Neutrality (international relations) facts for kids

World map showing countries' degrees of neutrality prior to 2007:      neutral countries      disputed neutral countries      former neutral countries

A neutral country is like a referee in a game. It chooses not to pick a side or get involved in a War between other countries. Imagine two teams playing a game; a neutral country is the one that just watches from the sidelines.

International law allows a country to stay neutral when there's a war. If a country says it's neutral, it cannot let its land be used as a base for one side. It also can't build warships, recruit soldiers, or plan military trips for any fighting group. Sometimes, this is called "armed neutrality" because the country might still have a strong army to protect itself. This is different from being "permanently neutral," which means always staying out of conflicts. It's also not the same as groups like the United Nations peacekeeping teams, who are neutral in a different way.

Countries That Stay Neutral

Some countries have chosen to stay neutral for a very long time. This means they try to avoid taking sides in fights between other nations.

Always Neutral Nations

The Vatican City is a great example of a permanently neutral country. It officially declared this in 1929 with the Lateran Treaty.

Switzerland has a very long history of staying neutral. Because of this, it became a popular place for many important organizations to set up their main offices. The International Red Cross, which helps people in need, started in Geneva in the mid-19th century. The League of Nations, an early version of the United Nations, also had its main office in Geneva and recognized Switzerland's neutrality in 1920. Even after the League ended, Switzerland kept its neutral status.

country	Neutrality Period	Notes
Costa Rica	1949–	Costa Rica has been neutral since its military was ended in 1949. This was made a law in 2014.
Liechtenstein	1868–	Liechtenstein is neutral because its military was dissolved in 1868.
Panama	1989-	The neutrality of the Panama Canal is protected by a special agreement.
Switzerland	1815–	Switzerland is the oldest neutral country, staying neutral since 1815. It has not fought a foreign war since then. Its neutrality helps keep it safe.
Turkmenistan	1995–	Turkmenistan declared its full neutrality, and the United Nations officially recognized it in 1995.
Vatican City	1929–	The Lateran Treaty of 1929 made Vatican City neutral. It said the Pope would stay neutral in international matters.

Note: Whether a country that is part of the European Union can truly be neutral is a topic people discuss. We'll look at this below.

European Union Countries That Were Neutral

Some countries that are now part of the European Union used to be neutral. Joining the EU can change how a country acts in world politics.

country	Neutrality Period	Notes
Austria	1920–1938 (after World War I to being taken over by Germany) 1955–1995 (from its neutrality declaration to joining the EU)	Austria declared itself "permanently neutral" in 1955.
Finland	1935–1939 (until the Winter War) 1956–1995 (from getting back a rented area to joining the EU)	Finland joined the UN in 1955 but kept its neutral status for a while.
Ireland	1939–1973 (until joining the EU)	Ireland chose to be neutral during World War II. It joined the UN in 1955 but kept its neutral policy.
Malta	1980–2004 (until joining the EU)	Malta had a policy of neutrality starting in 1980.
Sweden	1814–1918 (until the Finnish Civil War) 1918–1995 (until joining the EU)	Sweden has been neutral since 1809. It stayed neutral during both World Wars.

Countries That Claim Neutrality

Some countries say they are neutral, even if their actions might sometimes seem otherwise.

country	Claimed Neutrality Period	Notes
Ghana	2012	In 2012, Ghana announced a "closed-neutral policy" after its president passed away.
Japan	1947	Japan's constitution says it cannot take part in wars. However, it has strong self-defense forces and a military alliance with the United States.
Mexico	1930	Mexico has generally been neutral, except when it joined the Allies in World War II. It has welcomed political refugees.
Mongolia	1914–1918 2015	Mongolia was neutral during World War I. In 2015, its president announced a "policy of permanent neutrality."
Moldova	1994	Moldova's 1994 constitution states that it has "permanent neutrality."
Rwanda	2009	After the 1994 genocide, Rwanda announced permanent neutrality in 2009.
Serbia	2007	Serbia's National Assembly declared armed neutrality in 2007. Its future neutrality might change if it joins military groups like NATO.

Images for kids

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  Switzerland is a key example of a country outside of any military alliance, but maintaining a strong deterrent force

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  Irish units on UN patrol in the Golan Heights, Syria.

See also

In Spanish: País neutral para niños