A political alliance is a cooperative agreement between two or more countries, organizations, or individuals for mutual benefit. The most common type of political alliance is a BLOC, which is an alliance of several countries that share similar interests and goals. A PACT is a formal agreement between two or more parties, usually countries, to cooperate in specific areas such as defense or trade. An ENTENTE is a less formal agreement than a PACT, but still involves cooperation between two or more parties.