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New to NATO? Looking for background information on the Alliance? Want to learn more about NATO, its mission and history but not sure where to begin? Then this guide is for you! Whether you are a new NATO employee, conducting research, or a citizen looking to learn more about the Organization in general, this guide contains reading recommendations and some quick links to get you started on your journey. For further books, articles and NATO Publications check out the side content.
What is NATO?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is one of the world’s major international institutions.
It is a political and military alliance that brings together 30 member countries from Europe and North America.
What is NATO provides a quick glance at NATO, its role, activities and members.
This publication is available in 53 different languages here

NATO Topics
Understand how and why NATO was created, its fundamental security tasks, the main policies and principles that guide the Organization, and how 30 countries work together through the principle of consensus decision-making.
Themes covered:
- Introduction to NATO
- Operations and Missions
- Security Challenges and Capabilities
- Partnerships and Cooperation
- Civilian and Military Structures
- Wider Activities
NATO 2030 and the new Strategic Concept
NATO 2022 Strategic ConceptThe Strategic Concept is a key document for the Alliance. It reaffirms NATO’s values and purpose, and provides a collective assessment of the security environment. It also drives NATO’s strategic adaptation and guides its future political and military development.
The Strategic Concept is reviewed and updated regularly. Since the end of the Cold War, it has been updated approximately every 10 years to take account of changes to the global security environment and to make sure the Alliance is prepared for the future.
Strategic Concepts The Strategic Concept sets the Alliance’s strategy. It outlines NATO’s enduring purpose and nature, its fundamental security tasks, and the challenges and opportunities it faces in a changing security environment. It also specifies the elements of the Alliance’s approach to security and provides guidelines for its political and military adaptation.
NATO 2030The NATO 2030 initiative is about making sure our Alliance remains ready today to face tomorrow's challenges.
NATO 2030 : Analysis and recommendations United for a New Era provides analysis and recommendations of the Reflection
Group Appointed by the NATO Secretary General