A world war is a large-scale armed conflict involving several countries on different continents, the political, economic and social consequences of which affect a significant part of the planet.

The main characteristics of a world war are:

-Involvement of numerous countries and coalitions from different regions of the world

-Fighting taking place on several continents or theaters of operations

-Massive mobilization of human, economic and industrial resources

-Global geopolitical repercussions that alter the balance of power

-Humanitarian and social consequences affecting populations on an international scale