North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Founded in 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a political and military alliance of 28 North American and European countries that are committed to the principles of democracy, collective security and defense. NATO member countries include Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Following WWII, NATO played a key role in maintaining peace and security in the transatlantic area during the Cold War period. Over the years, the Alliance has engaged in numerous humanitarian relief efforts around the world. Presently, NATO has military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq Kosovo, Libya.
