Five Nordic cross flags
Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden all use Nordic cross flags. All five are now NATO members.
Flags of NATO member countries
NATO was founded on 4 April 1949 by 12 countries. The Alliance now has 32 members. Browse their flags, accession years and the milestones of NATO enlargement.
- Member countries
- 32
- Founding members
- 12
- Enlargements
- 10
All NATO flags together
NATO member country flags
32 / 32
NATO enlargement timeline
1949 (12)
- Belgium· Founding member
- Canada· Founding member
- Denmark· Founding member
- France· Founding member
- Iceland· Founding member
- Italy· Founding member
- Luxembourg· Founding member
- Netherlands· Founding member
- Norway· Founding member
- Portugal· Founding member
- United Kingdom· Founding member
- United States· Founding member
1952 (2)
1955 (1)
1982 (1)
1999 (3)
2004 (7)
2009 (2)
2017 (1)
2020 (1)
2023 (1)
2024 (1)
Interesting connections between the flags
Three Baltic countries joined together
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined NATO on the same day: 29 March 2004.
The two newest Nordic members
Finland joined NATO on 4 April 2023 and Sweden on 7 March 2024.
Two North American founding members
Canada and the United States were among NATO’s 12 founding countries.
NATO and its members
The 2004 enlargement
Seven countries joined NATO in 2004, the largest single round of enlargement.
Germany and reunification
The Federal Republic of Germany joined in 1955. German reunification in 1990 extended NATO’s area to former East Germany without a new state joining.
Iceland is unusual
Iceland has been a NATO member since 1949 despite having no standing armed forces.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries are in NATO?
NATO has 32 member countries as of 25 October 2026.
When was NATO founded?
The North Atlantic Treaty was signed on 4 April 1949 by 12 founding countries.
When did Finland and Sweden join NATO?
Finland joined on 4 April 2023 and Sweden on 7 March 2024.
What was NATO’s largest enlargement?
Seven countries joined on 29 March 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
What does NATO Article 5 mean?
An armed attack against one Ally is considered an attack against all. Each Ally must assist by taking action it deems necessary; that action need not involve armed force.
Are all NATO members in Europe?
No. Canada and the United States are North American founding members.