Top countries where your survival chances in a nuclear war are highest
Where would be the safest place to be?
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine two years ago and the subsequent geopolitical strife, the fear of nuclear war has loomed large, causing many to contemplate its impact on humanity and the Earth.
Devastating consequences
Any nuclear conflict would have a huge range of devastating consequences, from initial deaths in the direct blasts to the lingering effects of radiation, environmental pollution and famine.
Survivors even in the most severe scenario
Nevertheless, there would likely be pockets of survivors around the planet, even in the most severe scenario, scientists say.
The best chance of survival
And of course, those in the most resilient nations would stand the best chance of avoiding a pre-industrial collapse. ¿Can you guess which is the safest country to be in in case of nuclear warfare?
Photo: photoholgic/Unsplash
Australia: the safest country
Researchers have found that Australia, followed by its neighbour New Zealand, would be the best placed country to survive a nuclear winter and help reboot a collapsed human civilisation.
Photo: Joey Csunyo/Unsplash
Iceland, Salomon and Vanuatu Islands
It was revealed in a study published in the journal Risk Analysis, that also points to Iceland, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as safe places to survive a nuclear apocalypse.
Safe for an ‘abrupt sunlight-reducing catastrophe’
The aforementioned island countries are capable of producing enough food for their populations after an “abrupt sunlight‐reducing catastrophe” such as a nuclear war, super volcano or asteroid strike, according to the study.
The study compared 38 island countries
The authors compared 38 island countries on 13 factors they said could predict success as a post-apocalyptic survival state.
Factors: food production, energy self-sufficiency…
The factors include food production, energy self-sufficiency, manufacturing and the disaster’s effect on climate, among others.
Australia and New Zealand: big agricultural producers
Australia and New Zealand, both robust agricultural producers and tucked away from the likely sites of northern hemisphere nuclear fallout, topped the list, with Australia performing best overall.
Australia could feed tens of millions more
“Australia’s food supply buffer is gigantic,” the study reads, “with potential to feed many tens of millions of extra people.”
Why Australia is at the top of the list
Australia’s relatively good infrastructure, vast energy surplus, high health security and defence budget all aided in putting it at the top of the list.
Photo: Dan Freeman/Unsplash
Ties with the UK and US makes it more likely to become a target
Australia did have one major factor working against it, however: its relatively close military ties with the UK and US made it more likely to become a target in a nuclear war against Russia.
New Zeland’s nuclear-free status is an advantage
In this area, New Zealand displayed some advantages, the authors said, with its longstanding nuclear-free status.
Photo: Casey Horner/Unsplash
Cushioned from extreme temperature
Its resilience in the event of an abrupt drop in global temperature prompted by a period of darkness (everywhere in New Zealand is relatively close to the ocean, cushioning it from extreme temperature) would also help.
Photo: Rod Long/Unsplash
The Philippines, Mauritius, Indonesia
Other island countries, such as The Philippines, Mauritius and Indonesia would be able to produce enough food in such a crisis, according to the study.
Social instability puts resilience in doubt
However, their history of corruption and social instability put their resilience in doubt, according to the authors of the study.
63% of the world’s population would die of famine
More than 5 billion people, roughly 63% of the world's current population, would die of famine in the aftermath of a full-scale nuclear war, according to a 2022 study.
97% reduction of food production
In fact, there would be a 97% reduction of food production in China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Food self-suffiency: an important factor
That’s why food self-sufficiency is one of the most important factors, according to the authors of the study, who explain that food trade could be greatly affected by a widespread technological collapse.
Widespread technological collapse
“Collapse of technological society is possible even in locations considered most likely to survive. This may seriously impede cooperation, coordination, and resilient food production,” conclude the scientists.
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