NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 28 European and North American countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on April 4, 1949. NATO’s headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.
Some key facts about NATO:
– NATO was founded in 1949 with 12 original member countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States.
– NATO has since expanded to include 28 member countries. The newest member to join is North Macedonia in 2020.
– Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member countries, it should be considered an attack against all members. This article establishes the principle of collective defense, which is at the heart of the Alliance.
– The total population of all NATO member countries is about 985 million people.
– The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the global total. The United States has the highest defense budget, spending 3.42% of its GDP on defense in 2020.
Why Countries Join NATO
There are several key reasons why countries seek to join the NATO alliance:
– **Collective Defense:** NATO’s greatest advantage is its principle of collective defense outlined in Article 5. An attack on one NATO member is treated as an attack on all. This provides a powerful deterrent against aggression. Smaller countries gain protection by joining a powerful alliance.
– **Interoperability:** Member countries commit to making their military forces interoperable with other NATO members. This provides valuable opportunities for joint training, exercises and information sharing. It also leads to integration and military standardization between allies.
– **Global Influence:** NATO members have greater influence globally as part of the world’s most powerful military alliance. The Alliance also has an active political dimension including partnerships and dialogue with non-member countries. Membership gives countries a seat at the table.
– **Economic Benefits:** Membership in NATO promotes greater cooperation and integration which can lead to economic growth. NATO partners represent 60% of world GDP and half of world military expenditure. Trade between members is also encouraged.
– **Democratic Values:** NATO promotes democratic values and principles among members. For countries with aspirations to develop or consolidate democracy, NATO sets standards and provides incentives.
Current NATO Members
NATO currently has 30 member countries:
| Albania | Italy |
| Belgium | Latvia |
| Bulgaria | Lithuania |
| Canada | Luxembourg |
| Croatia | Montenegro |
| Czech Republic | Netherlands |
| Denmark | North Macedonia |
| Estonia | Norway |
| France | Poland |
| Germany | Portugal |
| Greece | Romania |
| Hungary | Slovakia |
| Iceland | Slovenia |
| Spain | Turkey |
| United Kingdom | United States |
The first group of countries joined NATO between 1949 and 1955. Greece and Turkey were admitted in 1952, and West Germany joined in 1955. In 1982, Spain became the sixteenth member of NATO. After the end of the Cold War, NATO began to expand eastward. Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland joined in 1999. Seven additional eastern European countries joined in the 2000s up until the most recent member North Macedonia in 2020.
Membership Action Plans
NATO launched the Membership Action Plan (MAP) at the Washington Summit in 1999. This is the formal process to bring aspiring candidates into the Alliance.
The key principles of the MAP are:
– Achieving broad public support for NATO membership
– Establishing democratic control of armed forces
– Settling external territorial disputes
– Carrying out defense, military and security sector reform
– Contributing to NATO operations
Once countries implement reforms and meet the standards through their Annual National Programs, they can be invited to start accession talks to join NATO.
Currently, there are two countries with active MAPs: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina were granted a MAP in 2010. They have made progress implementing reforms but still need to make additional efforts to meet NATO standards. Their key obstacles are:
– Registering defense properties as state assets
– Reducing fragmentation and increasing effectiveness of security forces
– Increased transparency in defense planning and procurement
– Continued constitutional and electoral reform
Bosnia will need to focus intensely on these reforms to be considered for NATO membership.
Georgia
Georgia was granted a MAP in 2008. However, their MAP participation has been complicated by Russia’s recognition of the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the 2008 conflict.
Georgia has made tremendous strides with reforms including:
– Increasing democratic oversight of armed forces
– Modernizing defense institutions
– Deploying forces to NATO missions
– Meeting annual defense spending commitments
However, work remains in areas like media freedom, judicial independence and electoral integrity. Georgia’s biggest obstacle is the Russian occupation of 20% of its territory.
Aspirant Countries
Beyond the MAP countries, there are other nations that have declared an aspiration to join NATO:
Ukraine
Ukraine has declared an interest in joining NATO and has long cooperated with the Alliance. They were developing an Annual National Program under the MAP, but this process was disrupted by Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
NATO allies are firmly supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and providing military assistance, but Ukraine’s membership prospects remain uncertain given Russia’s opposition. Ukraine will likely need to resolve the conflict before potentially receiving a MAP.
Finland and Sweden
For decades, Finland and Sweden have been militarily non-aligned, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked renewed debates about NATO membership. Both countries already closely cooperate with NATO and could be quickly integrated. But they face objections from Turkey and potential retaliation from Russia.
| Country | Population (millions) | GDP per capita | Total Military Spending |
| Finland | 5.5 | $48,055 | $4.8 billion |
| Sweden | 10.1 | $53,442 | $6.2 billion |
Finland and Sweden check the major political and economic boxes for NATO membership and already meet most military requirements. If Turkey’s objections can be overcome, they seem poised to join.
Moldova
Moldova’s constitution declares neutrality, but there are discussions about eventually seeking NATO membership. However, the country faces obstacles including Russian troops in the Transnistria separatist region and lagging reforms. Moldova will likely focus on EU integration before seriously pursuing NATO accession.
Membership Outlook for Western Balkans
NATO seeks to integrate the remaining countries of the Western Balkans including Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia. But deep regional challenges remain including:
– Disputed territories and borders
– Ethnic divisions
– Weak rule of law and corruption
– Lack of political cooperation between rivals
These countries will need major demonstrations of political will and years of reforms to advance on the path to NATO. It may only come after resolution of bilateral disputes and integration into the EU.
| Country | Population (millions) | GDP per capita | Total Military Spending |
| Serbia | 7.0 | $7,295 | $1.1 billion |
| Kosovo | 1.9 | $4,290 | $134 million |
| Montenegro | 0.6 | $8,654 | $95 million |
| North Macedonia | 2.1 | $6,100 | $154 million |
Conclusion
NATO remains an attractive security alliance that brings major benefits, so it’s likely to continue expanding its membership. Each aspirant nation still faces key reforms and prerequisites to prove its readiness. Provided political will and progress continues, NATO seems poised to grow to 32 members and beyond in the coming decade. The Alliance has been a bedrock of security in Europe for over 70 years and will continue adapting to new challenges. But Russia’s opposition and ongoing instability in parts of Europe and the Balkans could slow NATO’s growth. The evolution of NATO membership will remain a key development in global security.