Countries that Have Never Been to War

War is defined as a violent conflict between states or nations. It can be a terrifying experience and requires high levels of courage and devotion. However, it’s also a fact that fighting is costly, and many countries are trying to avoid it. This can be a real problem now with the rise of Islamist militants across the world and international standoffs in places like Ukraine.

San Marino, a tiny republic in Italy, is one of the world's only countries to never have been to war. The country was invaded twice—in 1503 by Cesare Borgia and in 1739 by Cardinal Alberoni—but the country reclaimed its independence after both occurred.

A small military force is responsible for ceremonial duties and patrolling the border. The government maintains an open line of communication with Italy.

The country is divided into nine municipalities for local administration. It has a unicameral Grand and General Council (Consiglio grande e generale) for its legislative branch and a Council of Twelve for its judicial branch.

The country's head of state is elected by the Grand and General Council every six months, which is a practice that dates back to the Roman Republic. The Council also elects two Captains Regent, who are formally appointed for six-month terms, which they serve concurrently.

The tiny Vatican City State, founded in 1929 to ensure the independence of the Catholic Church, is one of the most sacred places in Christendom. It is also a monument to two millennia of spiritual endeavor.

It has its own post office, pharmacy, publishing house, radio station (Radio Vatican), and important observatory. It also has a unique banking system that is central to the finances of the state.

Legislative functions are delegated to a unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, made up of seven cardinals. The commission makes decisions on the state's behalf and publishes its acts in a special appendix of Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official Holy See gazette.

Iceland is one of the most peaceful countries in the world. It’s the only country in NATO that doesn’t have a standing army, which helps keep its crime rates low.

This Nordic island nation is a wonderland of geysers, hot springs, volcanoes, lava fields, and massive glaciers. It also has a fascinating history and is home to the only Nobel Prize winner in literature, Halldor Laxness.

When it comes to politics, Iceland has a left-right multi-party system. The two largest parties are the Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) and the Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn).

Greenland, known for its vast tundra and immense glaciers, is one of the world's largest islands. It is a home-rule country and part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Its indigenous people are the Inuit, whose ancestors settled there from eastern Siberia and Canada in the 13th century. The Inuit speak the language of their ancestors, Kalaallisut, and have names that vary depending on where they live.

After the Second World War, Denmark's government rejected a US offer to sell Greenland. The Danish government had just experienced being occupied by Germany during the war and did not want to let that happen again.

But as the Cold War began, Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland was under threat from the US. They fought back to claw back control over key scientific institutions and research activities. Eventually, they reached an agreement that allowed them to maintain military bases in defined areas and required all scientific or research activities to be approved by the Danish government.

Vanuatu, which is made up of about 80 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, is a country that has never been to war. While the surrounding Solomon Islands were involved in battles during World War II, Vanuatu was spared.

The island nation has a fascinating and age-old culture that has been passed down for generations. It is based on the importance of life's major milestones: birth, initiation and circumcision, marriage, and death.

The national Council of Chiefs, called Malvatu Mauri, is elected by district councils of chiefs and advises the government on all matters relating to Ni-Vanuatu culture and language. Vanuatu has a unicameral parliament with 52 members, elected every four years by popular vote. The President is the head of state, and the Prime Minister is the head of government.