Current membership consists of 32 countries. In addition to the 12 founding countries, four new members joined during the Cold War: Greece and Turkey (1952), West Germany (1955) and Spain (1982).

Spain and NATO. Did you know that it was a Spaniard who guided NATO through its first major peacekeeping operation? Find out what actually triggered Spain to join NATO in 1982 and why its accession was so important for the Alliance. Read about Spain’s early years as …

Jan 23, 2025 · The politics of military spending. Spain joined NATO in 1982, a year after the young, isolated democracy survived a coup attempt by its armed forces and seven years after the end of the 40-year military dictatorship led by Gen. Francisco Franco.Under a 1986 referendum, a narrow majority of Spaniards voted to stay in the alliance, but it wasn’t until 1999 that the country that is now Europe ...

Mar 11, 2024 · At present, NATO has 32 member countries. These countries, called NATO Allies, are sovereign states that come together through NATO to discuss political and security issues and make collective decisions by consensus. NATO was created by 12 countries from Europe and North America on 4 April 1949.

Spain became NATO's 16th member on 30 May 1982. NATO is an international political and military organisation whose aim is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.

May 30, 2022 · Spain currently participates in six NATO missions: Baltic Air Police, NATO Standing Naval Groups, Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean, Enhance Forward Presence in Latvia, Operation Turkey Support and the NMI NATO mission in Iraq.

Jul 9, 2024 · The EU’s fourth-biggest country by population and economic size, Spain will this year spend less on defence as a proportion of GDP than any other country in the 32-member alliance, according to...

3 days ago · Secretary General Mark Rutte travelled to Lisbon and Madrid on Monday (27 January) for discussions on the security situation in Europe, the need to increase defence spending, and the importance of continued support to Ukraine.

4 days ago · RAMSTEIN, Germany - The 26 January, 2025, marked the tenth anniversary of the Spanish deployment of Ground Based Air Defence systems under the NATO Support to Türkiye mission. Spanish troops have been stationed in Adana, Türkiye, with a PATRIOT Battery since 2015 under Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) operational command and Allied Air Command operational control.

Jan 22, 2025 · Spain spent $22.27 billion on defence in 2024, NATO figures show, the 10th largest contribution in absolute terms among the 31 NATO allies, but this amounts to an estimated 1.28% of its GDP, the ...