Top 10 weakest NATO countries

Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 weakest NATO countries.
This list is courtesy of Global Firepower.
Iceland ranks number 1 on the list.

While the alliance guarantees mutual defense, many smaller or less-resourced countries have relatively little influence over strategic decisions and global security policies.

NATO was founded in 1949 with the goal of uniting Western nations in response to the Soviet Union's growing threat during the Cold War.

Though each member agrees to defend one another, the reality is that military strength, economic power, and political influence are not evenly distributed.

Major powers like the United States, Germany, and France dominate NATO’s direction, often setting the agenda and providing most of the military capabilities.

Meanwhile, several smaller members, such as Montenegro, Albania, and Luxembourg, encounter difficulties in expressing their interests.

NATO troops participate in a joint exercise in Germany.Sean Gallup/Getty Images Business Insider USA

These countries make the least contributions to NATO's collective resources and frequently rely on the alliance's protection rather than influencing its strategic aims.

Their voices, while heard, are not as powerful as those of larger nations.

Despite this mismatch, NATO offers significant benefits to its weaker members, such as access to sophisticated technology, cooperative military training, and involvement in intelligence sharing.

These smaller countries also benefit from increased security assurances, which they could never afford on their own.

NATO decisions require consensus, which ostensibly allows all members to have a say. However, due to power disparities, smaller nations usually align with the positions of stronger members to maintain unity and influence.

In summary, while NATO provides critical protection and collaboration, some countries' influence is restricted by their size, military capability, and economic might.

The alliance's strength comes from its cohesiveness, but the unequal balance of influence remains a distinguishing element of its internal dynamics.

With that said, here are the 10 weakest NATO countries, according to data from Global Firepower.