Flag of NATO
Officially North Atlantic Treaty Organization
What the flag looks like
A dark blue field with a white four-pointed compass rose inside a white ring in the center, and four white lines running out from it towards the edges.
What it means
Blue stands for the Atlantic Ocean, the circle for unity, and the compass rose for the common road to peace the members chose.
How to remember it
NATO
is a white compass rose on navy blue with four lines shooting out north, south, east and west, like a map pinned to the Atlantic.
Fun facts
- The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C. on 4 April 1949 by twelve founding countries.
- Finland joined in 2023 and Sweden in 2024, bringing the alliance to 32 members.
NATO at a glance
- Founded
- 1949
- Members
- 32 states
- Headquarters
- Brussels
- Headquarters
- Brussels
- Region
- Founded 1949
- Languages
- English, French
- Flag adopted
- 1953
Flags often confused with NATO
- Antarctica: Antarctica's treaty flag and NATO are both dark blue with white lines running across them. Antarctica's has a white map of the continent in a grid of latitude and longitude lines; NATO's has a compass rose in a ring with four lines running to the edges.