Top 10 COUNTRIES That Would be IMPOSSIBLE
to INVADE 10. Australia Active Personnel: 60,000, Reserve: 44,000
Tanks: 59, Artillery: 75 Air Fighters: 78, Helicopters: 188
Naval Strength: 47 (Submarines: 6, Aircraft Carriers: 2) Though it boasts a relatively small population
of roughly 23 million, Australia is nevertheless huge; a continent in and of itself. With the exception of the coastal areas, where
98 percent of its people live, the island nation is an almost 3 million square mile
scorching desert. A perfect place for any army to hide in, and
from where to launch surprise attacks on any would be invader. Given its geographical position however, this
would be highly unlikely. The scorching outback, as well as the Coral
Barrier Reef, protects large parts of Queensland. During WWII, the Japanese seriously considered
an invasion of Australia, but given the situation at hand, they decided against it. While most of the Australian forces were already
deployed either in Europe or Northern Africa, the Japanese estimated around 200,000 soldiers
would be needed to take hold of the island nation. They instead opted to isolate Australia as
much as possible, trying to cut it off from the US. Even if the Japanese had invaded and succeeded
in taking over all the coastal cities, Australians would have been able to keep a long and extensive
guerrilla war going from various hideouts scattered across the outback. According to the Global Peace Index, Australia
ranks third in the Asia-Pacific region and 9th in the world. 9. Switzerland Active Personnel: 100,000, Reserve: 77,000
Tanks: 224, Artillery: 224 Air Fighters: 63, Helicopters: 43 Pretty much everyone is aware by now of Switzerland’s
famous neutrality. As Europe was plunged in two World Wars, the
Alpine country was spared from the terrific onslaught. Given its mountainous location, the country
devised a defensive plan, known as the Swiss National Redoubt, which was deployed as early
the 1880s. The plan involved building a series of fortresses
and strongholds in key locations around the many mountain passes. These defenses proved useful in thwarting
the different warring factions from invading Switzerland throughout the 20
th century. After WWII, and fearing a potential Soviet
invasion, the plan was expanded to include Switzerland’s entire infrastructure. The Swiss military wired all roads and railways
with dynamite, which would be detonated in case of an attack. This way any invader would have to waste time
and energy in getting into the country. Moreover, the many bunkers, tunnels, and fortresses
built within the mountains themselves offer access and protection for entire military
divisions to strike anywhere at a moment’s notice. Over the years Switzerland has decreased the
number of its active personnel from 400,000 in 1995, to 220,000 in 2004, and again to
100,000 men in 2016. Having a direct democracy, instead of a representative
one, its citizens are active participants in all major decisions happening in the country,
including when it comes to its military or going to war. While they agreed to reduce the number of
active personnel, they also agreed to raise the military budget by 2.4 billion Swiss francs,
and to even keep conscription in place. In fact, all citizens have military training,
and get to keep their weapon after its completion. At present there are an estimated of 45.7
weapons per 100 people within Switzerland. So, if it ever gets invaded, almost 4,000,000
citizens are immediately available for military service with another 3,000,000 fit for joining
as well. Moreover, while so many decision makers around
the world keep their wealth in Swiss bank accounts, it would be counterintuitive for
them to risk losing it in the chaos of an invasion. Plus, those Swiss Army Knives can do everything. 8. Tuvalu, New Zealand, Iceland and Bhutan All four of these nations fall within this
category, not because they are heavily defended, or because of their armed forces, but because
of their isolation and lack of any strategic or economic importance for a potential invader. Out of all these nations, only New Zealand
and Bhutan have any armies, of roughly 9,000 and 6,000 active personnel, respectively. New Zealand, even though it’s a developed
nation, is not involved in any conflicts around the world, earning it the number four spot
on the Global Peace Index in 2015. And in the unlikely event of it ever being
invaded, the mountainous terrain can offer ample opportunity for waging guerrilla warfare. Moreover, located at almost 1,000 miles from
the nearest major landmass of Australia, mounting an effective offensive would be quite problematic. Plus, it can always call all of those elves
and hobbits into service, if need be. Tuvalu on the other hand has no armed forces
whatsoever. It has only a small police force, and a Maritime
Surveillance Unit for internal security. Given its isolation in the Pacific Ocean,
it’s highly unlikely for anyone to target the tiny island nation for invasion. In a somewhat similar situation is Iceland,
which has not had a standing army since 1869, but is however an active member of NATO. Its national defense and security is guaranteed
by the United States, which up until 2006 had a military base on the island. Nevertheless, Iceland still has a military
expeditionary peacekeeping force, an air defense system, an extensive militarized coast guard
and a tactical police force. According to the same Global Peace Index we
mentioned before, Iceland is at the number one spot. Bhutan is the only continental and landlocked
country among these four, located high up in the Himalayas. Though sandwiched between India and China,
Bhutan is one of the most secluded nations in the world, and the happiest. It has also kept itself out of any foreign
entanglements since it joined the UN in 1971. The country has no diplomatic relations with
the US, and only Bangladesh and India have embassies in Bhutan. It’s undeniably true that if any other nation
decided to invade any of these countries, they would most likely be able to without
any great opposition. But because of their isolation and peaceful
demeanor, what would be the point? 7. Japan Active Personnel: 250,000, Reserve: 42,000
Tanks: 777, Artillery: 839 Air Fighters: 289, Helicopters: 741
Naval Strength: 131 (Submarines: 17, Carriers: 3) Besides being an island nation, which are
always more difficult to invade (just ask the Mongols), Japan also boasts a sizable
army and a particularly powerful economy (the 4th largest in the world). Their national defense budget alone is somewhere
around $49 billion, the sixth highest in the world. The Japanese are notorious when it comes to
the defense of their country, as was seen throughout history. During WWII, the Americans were more or less
forced to drop nuclear bombs over two Japanese cities, in order to hasten the end of the
war, since the Allies realized the word “surrender” doesn’t really exist in the minds of Japanese
soldiers. Even though the country is aging, Japan has
a total population of over 126 million, and some 1.2 million reach military age annually. Due to the increasingly restless situation
in the South China Sea, Japan began its first military expansion in over 40 years. Though sizably smaller than its counterpart
in the region (China) the Japanese army is far better equipped and is especially designed
to be a defensive force, rather than an offensive one. This was part of the peace clause after WWII. In any case, their air force is the fifth
largest in the world and the most sophisticated. Moreover, any incursion into Japanese territory
by a foreign power would be challenged both by the Japanese themselves, as well as the
US Military as stipulated in the “Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between
the United States and Japan.” 6. Iran Active Personnel: 545,000, Reserve: 1,800,000
Tanks: 1,658, Artillery: 2,400 Air Fighters: 137, Helicopters: 140
Naval Strength: 398 (Submarines: 33) In recent decades the Middle East has become
a hotbed for conflict, extremism, and social and economic instability, no doubt fueled
by the vast amounts of oil found beneath the region (pun…sort of intended?). But while several of its neighbors have succumbed
to the ravages of war, Iran is still a strong influence and stability factor in the region. Regardless, many other governments like that
of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States would like to see that change. Moreover, Iran has begun its own nuclear program,
trying to consolidate its power even further. This new turn of events has made many believe
it to be a good idea to invade Iran. However, a peaceful resolution would be a
far better and less costly solution for everyone. For starters, Iran has a tremendously large
army; the largest in the Middle East. Moreover, the country is literally covered
by mountains, perfect for concealed defensive facilities and underground bunkers. This type of terrain, as well as Iran’s
battle-hardened army, can withstand a prolonged war of attrition against any superior attacking
force. In the meantime, the Iranian government is
perfectly capable of using a mix of mines, submarines, anti-ship missiles, drones, and
all sorts of other tactical forces to disrupt the flow of oil exports in the Gulf region,
disrupting the world economy as a whole. One such invasion of Iran would not be supported
by countries like Russia, China, or even the EU, who only stand to lose from such attacks. And even if the attack was a success and all
nuclear facilities were destroyed, this would only delay Iran’s nuclear program by a mere
four years. 5. Canada Active Personnel: 95,000, Reserve: 51,000
Tanks: 181, Artillery: 161 Air Fighters: 64, Helicopters: 175
Naval Strength: 63 (Submarines: 4) Canada is the second largest country in terms
of surface area after Russia, and equally as cold (and we all know what happened when
Napoleon tried to invade Russia…but we’ll get to that later). Located at the northern fringes of the world,
Canada would be quite difficult to invade, even though most of its 35 million people
live close to the border with the United States. But given its size and vast expanses of wilderness,
taking over all of Canada by force could be problematic for anyone. Moreover, it’s mostly surrounded by oceans,
and it only shares a border with just one other nation, which is its ally and just happens
to be the world’s largest superpower. Bringing in troops and holding a steady supply
line would be quite difficult. From an economic standpoint, the country is
also well prepared to withstand a prolonged war of attrition if need be. Its defense budget is at $14.7 billion and
the country is currently producing more oil than it consumes. Canada’s best means of defense, however,
is their peaceful and friendly attitude towards other nation states around the world, giving
little reason for others to invade them. Not to mention that Canada is also part of
NATO. Nevertheless, if anyone got any bright ideas,
they would have a really tough time in invading since Canada’s military is very well equipped,
trained, and supplied with cutting edge technologies. According to the Global Firepower Index, Canada
is ranked as no. 22 in terms of overall military strength,
but given its geographical location and geopolitical situation, the nation ranks better when it
comes to an actual invasion by a foreign power. In 1974, the US declassified “War Plan Red,”
a comprehensive offensive strategy against Canada devised in 1927, in case the British
ever wanted to attack the US from the north. 4. North Korea Active Personnel: 700,000, Reserve: 4,500,000
Tanks: 4,200, Artillery: 6,550 Air Fighters: 458, Helicopters: 222
Naval Strength: 967 (Submarines: 70) Nuclear Warheads: 8 As seen during the Korean War in the early
1950s, both South Korea and the United States tried to take down the North, but to no avail. And while there is a huge discrepancy between
the technological advancements between the two Koreas nowadays, many of the reasons for
why the initial invasion failed are still there. Since North Korea developed its own nuclear
weapons, as well as the many crimes against humanity happening over there under the rule
of the Kim family, these would certainly warrant an invasion, and regime overthrow by the UN. However this invasion is not foreseen any
time in the near future. The reasons have more to do with geopolitics
than anything else, and pretty much everyone involved is unwilling to mount such an undertaking. For starters, there’s China, which is North
Korea’s biggest “ally” and who also supported it in the ’50s. They are content to keeping the country the
way it is, as a sort of buffer zone between them and the South. Moreover, if something were to happen to North
Korea, it is quite possible that millions of people would flood into Manchuria, trying
to leave the country and destabilizing the northern Chinese region. And lastly, there’s the status quo between
China and the US, where China has its sights on Taiwan and the US on DPRK. This way, neither is willing to make a move,
not wanting to antagonize the other. And even if the Chinese weren’t the problem,
there’s the South Koreans who, according to the polls, are afraid of the cost of unification
with the North and even started to consider the North Koreans as being “different people”
from themselves. It’s like the case with Germany today, where
even after nearly 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany is struggling
to catch up with the West. Given the huge economical discrepancy between
the two, the same thing would apply to Korea if it ever reunited, but on a much, much larger
scale. The most likely “invasion” of North Korea
would happen from within, in the form of a coup. 3. United Kingdom Active Personnel: 150,000, Reserves: 182,000
Tanks: 407, Artillery: 227 Air Fighters: 91, Helicopters: 397
Naval Strength: 76 (Submarines: 10, Aircraft Carriers: 1)
Nuclear Warheads: 215 Island nations are among the most common in
this list, and the United Kingdom is a prime example of a hard-to-invade country. In fact, the last time Britain was totally
and successfully invaded was in 1066 during the Norman conquest of England. During WWII, try as they might, Hitler and
the Nazis were unable to mount an effective attack on the island, proving just how much
20 miles of open water means in organizing an effective landing. Surrounded by two oceans and the ever turbulent
North Sea, the British Isle can only be effectively invaded from the South, across the English
Chanel. But even this crossing is treacherous and
difficult. The Southeastern English coast consists of
steep cliffs, known as the White Cliffs of Dover. This way, any would-be invading fleet would
be forced to drop anchor farther away, and be exposed to British artillery and its air
force. Its military is no joke either, with cutting
edge technology and surveillance equipment. Its defense budget of $55 billion is the 5th
largest in the world, as is its economy. It also has two aircraft carriers under construction,
which are due to enter service in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Being a member of NATO, the UK has the advantage
of strong allies (including the US, obviously) who will come to their aid in case of any
threat. In and of itself the United Kingdom has a
more or less stable relationship with all nations around the globe. 2. Russia Active Personnel: 766,000, Reserves: 2,485,000
Tanks: 15,400, Artillery: 10,600 Air Fighters: 751, Helicopters: 1,750
Naval Strength: 352 (Submarines: 60, Aircraft Carriers: 1)
Nuclear Warheads: 7,300 Without a doubt, Russia is an almost impossible
country to conquer. As history has proven time and time again
with the Swedish in the early 18th century, the French under Napoleon in 1812, and then
the Nazis during WWII, the incredibly harsh Russian winter can bring even the mightiest
of armies to its knees. In fact, Russia has some of the biggest temperature
differences on the planet, with a record low of -90 F and a record high of 113.7 F. Another major impediment in conquering Russia
is its sheer size. Being the largest country in the world, with
6.6 million square miles, much of the country is made out of mountains and wilderness, perfect
for hidden military bases and surprise attacks. Scouring these lands in the hopes of discovering
all of these bases would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Even if, by some miracle, someone were able
to successfully invade Russia, almost no one would be able to hold on to it. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian
military stagnated, but recently it has begun to grow. Since 2008, the country’s annual military
spending has increased by almost a third and is now at $66 billion. At present the country has the largest fleet
of tanks in the world. However their equipment, like that tank force,
is aging. Nevertheless, in recent years the country
has become more and more interested in robotics development. Though generations behind the US in terms
of unmanned vehicles, Russia is perfectly capable of catching up in just a few years,
says Mark Gubrud, a member of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control. This technology has the potential to become
the basis for a new arms race. And if someone were to actually invade Russia,
we personally wouldn’t put it past their government to use its nuclear arsenal, even
on their own soil. 1. USA Active Personnel: 1,400,000, Reserves: 1,100,000
Tanks: 8,850, Artillery: 3,300 Air Fighters: 2,300, Helicopters: 7,100
Naval Strength: 415 (Submarines: 75, Aircraft Carriers: 19)
Nuclear Warheads: 7,100 Not surprisingly, the United States is first
on this list. For starters, its geographical position, as
Otto von Bismarck is believed to have said, is advantageous: “The Americans are truly
a lucky people; they are bordered to the north and south by weak neighbors and to the east
and west by fish.” Then there are the truly vast expanses of
the country and all the different types of terrain, from densely forested mountains to
scorching deserts. Any invading force would have difficulty holding
on to these places, regardless of who or what was defending them. And then there’s the US Military. With a defense budget of $581 billion, it
alone makes up almost a third of all money spent on the military in the world. Only 20 countries have a larger GDP than the
US defense budget. And contrary to Iceland, New Zealand, or Bhutan,
the US follows “the best defense is offense” strategy. Whenever there’s a conflict in the world,
9 times out of 10, the US is sure to be involved in one way or another. The country also holds hundreds of military
bases around the world, and has been at war almost constantly over the past 25 years. The US is also notorious for destabilizing
other nation states, engineering coups, overthrowing democratic governments, and backing military
dictatorships in their stead. This interventionist policy keeps conflicts
away from its borders by generating them somewhere else. And lastly, there’s the matter of guns per
capita. As Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of
the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII is commonly believed to have once said, “You
cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade
of grass.” An invader of mainland USA would be faced
with an already armed populace. While Switzerland has an estimated 45.7 guns
per 100 residents, the US has a whopping 112. That means that there are more guns than people
