Consider the following countries: 

  1. Austria
  2. Bulgaria
  3. Croatia   
  4. Serbia   
  5. Sweden   
  6. North Macedonia   

How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?   

  • Only three   
  • Only four   
  • Only five   
  • All the six   

Answer: (b) Only four   

  • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a 32-member intergovernmental military alliance established on April 4, 1949, to provide collective security against external threats, primarily rooted in the principle that an attack against one member is an attack against all.
  • Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, NATO promotes transatlantic defense cooperation, with members recently committing to 5% GDP defense spending by 2035.
  • Collective Defence (Article 5): The cornerstone of the alliance, stipulating that members agree to mutual defense in response to an armed attack.
  • Members: As of 2026, there are 32 member countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and many European nations. Recent additions include Finland (2023).
  • Full List of NATO Members (32):
    1. Albania (2009)
    2. Belgium (1949)
    3. Bulgaria (2004)
    4. Canada (1949)
    5. Croatia (2009)
    6. Czech Republic (1999)
    7. Denmark (1949)
    8. Estonia (2004)
    9. Finland (2023)
    10. France (1949)
    11. Germany (1955)
    12. Greece (1952)
    13. Hungary (1999)
    14. Iceland (1949)
    15. Italy (1949)
    16. Latvia (2004)
    17. Lithuania (2004)
    18. Luxembourg (1949)
    19. Montenegro (2017)
    20. Netherlands (1949)
    21. North Macedonia (2020)
    22. Norway (1949)
    23. Poland (1999)
    24. Portugal (1949)
    25. Romania (2004)
    26. Slovakia (2004)
    27. Slovenia (2004)
    28. Spain (1982)
    29. Sweden (2024)
    30. Turkey (1952)
    31. United Kingdom (1949)
    32. United States (1949)
  • Founding Members: The original 12 members are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • Expansion: Membership is open to any European state capable of furthering the principles of the treaty and contributing to security.
  • Article 5: This defines the core principle of collective defense, stating that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
  • Aspiring Members: Bosnia and Herzegovina currently participates in the Membership Action Plan (MAP).
  • Austria and Serbia are not NATO members.