Neutral Countries 🗺️
Neutral Countries List 🗺️ Map of Neutral Countries 2023
How do you tell if a neutral country is truly neutral? The short answer is you can’t – but the actions (or inaction) of neutral countries speak louder than words. Although all the countries in our list claim neutrality, the five neutral European Union states share a common foreign policy which includes mutual responsibilities and obligations so their neutrality requires special exceptions and remains an ongoing internal EU matter of debate. Some formally neutral countries, with dates, are included in this list.
- ADDucation’s list of neutral countries and neutral powers was compiled by Joe Connor, last updated .
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| Neutral Countries | Since | Population | ISO Code | EU State | NAM* member | Neutrality Status & Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 1955 | 9,066,700 | AT | Yes | No | Austria’s Neutralitätserklärung “Declaration of Neutrality” on 26 October 1955 was the political quid pro quo Austria entered into to get the allied powers, especially the Soviet Union, to end their occupation after WWII. Austrian neutrality was an obstacle to EU membership but they joined in 1995 along with Sweden and Finland who also declared neutrality in the cold war. Austria has its own military and participates in UN peacekeeping missions. |
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 1993 | 17,168,600 | KH | Yes | Cambodia’s neutrality is disputed. Cambodia has vowed not to join any military alliance “not in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations” or to allow the basing of foreign military forces on its territory “as long as its security is not threatened.” In 2017 Prak Sokhon the Cambodian Foreign Affairs minister said “We will stay neutral and unaligned… Non-alliance does not bring harm to us… We have good relations with the United States and we have good relations with China, but are not allied to China or pro-China.” | |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 1949 | 5,182,350 | CR | Observer | Costa Rica hasn’t had a standing army since 1949 but does maintain a limited “Public Force” to maintain internal security. Costa Rica’s neutrality was ratified by law in 2014. | |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | 1995 | 5,554,900 | FI | Yes | No | Finland’s military doctrine is to maintain a credible independent defense along with a desire to remain outside international conflicts. There are no international pledges for its neutrality. |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana | 2012 | 32,395,400 | GH | Yes | Ghana has been a member of the Non-Aligned Movement since 1961. In 2012, following the death of President John Atta Mills, the government implemented a closed-neutral policy. Ghana has not made any international pledges regarding its neutrality. | |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | 1937 | 5,020,100 | IE | Yes | No | Ireland pursued a policy of neutrality during WWII but covertly supported the allies. Ireland declined an invitation to join NATO in 1949. Ireland joined the EU in 1973 but was granted special status so it can remain non-aligned. |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 1947 | 125,584,800 | JP | No | Following its defeat in WWII the USA imposed Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution in 1947 which renounced Japan’s sovereign right of belligerency. Japan maintains its own defensive military forces and has a bi-lateral alliance with the USA. | |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 1868 | 38,380 | LI | No | Liechtenstein disbanded its army in 1868 because it was too costly. Liechtenstein remained neutral during WWII. Defense is informally provided by Austria and Switzerland. | |
| 🇲🇹 Malta | 1980 | 444,000 | MT | Yes | No | In 1987 Malta added a neutrality clause to its Constitution. Malta was a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) between 1973 and 2004 when Malta joined the EU and Malta’s neutrality has been a topic of debate ever since. |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | -1942, 1945- | 131,562,700 | MX | Observer | Mexico supported the allies during WWII after Germany sank two tankers in 1942. Since 1945 Mexico’s historical policy on neutrality has been patchy. Mexico has participated in several Peacekeeping Operations; 1947-1950 in the Balkans, Kashmir 1949, and El Salvador 1992-1993. | |
| 🇲🇩 Moldova | 1994 | 4,013,100 | MD | No | Moldova declared independence in 1991 after fall of the Soviet Union. Permanent neutrality is written into article 11 of Moldova’s 1994 constitution. | |
| 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 1914-1918 2015- |
3,378,000 | MN | Yes | Mongolia was neutral during WWI (1914-1918). In 2015 Mongolia redeclared its neutrality in a speech at the 70th UN General Assembly. | |
| 🇵🇦 Panama | 1989 | 4,446,900 | PA | Yes | A treaty guarantees the neutrality of the Panama Canal. | |
| 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 2009 | 13,600,400 | RW | Yes | Rwanda joined the neutral countries when it announced permanent neutrality in 2009, after joining the Commonwealth of Nations. | |
| 🇸🇲 San Marino | 1862 | 34,080 | SM | No | San Marino is a 24 square mile (61 km2) enclave within Italy which remained neutral during WWI and WWII. | |
| 🇷🇸 Serbia | 2007 | 8,653,000 | RS | Observer | Serbia was a former member and founder of Yugoslavia. The Serbian National Assembly declared armed neutrality in 2007. Serbia has observer status of the Non-Aligned Movement. Serbia opened EU accession negotiations in January 2014. | |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 1965 | 5,943,500 | SG | Yes | Singapore has been a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) since 1970 and continues to pursue a policy of neutrality. | |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1834 | 10,218,900 | SE | Yes | No | In 1834 King Gustav XIV formally proclaimed Sweden’s neutrality. Traditionally Sweden maintained its neutral status during military conflicts. In 1941 Sweden allowed German forces to transit through Swedish territory to the Finnish front but at the same time protected refugees from the Nazis. There’s no international treaty. |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1815 | 8,773,600 | CH | No | Switzerland is the oldest neutral country in the world. Switzerland was guaranteed permanent neutrality at the Congress of Vienna on 20th December 1815 by Austria, France, England, Prussia and Russia. | |
| 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 1995 | 6,201,900 | TM | Yes | Turkmenistan was a member of the Soviet Union (Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic) until it declared its independence in 1991. In 1995 Turkmenistan declared permanent neutrality, which was formally recognized by the United Nations, and included in the Turkmenistan constitution. | |
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 2010 – 2014 | 43,192,100 | UA | Observer | Following independence in 1991 Ukraine joined Europe’s neutral countries. On December 23, 2014 Ukraine’s parliament voted to abandon its neutral “non-bloc” status to pursue NATO membership which was denounced by Russia as “unfriendly.” In 2014 Ukraine took its first steps towards EU membership, singing a Ukraine-EU Association Agreement which has been in force since 2017. | |
| 🇻🇦 Vatican City / Holy See | 1929 | 799 | VA | No | Vatican city an enclave within Rome in Italy. The Vatican city remained neutral during WWII and is the world’s smallest neutral state with an area of 110 acres (44 hectares). Vatican city has no defense forces but defense is informally provided by Italy. |
Notes: *NAM Non-Aligned Movement countries are not formally aligned with any major power bloc.
The Hottest Place in Hell is Reserved for Those Who Remain Neutral in Times of Great Moral ConflictMartin Luther King Jr.
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Help improve ADDucation’s list of neutral countries by adding your comments below…
Youve left out a few other neutral countries Thailand , Cambodia and Indonesia also neutral .
Hi Jose, thanks for your comments. ADDucation’s list of neutral countries does not include formerly neutral countries. We couldn’t find any good evidence they are currently neutral countries.
Australia was made a Neutral Country by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1974.
Hi Michael, thanks for your comment. We can’t find any evidence Australia is currently a neutral country.
Whatever has happened to Laos Neutrality? We all realized that this country has been taken over by Communist Forces supported by North Vietnam. Is there any chances that the Neutrality can be restored? Thank you
In 1962 Laos was a neutral country (guaranteed by 14 countries, including the USA, Soviet Union, France and the UK) until the treaty was violated by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Laos has been a one party Marxist-Leninist socialist republic since 1975.
Re: “The Hottest Place in Hell is Reserved for Those Who Remain Neutral in Times of Great Moral Conflict” Armed conflict does always equal moral conflict. I’d wager Martin Luther King was referring to moral conflict as he stated. A reason for a country to be neutral is to avoid immoral war. I think he also meant people who have spirits rather than countries.
Your date for Austria is incorrect: neutrality is part of the constitution enacted in 1955
Thanks Abi, I’ve now corrected the list
Correct your note on Mongolia “neutral WWI 2014-2018”. Perhaps you mean 1914-1918…?
Hi MMB, thanks for the correction. We did mean the first World War, now updated.