Introduction to NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, commonly known as NATO, is an international organization formed after World War II with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. It is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries. Its primary mission is to ensure the security and defense of its member states by providing collective defense against aggression.

NATO Members
The first 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949 were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and the United States of America. The alliance has grown since then, and currently has 30 member countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.

Benefits of NATO Membership
By joining NATO, member states are able to benefit from the collective defense and political solidarity of the organization. Through NATO, members also have access to a range of resources that can be used to protect their national security, such intelligence sharing, military planning and technological development. In addition, membership gives countries the chance to work together on a range of global security issues and political objectives. NATO also provides a forum for its members to negotiate joint initiatives, such as improving the economic and social well-being of its citizens.