Amid growing international instability, folks all over the world are wondering if there is any country that can be considered a secure refuge, should this conflict expand into a larger war, drawing in many more nations.
The good news is there are several extremely peaceful places far from the eye of the storm.
These nations are unlikely to ever have anything to do with this war and who have the resources to withstand shortages and will not suffer severely from disruptions to international supply networks. Not necessarily equipped with advanced shelters, they are unlikely to become strategic targets, according to @geomapas.
Here's the list...
1. New Zealand
Way south in the Pacific, with its last island a little over 2,500 km from Antarctica, New Zealand is far away from the present tumultous situation.
A comparatively secure nation without strategic importance it is therefore not of interest to rival global powers.
2. Antarctica
The southernmost continent of the world it is often seen as one of the safest spots during a nuclear conflict.
Covering over 14 million sq km, it's completely isolated and has no permanent residents beyond a few research stations and armies of penguins.
Its distance from major military targets makes an attack unlikely. And Antarctica's harsh environment is deterrant provided by Mother Nature.
3. Chile
The South American nation is bound by the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean and is buffered from numerous areas of conflict.
Abundant in farmland and raw materials, it could support its population if international trade routes were disrupted.
4. Argentina
Vast, vast Argentina possesses huge areas suitable for agriculture and has the ability to sustain itself nutritionally.
Although it has a history of disputes, its reliable domestic harvests could still make it a rather safe destination.
5. Paraguay
Remote, neutral with strong agricultural independence, though landlocked (except for access to the Atlantic ocean by the Parana-Paraguay Waterway) this unitary presidential republic is a tranquil land, cut off from the hurly-burly of world politics.
The United Nations Development Programme notes it is the world's sixth-largest producer of soybeans and soybean oil and the fourth-largest exporter of the crop.
6. Uruguay
Particularly distant from key international flashpoints that decreases its chances of being directly caught up in major wars.
Uruguay's foreign policy is strictly about non-intervention and multilateralism.
7. Bhutan
After becoming a member of the United Nations in 1971, Bhutan announced its stance of non-alignment towards external disputes.
A landlocked nation, this Shangri La is encircled and cut off from the rest of the globe by high mountain ranges.
8. Switzerland
Its very name is practically a synonym for neutrality.
Switzerland has stood for non-alignment for two centuries braving two world wars, coming out unscathed, even though Hitler had plans to invade the country.
There is safety in the fact that it is a land of rugged alpine landscapes which act as natural barriers, and no coastline, plus a network of fallout bunkers.
That does not mean Switzerland does not have a strong foreign policy. It does and the Swiss add their voice and weight to peace-making efforts around the world.
It's therefore a great place to retire to and escape the unrest that's troubling many parts of the world.
