UPSC Prelims 2025 Q21: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
Consider the following countries:
I. Austria
II. Bulgaria
III. Croatia
IV. Serbia
V. Sweden
VI. North Macedonia
How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?
- (a) Only three
- (b) Only four
- (c) Only five
- (d) All the six
Answer: (b) Only four
Explanation
NATO membership check (32 members as of 2024)
| Country | NATO member? | Year joined / status |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Permanently neutral since 1955; in the EU but not NATO |
| Bulgaria | Yes | 2004 (big eastern enlargement) |
| Croatia | Yes | 2009 (with Albania) |
| Serbia | No | Militarily neutral since 2007; NATO bombed it in 1999 |
| Sweden | Yes | March 2024 — 32nd member, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine |
| North Macedonia | Yes | 2020 — 30th member, after the Prespa Agreement with Greece |
Members: Bulgaria, Croatia, Sweden, North Macedonia = four.
Recent joiners:
| Year | Country |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Montenegro |
| 2020 | North Macedonia |
| 2023 | Finland (31st) |
| 2024 | Sweden (32nd) |
Answer: (b) Only four.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Three misses Sweden, which joined in March 2024.
- (b) CORRECT. Bulgaria, Croatia, Sweden and North Macedonia are NATO members; Austria and Serbia are neutral.
- (c) Incorrect. Five would require Austria or Serbia, and both stay outside NATO.
- (d) Incorrect. Austria is constitutionally neutral and Serbia follows military neutrality.
Key point
NATO has 32 members: Finland (2023) and Sweden (2024) are the newest. Austria, Serbia, Ireland and Switzerland stay out.
Remember
Sweden became NATO's 32nd member in March 2024.
Common mistakes
- Assuming EU membership means NATO membership; Austria is in the EU but neutral.
- Forgetting Sweden's accession in 2024 because it was delayed by Turkey and Hungary.
- Thinking all former Yugoslav states joined; Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are not members.
Exam tip
Neutral Europe: Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Serbia. Everything else in this list is NATO.
Sources
- NATO — Member countries (nato.int)
- Ministry of External Affairs — India-Europe briefs