Nuclear war is a big worry for many and the fear that the possession of nuclear weapons by global superpowers could lead to the breakout of World War 3. A recent study showed that North Korea leader Kim Jong-un’s sixth nuclear test – which was found to have 250 kilotons of TNT – showed an alarming increase in strength from previous years. Co-author Thorne Lay of the study Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth said: “From 2006 to 2016 North Korea steadily increased the size of the events, from somewhere around 1 kiloton up to around 20 kilotons. “The very early events looked like they didn’t work very well, because they were unusually small. And then in one year they jumped up to 250-ish kilotons. The scary thing is that this was such a big device.”
The bomb has been described as an “incredibly destructive weapon” by geophysicist, Steven Gibbons.
With this alarming news, many may worry about the potential for World War 3. If the worst happens, where are the safest countries in the world to escape to?
The Global Peace Index 2018, published by think tank The Institute for Economics & Peace, has ranked the most peaceful countries. These are the top five.
Iceland
Iceland has held the pole position for the most peaceful country in the world since 2008.
The tiny island doesn’t share any borders with other countries so makes it a safer option for protection.
A high number of civilians do own guns but crime is the lowest due to strict regulations in purchasing one.
According to website Guide to Iceland, there is a murder rate of 0-1.5 every year. There is also no ‘class system.’
New Zealand
New Zealand came second in the 2017 index as well as the 2018 one. It is very remote and is surrounded by the sea so it could avoid invasion or attack from other countries.
It’s also committed to self-sustenance. Half of the country’s electricity comes from hydroelectric power and it has fertile land – which could be useful if it was cut off from the rest of the world.
There is also no wildlife which could pose a grave danger to humans and in 2017 it was ranked the least corrupt country along with Denmark.
Austria
Austria ranked in third place for the most peaceful country in 2018 – up one spot from 2017 when it was fourth.
It’s also considered the second most peaceful country in Europe according to the index.
Portugal was officially neutral during World War II and has kept out of foreign conflicts.
Denmark
While Denmark might suffer in a European conflict because of its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation status, it contains the non politically aligned region of Greenland.
Greenland is also cut off geographically, making it a more attractive prospect in the event of a third world war.
In Denmark itself, the FCO says of terrorism: “Terrorist attacks in Denmark can’t be ruled out.”
Most dangerous countries…
The most dangerous countries in the world for 2019 have also been revealed in a map which has rated the riskiest destinations when it comes to security.
International SOS and Control Risks has highlighted the countries which have extreme risks, many of which are found in the Middle East and Africa and shouldn’t be visited under any circumstances.
An ABTA Spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “Wherever you travel it is really important that you check the Foreign Office (FCO) country travel advice before booking, and continue to check it before you travel as the advice can change.”
