]	153,200	75,450	0	228,650	3.5	2.3
United States^[8]	1,395,350	843,450	0	2,238,800	6.7	4.2
NATO	3,292,810	2,108,950	745,550	6,147,310	6.5	3.5

Military expenditures

The United States spends more on defence than all other members combined.^[9] Criticism of the fact that many member states were not contributing their fair share in accordance with the international agreement by then US president Donald Trump caused various reactions from American and European political figures, ranging from ridicule to panic.^[10]^[11]^[12] Pew Research Center's 2016 survey among its member states showed that while most countries viewed NATO positively, most NATO members preferred keeping their military spending the same. The response to whether their country should militarily aid another NATO country if it were to get into a serious military conflict with Russia was also mixed. Roughly half or fewer in six of the eight countries surveyed say their country should use military force if Russia attacks a neighboring country that is a NATO ally. And at least half in three of the eight NATO countries say that their government should not use military force in such circumstances. The strongest opposition to responding with armed force is in Germany (58%), followed by France (53%) and Italy (51%). More than half of Americans (56%) and Canadians (53%) are willing to respond to Russian military aggression against a fellow NATO country. A plurality of the British (49%) and Poles (48%) would also live up to their Article 5 commitment. And the Spanish are divided on the issue: 48% support it, 47% oppose.^[13]^[14]

Member state	Population^[a]	GDP (nominal)^[f]	Defence expenditure (US$)^[g]			Personnel^[g]
Member state	Population^[a]	GDP (nominal)^[f]	In millions	% real GDP	Per capita	Personnel^[g]
Albania	3,074,579	16.75	198	1.26	58	6,800
Belgium	11,720,716	529.55	4,921	0.93	392	26,000
Bulgaria	6,966,899	70.13	1,079	1.61	132	25,000
Canada	38,436,447	2,016.00	21,885	1.27	569	72,000
Croatia	4,227,746	63.17	1,072	1.75	238	15,000
Czech Republic	10,702,498	261.73	2,969	1.19	236	26,000
Denmark	5,869,410	360.51	4,760	1.35	760	17,000
Estonia	1,228,624	32.74	669	2.13	429	6,300
France	67,413,000	2,938.00	50,659	1.84	709	208,000
Germany	83,190,556	4,319.00	54,113	1.36	591	184,000
Greece	10,718,565	211.64	4,844	2.24	431	105,000
Hungary	9,771,827	180.50	2,080	1.21	178	20,000
Iceland	350,734	24.24	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Italy	60,317,116	2,106.00	24,482	1.22	385	179,000
Latvia	1,881,232	36.77	724	2.01	325	6,400
Lithuania	2,731,464	56.23	1,084	2.13	336	20,521
Luxembourg	628,381	72.99	391	0.55	552	900
Montenegro	609,859	5.69	92	1.65	126	1,600
Netherlands	17,674,000	1,012.99	12,419	1.35	655	41,000
North Macedonia	2,125,971	13.33	108	1.09	51	7,200
Norway	5,467,439	422.06	7,179	1.70	1,308	20,000
Poland	38,282,325	606.73	11,971	2.01	296	123,000
Portugal	10,344,802	251.70	3,358	1.41	299	30,000
Romania	21,302,893	261.87	5,043	2.04	225	69,000
Slovakia	5,440,602	111.87	1,905	1.74	322	13,000
Slovenia	2,102,678	56.85	581	1.04	253	6,800
Spain	47,450,795	1,450.00	13,156	0.92	264	121,000
Turkey	83,614,362	794.53	13,919	1.89	225	435,000
United Kingdom	67,081,000	3,108.00	60,376	2.13	979	144,000
United States	332,639,102	22,320.00	730,149	3.42	2,072	1,338,000
NATO	951,214,086	42,444.53	1,036,077	2.51	1,045	3,258,000

Notes

^ ^a ^b Population data is based on a July 2021 estimate by the Central Intelligence Agency in The World Factbook.^[4]
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Founding member of NATO.
^ Germany initially joined NATO as West Germany. The former country of East Germany joined NATO after German reunification.
^ North Macedonia's population estimate was missing from Central Intelligence Agency's Country Comparison list in The World Factbook but available in the country's entry.^[7]
^ The paramilitary forces of Italy consist of the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza.
^ Gross domestic product (nominal) data (in billions of US dollars) is based on an October 2019 issue of the World Economic Outlook, which is published by the International Monetary Fund.^[15]
^ ^a ^b Defence expenditure and personnel data are based on a June 2019 press release from NATO.^[16]

References

Citations

^ "The North Atlantic Treaty". North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 4 April 1949. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
^ "What is NATO?". NATO - Homepage. n.d. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
^ "Member countries". NATO. 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
^ "Country Comparisons — Population". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
^ "Field Listing :: Area". Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
^ "AREA". Statistics Denmark. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
^ "North Macedonia — People and Society". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac The International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2022). The Military Balance 2022. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-032-27900-8. ISSN 0459-7222.
^ Where Does The Relationship Between NATO And The U.S. Go From Here?, Huffington Post
^ NATO allies boost defense spending in the wake of Trump criticism, The Washington Post
^ Former US ambassador to Nato in withering criticism of Donald Trump, The Independent
^ Shaken by Trump's Criticism of NATO, Europe Mulls Building Own Military Force, Voice Of America
^ Support for NATO is widespread among member nations, Pew Research
^ U.S. would defend NATO despite Trump's criticism, Europeans believe: study, Reuters
^ "GDP, current prices". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
^ "Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2012-2019)" (PDF). NATO. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.

Bibliography

International Institute for Strategic Studies (14 February 2018). The Military Balance 2018. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781857439557.

[pop-5] Population data is based on a July 2021 estimate by the Central Intelligence Agency in The World Factbook.^[4]

[found-7] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Founding member of NATO.

[join-9] Germany initially joined NATO as West Germany. The former country of East Germany joined NATO after German reunification.

[mkpop-11] North Macedonia's population estimate was missing from Central Intelligence Agency's Country Comparison list in The World Factbook but available in the country's entry.^[7]

[13] The paramilitary forces of Italy consist of the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza.

[gdpn-21] Gross domestic product (nominal) data (in billions of US dollars) is based on an October 2019 issue of the World Economic Outlook, which is published by the International Monetary Fund.^[15]

[natodata-23] Defence expenditure and personnel data are based on a June 2019 press release from NATO.^[16]

[1] "The North Atlantic Treaty". North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 4 April 1949. Retrieved 16 June 2008.

[:1-2] "What is NATO?". NATO - Homepage. n.d. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.

[Member_countries-3] "Member countries". NATO. 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.

[Population-4] "Country Comparisons — Population". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

[Area-6] "Field Listing :: Area". Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2011.

[8] "AREA". Statistics Denmark. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2022.

[MK_population-10] "North Macedonia — People and Society". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

[iiss-mb-2022-12] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac The International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2022). The Military Balance 2022. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-032-27900-8. ISSN 0459-7222.

[14] Where Does The Relationship Between NATO And The U.S. Go From Here?, Huffington Post

[15] NATO allies boost defense spending in the wake of Trump criticism, The Washington Post

[16] Former US ambassador to Nato in withering criticism of Donald Trump, The Independent

[17] Shaken by Trump's Criticism of NATO, Europe Mulls Building Own Military Force, Voice Of America

[18] Support for NATO is widespread among member nations, Pew Research

[19] U.S. would defend NATO despite Trump's criticism, Europeans believe: study, Reuters

[GDP-20] "GDP, current prices". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 29 March 2020.

[NATO_exp-22] "Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2012-2019)" (PDF). NATO. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.

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v t e North Atlantic Treaty Organization
History	North Atlantic Treaty Summit Operations Enlargement
Structure	Council Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Air Command Land Command Maritime Command JFC Brunssum JFC Naples STRIKFORNATO JFCNF Joint Support and Enabling Command Allied Command Transformation Parliamentary Assembly Standardization Agreement
People	Secretary General Chair of the Military Committee Supreme Allied Commander Europe Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
Members	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
Multilateral relations	Atlantic Treaty Association Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Mediterranean Dialogue Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Partnership for Peace