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List of military alliances

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A military alliance is a legally binding treaty between two or more parties in which the contracting parties agree to mutually protect one another militarily in case of an armed conflict. Military alliances differ from coalitions, which are formed in response to a specific crisis and last until the crisis is resolved. Military alliances can be bilateral or multilateral. Numerous forms of military and defensive alliances have existed between states since early human history. This is a comprehensive list of former and present military alliances.

Bilateral military alliances

[edit]
Legend
Active military alliances
Years Name Members
493 BC Foedus Cassianum Roman Republic
Latin League
215 BC Macedonian–Carthaginian Treaty Macedonia
Carthage
433–554 Silla–Baekje Alliance Silla
Baekje
1123 Pactum Warmundi Kingdom of Jerusalem
Republic of Venice
1266–1320 Byzantine–Mongol Alliance Byzantine Empire
Golden Horde
1295–1560 Auld Alliance[1][2] Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Scotland
1373 Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373[note 1] Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Portugal
1386 Treaty of Windsor Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Portugal
1499 Treaty of Blois Kingdom of France
Republic of Venice
1524–1525 Franco-Polish alliance Crown of Poland
Kingdom of France
1528 Franco-Hungarian alliance Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Hungary
1536–1798 Franco-Ottoman alliance Kingdom of France
Ottoman Empire
1631–1639 Treaty of Fontainebleau Electorate of Bavaria
Kingdom of France
1635 Treaty of Compiègne (1635) Kingdom of France
Sweden
1654 Anglo-Swedish Alliance England
Sweden
1654–1764 Pereiaslav Agreement Tsardom of Russia
Cossack Hetmanate Cossack Hetmanate
1656 Treaty of Marienburg Brandenburg-Prussia
Sweden
1672 Treaty of Stockholm Kingdom of France
Sweden
1716–1731 Anglo-French Alliance Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Great Britain
1731–1756 Anglo-Austrian Alliance Kingdom of Great Britain
Holy Roman Empire
1756–1762 Anglo-Prussian Alliance (1756) Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Prussia
1756–1792 Franco-Austrian Alliance Kingdom of France
Holy Roman Empire
1764–1788 Russo-Prussian alliance Russian Empire
Kingdom of Prussia
1773–1810 Treaty of Tsarskoye Selo Denmark–Norway
Russian Empire
1778–1800 Treaty of Alliance United States
Kingdom of France
1779–1783 Treaty of Aranjuez Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Spain
1781–1790 Austro-Russian Alliance Russian Empire
Holy Roman Empire
1788–1791 Anglo-Prussian Alliance (1788) Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Prussia
1790–1792 Polish–Prussian alliance Kingdom of Prussia
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
1807 Russo-Serbian Alliance Russian Empire
Revolutionary Serbia
1807–1812 Treaties of Tilsit France Napoleonic France
Russian Empire
1867–1868 Greek–Serbian Alliance of 1867 Kingdom of Greece
Principality of Serbia
1873 Treaty of Defensive Alliance (Bolivia–Peru) Bolivia
Peru
1879–1918 Dual Alliance Austria–Hungary
German Empire
1881–1908 Austro-Serbian Alliance Austria–Hungary
Principality of Serbia
1892–1917 Franco-Russian Alliance French Third Republic
Russian Empire
1902–1923 Anglo-Japanese Alliance Japan
United Kingdom
1904 Entente Cordiale[note 2] France
United Kingdom
1904 Treaty of Sofia Principality of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Serbia
1913–1914 Greek–Serbian Alliance of 1913 Greece
Serbia
1914–1918 Ottoman–Bulgarian alliance Kingdom of Bulgaria
Ottoman Empire
1915–1918 Bulgaria–Germany treaty (1915) Kingdom of Bulgaria
German Empire
1915–1918 German–Ottoman alliance German Empire
Ottoman Empire
1920–1921 Polish–Ukrainian Agreement Poland
Ukraine
1920–1940 Franco-Polish Alliance (1921) France
Poland
1920–1921 Georgian–Polish alliance Georgia
Poland
1921–1939 Polish–Romanian alliance Poland
Romania
1922–1958 Anglo-Iraqi treaties of 1922, 1930 and 1948 Iraq
United Kingdom
1930–1939/40 Finnish–Estonian defence cooperation Estonia
Finland
1935–1939 Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance France
Soviet Union
1936–1956 Anglo-Egyptian treaty of 1936 Egypt
United Kingdom
1939–1944 Anglo-Polish alliance Poland
United Kingdom
1939–1945 Portuguese–Spanish Treaty of Friendship and Non-Aggression or Iberian Pact Portugal
Spain
1939–1940 Soviet–Estonian Mutual Assistance Treaty Estonia
Soviet Union
1939–1940 Soviet–Latvian Mutual Assistance Treaty Latvia
Soviet Union
1939–1940 Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty Lithuania
Soviet Union
1939–1949[note 3] Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy or Pact of Steel Germany
Italy
1940 Ogdensburg Agreement[3] Canada
United States
1941–1945 Anglo-Soviet Agreement Soviet Union
United Kingdom
1942–1945 Twenty-Year Mutual Assistance Agreement Between the
United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

or Anglo-Soviet Treaty of 1942
Soviet Union
United Kingdom
1946–1948 Treaty of Alliance Between His Majesty in Respect of the United Kingdom and His Highness the Amir of Transjordan or Treaty of London (1946)[4] Jordan
United Kingdom
1947–1997 Treaty of Dunkirk France
United Kingdom
1950–1979 Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance China
Soviet Union
1951 Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America (MDT) Philippines
United States
1951 U.S.–Japan Alliance Japan
United States
1952–1977 Brazil–United States Treaty Brazil
United States
1953 Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea South Korea
United States
1955–1975 Simonstown Agreement South Africa
United Kingdom
1955–1980 Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of China China (Republic of China)
United States
1957–1967 Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement (AMDA) Malaya
United Kingdom
1958 Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
for Cooperation on the uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defense Purposes
or 1958 UK–US Mutual Defence Agreement
United Kingdom
United States
1961 Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty between The People's Republic of China and The Democratic People's Republic of Korea or Sino-North Korean Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty China
North Korea
1962 Thanat–Rusk Communiqué Thailand
United States
1975–1994 Israel–South Africa Agreement (ISSA) Israel
South Africa
1987 Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)[note 4]
List
1995 Split Agreement Croatia
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
2010 Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Mutual Support[note 6] Azerbaijan
Turkey
2010 Lancaster House Treaties France
United Kingdom
2019 Treaty on Franco-German Cooperation and Integration or Aachen Treaty France
Germany
2021 Franco-Greek defence agreement France
Greece
2024 Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea[5] North Korea
Russia
2025 Treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation[6] or Kensington Treaty Germany
United Kingdom

Multilateral military alliances

[edit]
Legend
Active military alliances
Years Name Members
c. 7th century–338 BC Latin League About 30 villages and tribes in the region of Latium
c. 6th century–366 BC Peloponnesian League Various city-states in the Peloponnese, dominated by Sparta
478–404 BC Delian League See Members of the Delian League
1167–1250 Lombard League Numerous cities in medieval Lombardy, modern Northern Italy
1266–1320 Byzantine–Mongol Alliance Byzantine Empire
Golden Horde
1367–1385 Confederation of Cologne Cities of the Hanseatic League
1428–1521 Triple Alliance[note 7] Mexiclo-Tenochtitlan
Tetzcoco
Tlacopan
1508–1510 League of Cambrai Aragon
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of France
Papal States
1511–1513 Catholic League (Italian) Aragon
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of England
Papal States
Republic of Venice
1531–1547 Schmalkaldic League Various Protestant German States of the Holy Roman Empire
1571–1573 Holy League Papal States
Republic of Venice
Spain among others
1596–1604 Triple Alliance (1596) Dutch Republic
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of France
1608–1621 Protestant Union Various Protestant German States of the Holy Roman Empire
1609–1635 Catholic League (German) Various Catholic German States of the Holy Roman Empire
1668–1672 Triple Alliance Dutch Republic
Kingdom of England
Sweden
1684–1699 Holy League Holy Roman Empire
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Republic of Venice
Tsardom of Russia
1689–1713 League of Augsburg Dutch Republic
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of England
1699 Treaty of Preobrazhenskoye Denmark–Norway
Electorate of Saxony
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Tsardom of Russia
1717–1718 Triple Alliance (1717) Dutch Republic
Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Great Britain
1747–1748 Convention of Saint Petersburg Kingdom of Great Britain
Russian Empire
Dutch Republic
1788–1791 Triple Alliance (1788) Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Prussia
Dutch Republic
1815–1818 The Quadruple Alliance United Kingdom
Austrian Empire
Kingdom of Prussia
Russian Empire
1815–1825[note 8] Holy Alliance Russian Empire
Kingdom of Prussia
Austrian Empire
1865–1872 Treaty of the Triple Alliance Brazil
Uruguay
Argentina
1866–1868 First Balkan Alliance Kingdom of Greece (1867)
Principality of Montenegro (1866)
Principality of Serbia
1873–1887 League of the Three Emperors Russian Empire
Austria–Hungary
German Empire
1882–1914 Triple Alliance German Empire
Austria–Hungary
Kingdom of Italy
1907–1917 Triple Entente France
Russian Empire
United Kingdom
1912–1913 Balkan League Kingdom of Bulgaria
Greece
Kingdom of Montenegro
Kingdom of Serbia
1914–1918 Central Powers Austria–Hungary
Kingdom of Bulgaria (1915)
German Empire
Ottoman Empire
1916–1918 Treaty of Bucharest (1916) France
Italy
Romania
Russian Empire
United Kingdom
1920–1938 Little Entente Czechoslovakia
Romania
Yugoslavia
1934–1938 Balkan Pact Greece
Romania
Turkey
Yugoslavia
1934–1938 Rome Protocols Austria
Hungary
Italy
1934–1935 Stresa Front France
Italy
United Kingdom
1934–1940 Baltic Entente Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
1940–1945 Tripartite Pact or Axis Powers
1942–1945 Croatian–Romanian–Slovak friendship proclamation Croatia
Romania
Slovakia
1947 Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) or Rio Treaty
1948–1954 Western Union (WU)[note 10] Belgium
France
Luxembourg
Netherlands
United Kingdom
1949 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
List
1951 Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) Australia
New Zealand
United States
1953–1956 Agreement of Friendship and Cooperation or Balkan Pact (1953) Greece
Turkey
Yugoslavia
1954–1977 Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)
1954–2011 Western European Union (WEU)
1955–1979 Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), formerly Middle East Treaty Organization (METO) Iran
 Iraq (1955–1959)
Pakistan
Turkey
United Kingdom
1955–1991 Warsaw Pact (WP)
1970–1974 Alcora Exercise Portugal
Rhodesia
South Africa
1982 Regional Security System (RSS)
1984 Peninsula Shield Force (PSF)[note 14]
1992 Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
List
2023 Alliance of Sahel States (AES) Burkina Faso
Mali
Niger
  NATO and   CSTO states as of December 2024
Comparison of NATO and CSTO
Indicators North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
Emblem
Flag
Treaty The North Atlantic Treaty The Collective Security Treaty[7]
System Collective security[8] Collective security[9]
Formation 1949[10] 1992[11]
Depositary The Government of the United States of America, Washington, D.C.[12] The CSTO Secretariat, Moscow, Russia[13][note 15]
Headquarters Brussels, Belgium Moscow, Russia[14]
Secretary General Secretary General of NATO
Mark Rutte
Secretary General of the CSTO
Imangali Tasmagambetov
Senior Military Leaders Chair of the NATO Military Committee
Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
Supreme Allied Commander Europe
General Alexus Grynkewich
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
Admiral Pierre Vandier
Chief of the Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov
Membership 32 states 6 states
Former members None Azerbaijan (1993-1999)
Georgia (1993-1999)
Uzbekistan (1992-1999; 2006-2012)
Area km2 (sq mi) 25 million km2 (9.68 million sq mi)[15] 20 million km2 (7.72 million sq mi)[16][note 16]
Population 973 million[17] 193 million[18][note 17]
GDP (PPP) $63.842 trillion[19] $7.686 trillion[20]
GDP (nominal) $52.394 trillion[21] $2.394 trillion[22]
Defence expenditure $1.474 trillion[23] $153 billion[24][note 18]
Total military personnel 6,163,060[25][note 19] (3,953,060)[note 20] 4,028,000[26][note 21] (3,928,000)[note 22]
Nuclear warheads 4,215[27][note 23] 4,299[28][note 24]
Military aircraft 20,333[29][note 25] 4,592[29][note 26]
Total naval assets 2,689[30][note 27] 445[30][note 28]
Tanks 11,495[30][note 29] 6,969[30][note 30]
Military vehicles 976,138[30][note 31] 151,411[30][note 32]
Total number of Self-Propelled Artillery units 3,985[30][note 33] 5,829[30][note 34]
Total number of Towed Artillery units 6,294[30][note 35] 9,244[30][note 36]
Total number of MLRS(Rocket Artillery) units 1,977[30][note 37] 3,639[30][note 38]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ See also Anglo-Portuguese Alliance
  2. ^ See also Lancaster House Treaties
  3. ^ Effectively ended in 1943
  4. ^ Agreement applies only between the United States and Allied States
  5. ^ Taiwan is treated as an MNNA without formal designation
  6. ^ See also Shusha Declaration
  7. ^ The Nahua Triple Alliance is also known as the Mexica, or Aztec Empire
  8. ^ Austrlo-Russian alliance broke off in 1853.
  9. ^ (Two days only)
  10. ^ See also Treaty of Brussels
  11. ^ Treaty in-force with United States
  12. ^ Treaty in-force with Thailand
  13. ^ Joined as West Germany until 1990
  14. ^ Military wing of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
  15. ^ The CSTO Secretariat is the seat of the Secretary General of the CSTO. — "CSTO Secretariat". www.en.odkb-csto.org. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  16. ^ aggregated data for all members
  17. ^ aggregated data for all members
  18. ^ aggregated data for all members
  19. ^ aggregated data for all members
  20. ^ excl. USA and CAN
  21. ^ aggregated data for all members
  22. ^ According to the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 100,000 Russian soldiers died in Ukraine in 2025 alone."Marco Rubio slams Russia over Ukrainian war death count, just days after Trump calls out 'bulls–t' Vladimir Putin". www.nypost.com. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  23. ^ aggregated data for all members
  24. ^ aggregated data for all members
  25. ^ aggregated data for all members
  26. ^ aggregated data for all members
  27. ^ aggregated data for all members
  28. ^ aggregated data for all members
  29. ^ aggregated data for all members
  30. ^ aggregated data for all members
  31. ^ aggregated data for all members
  32. ^ aggregated data for all members
  33. ^ aggregated data for all members
  34. ^ aggregated data for all members
  35. ^ aggregated data for all members
  36. ^ aggregated data for all members
  37. ^ aggregated data for all members
  38. ^ aggregated data for all members

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Franco-Scottish alliance against England one of longest in history (The University of Manchester)". www.manchester.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Beyond "The Antiseptic Realm of Theoretical Economic Models": New Perspectives on Franco-Scottish Commerce and the Auld Alliance in the Long Seventeenth Century | Siobhan Talbott - Academia.edu". www.academia.edu. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Treaties in Force A List of Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States in Force on January 1, 2020" (PDF). Treaty Affairs Staff, Office of the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2025. Declaration by the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States of America regarding the establishing of a Permanent Joint Board on Defense.
  4. ^ "Treaty of Alliance between His Majesty in respect of the United Kingdom and His Highness the Amir of Trans-Jordan" (PDF). upload.wikimedia.org.
  5. ^ McCurry, Justin (19 June 2024). "Putin and Kim keep quiet on details of mutual aid agreement". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Conscious of the close alignment of their vital interests and convinced that there is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other, the Parties affirm as close Allies their deep commitment to each other’s defence and shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack on the other." — Final paragraph, Article 3, "Treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany on friendship and bilateral cooperation". www.gov.uk. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  7. ^ "COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY". www.en.odkb-csto.org. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  8. ^ "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area." — First paragraph, Article 5, "The North Atlantic Treaty". www.nato.int. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  9. ^ "If one of the Member States undergoes aggression (armed attack menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty), it will be considered by the Member States as aggression (armed attack menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty) to all the Member States of this Treaty.
    In case of aggression commission (armed attack menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty) to any of the Member States, all the other Member States at request of this Member State shall immediately provide the latter with the necessary help, including military one, as well as provide support by the means at their disposal in accordance with the right to collective defence pursuant to article 51 of the UN Charter." — First and second paragraphs, Article 4, "COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY". www.en.odkb-csto.org. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Washington D.C. - 4 April 1949" — "The North Atlantic Treaty". www.nato.int. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  11. ^ "May 15, 1992" — "COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY". www.en.odkb-csto.org. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  12. ^ "This Treaty, of which the English and French texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the United States of America. Duly certified copies will be transmitted by that Government to the Governments of other signatories." — Article 14, "The North Atlantic Treaty". www.nato.int. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  13. ^ "This Treaty shall be subject to ratification by each state which has signed it according to its constitutional procedures. Instruments of ratification shall be transferred for storage to the Secretary General of Council for Collective Security (of the Collective Security Treaty Organization), hereby appointed as the depositary." — Third paragraph, Article 11, "COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY". www.en.odkb-csto.org. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Secretary-General Addresses CSTO Council in Moscow". www.media.un.org. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Members of the NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization". www.worlddata.info. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  16. ^ "WorldData.info". www.worlddata.info. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Members of the NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization". www.worlddata.info. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  18. ^ "WorldData.info". www.worlddata.info. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  19. ^ "GDP, PPP (current international $) - Albania, Greece, Turkiye, Bulgaria, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Slovak Republic, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Canada". www.data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  20. ^ "GDP, PPP (current international $) - Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Tajikistan". www.data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  21. ^ "GDP (current US$) - Albania, Greece, Turkiye, Bulgaria, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Slovak Republic, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Greenland, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Bermuda, Faroe Islands". www.data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  22. ^ "GDP (current US$) - Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Tajikistan". www.data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  23. ^ "Combined defense expenditure of NATO countries from 2014 to 2024". www.statista.com. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Military expenditure in Eurasia from 2023 to 2024, by selected country". www.statista.com. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  25. ^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2025). The Military Balance 2025. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781041049678. ISSN 0459-7222.
  26. ^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2025). The Military Balance 2025. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781041049678. ISSN 0459-7222.
  27. ^ "Nuclear risks grow as new arms race looms—new SIPRI Yearbook out now". www.sipri.org. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  28. ^ "Nuclear risks grow as new arms race looms—new SIPRI Yearbook out now". www.sipri.org. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  29. ^ a b "World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft". www.wdmma.org. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Global Firepower Countries Index". www.globalfirepower.com. Retrieved 22 May 2025.