NATO Member Countries

Map of NATO member countries shows the geographical positioning of different member countries of this significant military collective. North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO was once a collective defense against a common enemy, Soviet Union, which tried to expand communist ideology with military might to central and east European countries after the Second World War. Major political events in western and Eastern Europe and the Balkans including the coup d'etat in Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union in 1948 became the immediate reasons behind the formation of NATO.

Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, NATO was to redefine its roles and responsibilities in the years to come following the fall of the 'common enemy' and with changing political and economic interests of its member countries. NATO proved its mettle several times beginning the bombing of Bosnia Serb positions surrounding the capital city of Sarajevo, and then by joining the United States in its hunt for Osama bin Laden, parading the armed troops of its different member countries in Afghanistan, and by deploying peace keeping forces in conflict torn regions in and around Europe.

Differences exist within the NATO member countries about the inclusion and exclusion of former Soviet Republics and about the role the organization should take in emerging political equations. However, what all its members agree in unison is the argument that the liberal ideas of the West are the best way for peaceful living and any kind of dissent towards them may encourage terrorism and cause damage to human civilization.

After the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 4 April, 1949, a few more countries joined NATO which currently has 28 member countries. Present members in NATO include Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.