The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, known as NATO, is a group of
30 countries, (28 in Europe,
2 in North America), which function as a military alliance to fend off against aggressors. Formed from the aftermath of WWII, NATO is there to defend any member countries which were ever to be attacked. Members of NATO include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, France,
Germany, Italy, and
22 other nations, all of them in Europe.