Nuclear apocalypse: countries where your chances of survival are highest

The safest places to be in a global nuclear war
Devastating consequences
Survivors even in the most severe scenario
The best chance of survival
Australia: the safest country
Iceland, Salomon and Vanuatu Islands
Safe for an ‘abrupt sunlight-reducing catastrophe’
The study compared 38 island countries
Factors: food production, energy self-sufficiency…
Australia and New Zealand: big agricultural producers
Australia could feed tens of millions more
Why Australia is at the top of the list
Ties with the UK and US makes it more likely to become a target
New Zeland’s nuclear-free status is an advantage
Cushioned from extreme temperature
The Philippines, Mauritius, Indonesia
Social instability puts resilience in doubt
63% of the world’s population would die of famine
97% reduction of food production
Food self-suffiency: an important factor
Widespread technological collapse
The safest places to be in a global nuclear war

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, geopolitical tensions escalated significantly and there has been a growing concern about the potential for nuclear warfare.

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?

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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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