Most countries in the world are not part of NATO; the alliance currently has 32 members, so around 160+ UN states remain outside it. The more interesting breakdown is which notable or often-asked-about countries are not in NATO.

Quick Scoop

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

  • NATO is mainly a Euro‑Atlantic military alliance, so many countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania have never aimed to join.
  • Even in Europe, some states remain outside NATO for reasons like neutrality, internal politics, or relations with Russia.

Below are key non‑members people usually care about, rather than a phone‑book list of every country on Earth.

European countries not in NATO

In Europe, the non‑NATO list is relatively short and politically important.

  • Neutral / traditionally non‑aligned:
    • Austria
    • Switzerland
    • Ireland
    • Malta
    • Cyprus
  • Balkan and post‑Soviet states outside NATO:
    • Serbia
    • Bosnia and Herzegovina (partner/aspirant but not member)
    • Moldova
    • Ukraine (partner/aspirant but not member)
    • Georgia (partner/aspirant but not member)
  • Other European microstates not in NATO:
    • Andorra, San Marino, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Vatican City
  • Also outside NATO and often mentioned in the European security context:
    • Belarus
    • Russia

All of these are regularly cited in updated lists of “European countries not in NATO.”

Non‑European countries not in NATO

Outside Europe, almost every country is a non‑member, since NATO is not a global alliance.

Some often‑mentioned non‑members:

  • Major powers:
    • China, India, Brazil, South Africa
  • Large or strategically important states:
    • Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Argentina, Mexico, etc.
  • U.S. partners that are close to NATO but not members:
    • Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and others cooperate closely as “partners” or “major non‑NATO allies,” but they are not NATO members.

In short, if a country is not in North America or Europe (plus a few close neighbors like TĂźrkiye), the default is that it is not a NATO member.

Why some countries stay out

Different countries stay outside NATO for different reasons.

  • Neutrality traditions
    • Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, and Malta emphasize military neutrality in law or long‑standing policy.
  • Pressure and geopolitics
    • Ukraine, Georgia, and others have faced Russian pressure and security risks tied to NATO enlargement debates.
  • Domestic politics and identity
    • Serbia, for example, has official military neutrality shaped by history and public opinion.
  • Microstate constraints
    • Tiny states like Andorra or Monaco generally rely on neighbors and do not field large militaries, making membership less relevant.

Simple rule of thumb

  • If it is in NATO news a lot (like Germany, Poland, TĂźrkiye, the U.S.), it is in NATO.
  • If it is a European country you rarely hear in NATO context (Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Serbia, Malta, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Russia, the microstates), it is not in NATO.
  • Most countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania are not members at all, even if they sometimes work with NATO as partners.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.