Last updated: October 27, 2026. Reference guide, reviewed when the underlying official data changes.
NATO has 32 member countries in 2026. Twelve founded the alliance on April 4, 1949, and 20 more joined in 10 enlargement rounds, most recently Finland in 2023 and Sweden in 2024, according to NATO.
All 32 NATO members, A to Z
Click a column header to sort. Spending is SIPRI’s 2025 estimate in current U.S. dollars; a dash means the country was outside SIPRI’s top 30.
| Country | Year joined | 2025 military spending ($ billion) | Share of GDP (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 2009 | – | – |
| Belgium | 1949 | 14.5 | 2.0 |
| Bulgaria | 2004 | – | – |
| Canada | 1949 | 37.5 | 1.6 |
| Croatia | 2009 | – | – |
| Czechia | 1999 | – | – |
| Denmark | 1949 | 14.9 | 3.3 |
| Estonia | 2004 | – | – |
| Finland | 2023 | – | – |
| France | 1949 | 68.0 | 2.0 |
| Germany | 1955 | 114 | 2.3 |
| Greece | 1952 | – | – |
| Hungary | 1999 | – | – |
| Iceland | 1949 | – | – |
| Italy | 1949 | 48.1 | 1.9 |
| Latvia | 2004 | – | – |
| Lithuania | 2004 | – | – |
| Luxembourg | 1949 | – | – |
| Montenegro | 2017 | – | – |
| Netherlands | 1949 | 28.9 | 2.2 |
| North Macedonia | 2020 | – | – |
| Norway | 1949 | 17.0 | 3.3 |
| Poland | 1999 | 46.8 | 4.5 |
| Portugal | 1949 | – | – |
| Romania | 2004 | – | – |
| Slovakia | 2004 | – | – |
| Slovenia | 2004 | – | – |
| Spain | 1982 | 40.2 | 2.1 |
| Sweden | 2024 | 16.5 | 2.5 |
| Türkiye | 1952 | 30.0 | 1.9 |
| United Kingdom | 1949 | 89.0 | 2.4 |
| United States | 1949 | 954 | 3.1 |
The 10 enlargement rounds
- 1949, founders: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- 1952: Greece and Türkiye.
- 1955: West Germany; reunified Germany kept the seat in 1990.
- 1982: Spain.
- 1999: Czechia, Hungary and Poland, the first former Warsaw Pact members.
- 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, the largest single wave.
- 2009: Albania and Croatia.
- 2017: Montenegro.
- 2020: North Macedonia, after the 2018 Prespa Agreement with Greece settled the name dispute.
- 2023 and 2024: Finland became the 31st member on April 4, 2023, and Sweden the 32nd on March 7, 2024. Both applied on May 18, 2022.
Military spending by ally
The 32 members spent $1,581 billion on their militaries in 2025, or 55% of the world total, SIPRI reported in April 2026. European members accounted for $559 billion, and 23 of the 32 spent at least 2% of GDP under SIPRI’s method. NATO’s own figures use a different definition, so its percentages can differ.
Iceland has no armed forces. It relies on a coast guard, an air defense system and a 1951 defense agreement with the United States, NATO notes.
How a country joins NATO
Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty opens membership to any “European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty.” The North Atlantic Council invites new members by consensus, every ally then ratifies an accession protocol, and the country becomes a member when it deposits its instrument of accession in Washington.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries are in NATO in 2026?
32. Sweden was the latest to join, on March 7, 2024.
Which countries founded NATO?
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States, on April 4, 1949.
Is Ukraine a NATO member?
No. Ukraine is not among the 32 members on NATO’s official list.
Which NATO countries border Russia?
Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and, via the Kaliningrad exclave, Lithuania and Poland.
Related on Peter’s World
Sources
Additional sources
By Peter. This guide was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed above.
