Nuclear war fears? These 2 remote islands could be the safest places on Earth

For decades, one of the most unsettling questions around nuclear conflict has been this: where on Earth would be the safest place to survive? While no region is completely immune to the fallout of a global catastrophe, researchers say two island nations stand out above the rest. According to a 2022 analysis, Australia and New Zealand are considered the safest places if a nuclear winter were to follow a nuclear war. Their remote geography and strong food systems are the key reasons behind that finding.

Ever since nuclear weapons were first developed, experts have continued to examine what a worst-case scenario might look like. Questions about likely targets, fallout zones, and long-term survival remain central to those discussions.

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Professor Alex Wellerstein, a nuclear historian at Stevens Institute of Technology and creator of the NUKEMAP simulator, explained that the most vulnerable areas would depend entirely on who launches the attack and what their objective is.

"If the adversary is Russia and their goal is to disable US retaliation, command centres and ICBM sites will be hit first," Professor Wellerstein told Daily Mail. "If the attacker is a rogue actor, symbolic or densely populated areas might be targeted instead."

His assessment places locations such as Great Falls, Montana, among the most vulnerable in the United States due to their strategic significance, as per a report by The Mirror.

Why are these countries considered the safest?

While the immediate devastation of nuclear strikes is terrifying, experts say the greater global threat may come afterward in the form of a nuclear winter.

This climate event could block sunlight, sharply reduce temperatures, and trigger widespread agricultural collapse across much of the planet.

As Annie Jacobsen said, “Agriculture would fail, and when agriculture fails, people just die. On top of that, you have the radiation poisoning because the ozone layer will be so damaged and destroyed that you couldn’t be outside in the sunlight—people will be forced to live underground.”

It is this longer-term survival question that places Australia and New Zealand in focus, as per a report by The Mirror.

A 2022 analysis compared 38 island nations using factors such as geographic location, food production, infrastructure, energy availability, and social resilience. Researchers found that these two Southern Hemisphere nations were the strongest candidates to endure such a crisis, as per a report by The Mirror.

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How does geography help them survive?

One of the biggest advantages for both countries is location. As most likely nuclear targets and the fires that would send soot into the atmosphere are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere, Australia and New Zealand would be less directly exposed.

Their distance from major global conflict zones offers an additional layer of protection.

The study noted that Australia has the "potential to feed many tens of millions of extra people." It also highlighted its strong infrastructure, large energy surplus, and high health security standards, as per a report by The Mirror.


New Zealand offers similar strengths. Its agricultural sector already produces more food than the country consumes, with between 90% and 95% of crop, dairy, and meat production currently exported.

Even if crop yields fall sharply during a severe nuclear winter, the study suggests the country could still feed its population.

What risks still remain?

Despite these advantages, the outlook is not entirely reassuring. Both countries still depend heavily on global trade for fuel, fertilizers, and machinery. If international supply chains collapse, domestic food production could face major disruption.

The study also warns that social instability could intensify the crisis, making recovery far more difficult even in relatively safe regions, as per a report by The Mirror.

So while Australia and New Zealand may be among the safest places in a nuclear winter scenario, experts stress that no country is truly untouched by the consequences of nuclear war.

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FAQs

Which countries are considered safest in a nuclear winter?
Australia and New Zealand are considered the safest according to the study.

Why are these countries seen as safer?
Their isolation and ability to produce enough food make them more resilient.