The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance established on April 4, 1949.

It comprises 32 member countries from Europe and North America, committed to safeguarding the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.

NATO's core principle is collective defense, meaning an attack against one member is considered an attack against all.

The organization promotes democratic values, enables members to consult and cooperate on defense and security-related issues, and conducts crisis-management operations.