Top 10 Countries and Groups Most Likely to Start World War 3

This war will be the end of us, but I wonder who's going to start it.

1. North Korea

   

   The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea, is a country in East Asia. Its capital is Pyongyang. It is led by Kim Jong Un, who succeeded his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011. Kim Jong Il had succeeded his father, Kim Il Sung, in 1994.... read more

   This has to be number one! I am offended that people say the USA will start a war because of Donald Trump. I disagree. First off, Trump is much better than Obama, and Hillary has done nothing for the past 20 years. We have to give Trump a chance.

   On the other hand, North Korea is a country that doesn't let anybody live. They hacked into the USA. They have nukes. They are dangerous and scary. The USA is the best country ever. Leave a like if you agree. GO USA!

   North Korea and China form a very warlike alliance. North Korea has already shown that they do not have common sense, and they have enough short-range missiles to cause serious problems for someone near them. China has the manpower and economic strength to believe that they could win World War 3. Trump will not start WW3, guys. Come on!

2. Russia

   

   Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, covering 17,098,246 square kilometres (6,601,667 sq mi) and encompassing about one-eighth of Earth's inhabited land area.... read more

   Putin wants war with the West. He hates everything about Western culture, seeing it as incompatible with the existence of the Russian state, and wants to obliterate it. He also wants to rebuild the Soviet Union, but under fascist rather than communist domination. This would involve the annexation of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, which are members of NATO.

   With Russia continuing to invade Ukraine, this looks worse than ever before. If Russia invades Ukraine again, they will have to face dramatic and severe consequences for their actions.

3. United States of America

   

   The United States of America, or the U.S.A. for short, is a federal republic composed of 50 states. Forty-eight of them are contiguous. The other two, Alaska and Hawaii, are located northwest and southwest of the contiguous states, respectively. The United States declared its independence from Great... read more

   Their military budget exceeds the next eight combined. Obviously, there is a budget imbalance, and you can see a problem in it.

   Their military bases are everywhere, and they intervene a lot. Vietnam War, Syrian Civil War, raiding China, raiding Mexico, etc. The USA took a big part in them. The most warmongering country ever.

   Good thing Hillary was not elected, or else the world would be on fire now, in February 2018.

   Of course, the US would most likely start WW3. Trump is really eager to prove that he is a military man by allowing war to happen so he can be a general or something. He loves missiles and nukes because there won't be blood for him to see when he starts the war, just a very huge crater.

4. China

   

   China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's second-most populous country, with a population of about 1.4 billion people. China spans five geographical time zones and shares land borders with 14 countries, tying Russia for the most neighboring countries.... read more

   Well, they do have the largest military and the largest potential amount of reserve troops.

   They have the best military in the world. It's tempting not to use it.

   I voted for China because they will trigger a war by invading Taiwan.

5. Iran

   

   Iran, also known as Persia and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a sovereign state in Western Asia. Its capital and largest city is Tehran, and its official language is Persian.

   Iran is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations, beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms... read more

   I'm from Iran, and as much as I hate to say this, I do think that Iran will be one of the main reasons for WW3 if it breaks out.

   Due to Iran's conflict with the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, along with the Nuclear Deal, which most countries are involved in, Iran has a high chance of starting a world war. I also realized that during the Ukraine and Russia war, Iran was assisting Russia with drones, which countries that support Ukraine did not stand for.

   Although Iran has been getting involved in trouble over the past years, it might not be enough to start a world war, but it could still be possible.

   A country that is likely to press the nuclear button if things escalate. They do not have a nuclear bomb yet.

6. India

   

   India, officially known as the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area and the most populous country in the world, with over 1.4 billion people. It's also the world's most populous democracy.... read more

   India is definitely a force capable of triggering the next world war because of its mighty army and ongoing human rights abuses against the Muslim minority.

   India has the third-best military in the world. They usually don't attack other countries like this, but they will if they have to.

   Honestly, the raging conflict between Pakistan and India is dragging other countries into it (US, Russia, China). This could possibly lead to a World War 3.

7. ISIS

   

   ISIS is taking over the Middle East. They are a threat to humanity. They have terrorists who attacked powerful countries like the USA.

   They're asking for it. They really are.

   Terrorist group, must I explain more?

8. Israel

   

   Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea. Israel shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. It is... read more

   Not that it's their fault - people keep fighting over Israel for almost no reason.

   They will probably be on the allies' side.

9. Syria

   

   Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a Western Asian country located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It is a unitary republic that consists of 14 governorates (subdivisions) and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east and southeast... read more

   This will further escalate the Syrian Civil War.

   Nah. They have their own war to take care of.

10. Germany

    

    Germany was formally united in 1871 under the initiative of Otto von Bismarck, with King Wilhelm I of Prussia proclaimed German emperor. The Holy Roman Empire, whose imperial tradition was associated with Charlemagne, was dissolved in 1806.... read more

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Beliebers

    

    Their armies should not be underestimated. A small group of them is enough to outnumber a small nation.

12. ?

    Bahrain

    

    Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a small island monarchy located in the Persian Gulf. It lies off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia and consists of a group of islands. Bahrain is known for its petroleum industry, financial sector, and the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Contenders

13. United Kingdom

    

    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly shortened to the United Kingdom, UK, or Britain, is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of Europe. It is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy currently led by Monarch King Charles III, and its current Prime Minister... read more

    No way! The UK would NEVER start a war! They would help other members of NATO in a war but never cause it.

    A really good military, and if the US goes to war, they will probably help us.

    Have you people not heard of Canadian history?

14. Afghanistan

    

    Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, Tajikistan... read more

15. Pakistan

    

    Pakistan was established in 1947 and is located in South Asia. Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar are other major cities. Urdu and English are the official languages of Pakistan. The world's second-highest peak (K2) and ninth-highest peak (Nanga Parbat) are located... read more

    Pakistan is a great country and has the power to win against its biggest foe, India, but because war is not a solution, they don't want any trouble and are trying to resolve things peacefully. Pakistan also does not support terrorism. The so-called Taliban come from Afghanistan, trying to create problems in Pakistan.

    Pakistan's army should not be overlooked, nor should its geographical features. It is difficult to invade and has a strong army ready to mobilize. It is the 6th nuclear power and has a top intelligence agency. Not an enemy to have, in the books of strategists.

16. Ukraine

    

    Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest country in Europe by area, covering approximately 600,000 square kilometres (230,000 sq mi). Its current population is difficult to estimate because the war has caused extensive displacement.... read more

    How?

    If they survive the Russian invasion, they will remain the most peaceful nation in Eastern Europe.

17. Australia

    

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With a land area of 7,688,287 square kilometres (2,968,464 sq mi), Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania... read more

    Australia's not really the fighting type, but they are a strong country and may be a valuable ally.

18. South Korea

    

    South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia that constitutes the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and shares a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan, known in South... read more

    South Korea doesn't want war with the North, China, or anyone else. For a war to start, the North will have to attack them.

19. Iraq

    

    Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in Western Asia. As of 2026, Iraq is led by President Nizar Amidi and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani. Iraq ranked 147th out of 163 countries in the 2025 Global Peace Index due to continuing security challenges. The country continues to face... read more

20. Saudi Arabia

    

    Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country on the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It has a land area of about 2,150,000 km² (830,000 sq mi), making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Arab world, and the largest in Western Asia.... read more

21. Canada

    

    Canada is a country in North America that borders the United States, and it is the second-largest country in the world by total area, covering approximately 9.985 million square kilometers. The country has 10 provinces and three territories. Canada became a dominion on July 1, 1867.... read more

22. Republican Party (USA)

23. Japan

    

    Japan is an island country in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. It lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland, east of China, Korea, and Russia, and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and near Taiwan in the southwest.... read more

24. Taliban

    

25. Venezuela

    

    Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a federal republic on the northern coast of South America. It is bordered by Colombia to the west, Brazil to the south, and Guyana to the east, with the Caribbean Sea to the north. Its capital and largest city is Caracas.

26. Somalia

    

    Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has the longest coastline on mainland Africa.... read more

27. New Zealand

    

    New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is situated 1,500 kilometres (900 miles) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of the Pacific island territories of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. New Zealand's capital is Wellington... read more