My Zombie Novel

[Hi! My name is: Katie]

In preparation for my zombie tale, I have some questions for the rest of you...

1. How long would electricity work following a zombie outbreak? We have to assume that the people working at the electric company are as prone to having zombies attack them as anyone else. How long would the company be operational without workers?

2. Where are the three safest places in your area to wait out a zombie outbreak?

3. What is the least realistic factor in zombie movies for those of you watching them?

4. How long would it take before your area would run out of gasoline?

5. If you could have five people with you during a zombie invasion, what skills would you want them to have? Or, would you be more concerned with having people you love, and/or at least like?

6. If zombies attacked, would you be the leader of your group, or would you be content to follow along? Would you be in a group, or break out on your own?

[xnull]

First and foremost I don't know this area I'm in that well at all right now, but I will try nonetheless.

1. It has been shown again and again how delicate the power grid is. Only grids wired to energy sources that require no maintenance (wind generators for example) would last any bit of time. We have none around here that I know of, and since everyone would try to leach from that wind power, we would have run out soon anyway. I think 4 hours.

2. My first answer: The ocean. I'm not that far away. Hell, if I can get to a fishing boat, I'm good. There are plenty of ships that make rounds to Florida filled with fish. These boats are self-sufficient. They don't need electricity (although many have them) and they capture more than enough fish for themselves. I may have to grab some Oranges or whatever (Florida is known for Orange groves) to prevent scurvy or maybe if we wander to an unused island we can find fruit pastures. Death by scurvy is not as immediate or devastating as zombie bites and is definitely less likely.

I live near a large network of lakes. Many have alligators and deadly snakes living in marshes on their fringes. The lakes extend quite a large distance and can get you from town to town here (in Florida the towns are a sizable distance from one another).

My second answer is the lakes. Most neighbors have a boat stocked with gasoline. Most keep shotguns for alligators around. I would steal all the food I can and take all the gasoline from as many boats as I could. The lake gives protection and maneuverability at the same time, plus a renewable source of food (gators).

There are a few airports around where I live. Over the summer I am constantly running back on forth on planes (been on 5 airplanes this summer already). If I was already at an airport I would stay there. Why? Despite qualms about airport insecurity the soldiers and officials there won't be worried about screening would-be-terrorists. They would have to check for zombie bites and scratches and would shoot zombies on sight. They already have processes and lines set up to check incoming passengers with security cameras, etc. When in the airport, I'll be protected by electric fences, automatic weapons and the works. Maybe they will be flying people away to known safe locations? At least they will have plenty of overpriced McDonalds food there.

3. People in zombie movies don't seem to understand how zombies work. I think most of us have seen a zombie movie or more and know that scratches or bites on anyone spell an immense amount of trouble. It would be a quick adaptation people underwent to examine newcomers completely for scratches and even then keep them in a quarantine to make sure.

4. Lots of people here stockpile gasoline for boats. There are plenty of gas stations around because it takes a fair amount of driving to get anywhere (45 minutes to get to a small mall). I have some distinct feeling that the gas here would last a significant amount of time. People here would either leave or hole themselves in. I'm going for a month before every nearby gasoline stand is completely dry. Even then, it isn't terribly hard to siphon gas from abandoned vehicles.

5. I would want every individual to understand how zombies work.

I'd like someone who can navigate with the stars or the sun or whatever and who knows the area and geography very well. We need someone to get us around and to safe havens/checkpoints.

I want a murderer or just completely careless individual in the group. I know this may seem strange, but I know that for self preservation this person would keep us around. I need him there to kill anyone who has been bitten. I wouldn't want anyone to start thinking, "Omg, these monsters have turned us into monsters!" People here are really religious and I think they will want to maintain the illusion that god will reward them for not participating in any man-killing.

I want at least one (non-pregnant) young woman with us. If the worst becomes the very worse and we survive and every other human contact is gone we need to start breeding more humans. I don't care how ugly the bitch is, it needs to happen. Hopefully she's a nurse or something, or has other skills she can donate before we donate our sperm.

I don't care about any gun expert. I think if you are using the wrong weapon against a zombie if you have to take the time to aim. Shotguns and rifles for the win here. Just had to mention because it's a popular and I believe ridiculous thing to think.

Someone who knows how to cook doesn't seem important at first. Considering that eventually the food source for survival will dwindle down to what can be hunted, we'll need someone to prepare it so that nobody gets sick. And really, what raises spirits more than a really well made meal? Half the struggle of living in a post-zombie world is dealing with survivors.

Finally, I would like someone with the ability to stay up at odd ends without a large impact on their health (at least insomnia, if I can't get that). The reason is obvious. By now I have myself lost this ability. I don't want to crash and burn from pulling too many all nighters in the worst situations. This man can be a nearly perpetual lookout. I have a feeling a person like this, although not skilled in much else, could save the traveling party more times than anyone else.

6. It depends solely and entirely on the rest of the party. The goal here is to maximize survival. If someone is better suited to make snap judgments (murderer man, kill this fisherman!) than myself, I bow down to him. I want to survive above all else. If nobody else can take the lead, yes, I will out of the need to survive with no qualms.

[apotheosis]

In preparation for my zombie tale, I have some questions for the rest of you...

1. How long would electricity work following a zombie outbreak? We have to assume that the people working at the electric company are as prone to having zombies attack them as anyone else. How long would the company be operational without workers?


It varies greatly from area to area. I don't know exactly how the grid is set up, but I know that if one grid fails it may divert power from another, so a chain reaction is likely. I'd be a bit more optimistic than Ross and say that you'd get a few days in some areas and possibly weeks in areas that had primarily automated nuclear power... but then again, it is hard to say unless you actually work for a power company.

2. Where are the three safest places in your area to wait out a zombie outbreak?

-Oil Derrick in the ocean is the most safe, virtually impenetrable by all types of zombies. The only issue you could possibly have to worry about is pirates.
-Anywhere far above the frost line. Zombies would freeze solid before they got to you, the only things you'd have to worry about would be running out of supplies and raiders.
-Any well stocked building that has multiple levels and the ability to cut off access to these levels by destroying a staircase or others. Then the only issue is so many zombies showing up that the would pile on top of each other making a human staircase.

The open ocean is a terrible idea unless you are a master seamen because you will most certainly face a lot of pirates and any storm or supply shortage would be much more dangerous than the zombies. Plus, tons of people would take to sea, and you would risk drifting ships full of the undead.

3. What is the least realistic factor in zombie movies for those of you watching them?

The way the disease is transmitted and the way zombies act. First of all, if this were to happen, they would not technically be dead but infected like in 28 days later. Secondly, it would take a long time for the infection to take over the human mind, not a handful of seconds like in 28 days. Third, a lot of times in movies they inadvertently give the zombies human like logic rather than having them act purely from primal instinct. Also, it is unlikely the disease would spread as fast as it does in the movies, unless it erupted in many locations simultaneously.


4. How long would it take before your area would run out of gasoline?

Very quickly. A lot of people would travel, and they would all hit the pumps. We have shortages as it is, I think it would be gone in a couple of days tops.

5. If you could have five people with you during a zombie invasion, what skills would you want them to have? Or, would you be more concerned with having people you love, and/or at least like?

Five physically fit personable humans who I could tolerate. One or two attractive females willing to mate with me, someone who is very technically skilled with a wide variety of devices, someone who has medical training, and someone with survivalist experience.

6. If zombies attacked, would you be the leader of your group, or would you be content to follow along? Would you be in a group, or break out on your own?

Probably be the leader of the group considering how many zombie survival guides I've read and how much I've studied the possibility. If I was in a group I would only stay with them if they remained relatively rational and mobile. If they began acting irrationally, I'd try to take with me who I could and ditch them before they led our entire group to certain death. I would avoid being fully alone if possible, but survival is my primary concern.

[donteatpoop]

1. How long would electricity work following a zombie outbreak? We have to assume that the people working at the electric company are as prone to having zombies attack them as anyone else. How long would the company be operational without workers?

A few hours. However, many people have back up generators that will give several days worth of power. Most large buildings have back-up generators as well, though these seem to be more temporary. If conservation of energy where needed, I'm sure an intelligent person would knock the unecessary rooms off of the power source so as not to drain unecessary power.

2. Where are the three safest places in your area to wait out a zombie outbreak?

A windowless basement. Only one way in, so there's practically no chance of being surrounded. Unfortunately, that also means there is no way out.

3. What is the least realistic factor in zombie movies for those of you watching them?

What the fuck is a bullet supposed to do? Zombies don't bleed to death. You have to take out the brain because it controlls the body. Also, severed arms and shit crawling after someone has always bothered me because what the fuck is telling it where to go? It's not connected to recieve any neuro-transmitions.

4. How long would it take before your area would run out of gasoline?

My area is a relatively small town with four gas stations, so we'd probably last a little longer than most places. Still though, people panicing to get out of the town, they fill up once and then leave, right? Unless they drain it all on their way out we should be good for a little while.

5. If you could have five people with you during a zombie invasion, what skills would you want them to have? Or, would you be more concerned with having people you love, and/or at least like?

They would all have to be able to follow orders, yet still think independantly. They'd also need to be physically powerful; since we'd be taking shifts guarding the basement passage. And two of them could be hot chicks.

6. If zombies attacked, would you be the leader of your group, or would you be content to follow along? Would you be in a group, or break out on your own?

I'd definately lead. I would stay in a group too, that way if they attacked us I still have a good chance of getting away. Safety in numbers and all that. I would take the lead because I have thought rationally about zombie attacks (for writing purposes and just in case) while everyone else is content to just believe what Holywood says even though they tend t contradict themselves time and time again.

[End Master]

1. Considering just yesterday there was a brown out here for most of the night due to some heavy wind and rain. (Happily it’s all working now) I'm going to say even less than 4 hours.

2. I’ll just go over Xnull’s and Apoth’s suggestion before making mine.

The Oil Derrick is a good idea, though I doubt if you’re going to realistically get to one unless you know someone who works on one and even then it’s unlikely. Still, I don’t really like the idea of being stuck in the middle of the ocean like that.

There are several little islands around here in the Great Lakes, but I’m sure there would be folks with the same idea, not to mention the rich people already living on them. The human equation is the big factor here. Are people going to work together to make this a zombie free island, or is everyone going to be a selfish asshole and try to kill anyone else who comes to the island. I’m pretty sure it’ll be the latter. In any case, much like the oil derrick, I don’t exactly like the idea of being surrounded by water. I want to be able to be able to escape easily if my “safe zone” is being overrun.

Naturally I’d find the Ocean a bad idea since unless like Apoth said you’re already an experienced sailor which I’m not.

Airport would be too fucking chaotic and WAY too many people which means a higher chance of zombies/infection/mob mentality/etc. Not to mention if I’m at the airport to begin with, I wouldn’t have any guns and I doubt if the planes are taking off anymore (Or the ones that were are already in the air)

Above the frostline is something I’d be more likely to go for. Canada isn’t that far away, and assuming I could make it, head to Alaska. It would be harsh though.

A well stocked and fortified building would be ideal, but unless you were a survivalist stocking up for disaster before any of this happened. It isn’t likely you’re going to get that all to yourself.

Barring the well stocked “fortress” to yourself, I think a nomadic life would probably be safer rather than staying in one location. Being always on the move keeps you more alert and fit, which would be really necessary in a world like this. I’d probably still keep to the colder climates though.

3. I would imagine how strong the zombies are might be one, though that varies from movie to movie. (I don’t care if they’re back from the dead, they are NOT going to dig their way out of heavy duty coffin with 6ft of tightly packed dirt on top!) Zombies overrunning the military so easily would be another. Again though, if these are fast zombies, then it’s a little more buyable.

4. Not exactly sure, but it wouldn’t take long.

5. I find it amusing that DEP didn’t even save his favorite child in the wake of this zombie apocalypse and was able to carry on bravely with two hot chicks after his family got eaten. Lol.

How does this work anyway, are our loved ones part of the five? Because if they are, then it’s going to be easy since I’ll just take the 5 loved ones I’m closest to. (Parents, Grandparents, and Katie. Good thing Katie came along, or else I’d only have 4 loved ones)

If they all got eaten already and I’m dumped in a group of random strangers, then I’d prefer to have healthy people that I can trust and tolerate and in a case like this, that pretty much means they’d be useful in some fashion because I wouldn’t be able to tolerate anyone sponging off the group.

That being said I’ll take a medic, an outdoors person, a mechanic, and a couple of “grunts” that can fight and carry a bunch of shit. (And what the hell, let’s make them ALL women while we’re at it, if we’re going that route)

6. I lack charisma, so I doubt if anyone would want to follow me even if I wanted the hassle of leading to begin with. If this is with the same 5 “strangers” I’d probably see what happens first with the group before deciding on staying. If it was producing positive results and nobody was barking unreasonable orders at me I’d stick with it.

I dunno though. While it would probably be better for my mental health to be in a group, ultimately in the absence of law and repercussions, I’d be just as content by myself waylaying people and taking their shit.

I suppose it’s true that I could be in a group and still do that, but honestly I wouldn’t be able to trust a bunch of people that ambushes others and takes their shit. Which means that I’d have to kill them all and take their shit first.

[Dragavan]

1. How long would electricity work following a zombie outbreak? We have to assume that the people working at the electric company are as prone to having zombies attack them as anyone else. How long would the company be operational without workers?

The problem here is that it would be sporadic. The generator stations and things are mostly automated and have several back-up systems, plus they are all connection to the national grid, so even when one goes down he others would attempt to compensate. You have to assume that the Zombie breakout wouldn't be even and hurt everywhere the same amount, so some areas would go down faster than others. Local damage would nearly instantly take out certain areas (just as a few trees falling in a storm can), but the grid would stay active much longer. Eventually it would be plagued by brown outs and finally collapse, but it wouldn't be in just a few hours. Some places would remain powered by the gird for days (if not weeks).

So it all depends on where the story takes place and how much local damage you are going to see happen. Near some of the more automated generation plants (like the Hydro-electric plants), you are going to see power stay for much longer... a Meltdown at a neuclear plant, however, would cause worse damage than an outage when its systems go haywire.

2. Where are the three safest places in your area to wait out a zombie outbreak?

That would depend on the type of zombie you are talking about. If they are the old-school Romero kind then any small island, even in a lake would be very safe. If they are the later Romero kind, then the zombie's can walk underwater, so that wouldn't work as well. It may be good to get high in the mountains, just due to lack of regular population around to have become zombies. In the city, the idea of a warehouse with no windows and solid walls would make for a good fort.

3. What is the least realistic factor in zombie movies for those of you watching them?

umm... the ZOMBIES!!!!

But, besides that... In most of the movies they are explained as being driven by some kind of brain (hence the reason you have to destroy it), but most of them are corpses that would have rotten, decomposed, or even removed brains. Some of the movies even have nearly skeletal zombies walking around that have had all the flesh nearly rotted away, so how do they have brains still?

4. How long would it take before your area would run out of gasoline?

I don't think the running out would be the largest problem. Losing power a the gas stations would make it nearly impossible for the average person to even access the gas. Then, those who would know how or able to figure it out would have to expose themselves out in the open for extended periods of time just to get to it. No easy task with hordes of zombies on the hunt.

5. If you could have five people with you during a zombie invasion, what skills would you want them to have? Or, would you be more concerned with having people you love, and/or at least like?

I would first care about people I care about. That goes without saying.

6. If zombies attacked, would you be the leader of your group, or would you be content to follow along? Would you be in a group, or break out on your own?

I think I would be a good leader, but I am not aggressive or an arrogant ass, so I would bet that somebody else would overshadow me with loud mouth pushy attitude ... DEP perhaps? heh

[xnull]

In defense of my safe areas (strange I feel the need to defend my zombie safe zones):
I thought the idea was to pick places that you could actually go if you woke up in the middle of the night to the beginning of a zombie breakout in your area.

Therefore I chose:
To meet sailors and fishermen near the ocean. I may not be skilled in the high seas, but they are. One can easily avoid ships filled with zombies and pirates by not interacting with other ships. The ocean constitutes hugging the shoreline too - it doesn't have to be wide open ocean to avoid zombies.

To go on the lakes near my home. They are an extensive catacomb of lakes which at points are shallow but are for the most point reasonably deep. These are desirable because they have natural protection, are a foot source, are safe from zombies and are in an area of low volumes of people (many whom own and have used firearms).

To stay at the airport if I am already there. What better way to get to the frost line than on a plane? Plane to another airport, smaller plane to Alaska. If you don't see guns at your airport doesn't mean they aren't there. In fact, it means that they do and are concealing them. They have the whole place rigged under constant surveillance and are capable of going into lockdown at any point. As for breakouts at the airport - it is a calculated risk, but as others put it people don't immediately turn into a zombie. They have symptoms first and slowly turn. People feel some sort of reverence at airports. Mob mentality will not kick in there - the airplanes have ultimate control over who goes where and have that backed up by automatic weapons. People can't go anywhere without the airport allowing them to. And think of it this way - if someone hijacks a plane in this situation they are probably forcing the pilot to land somewhere they consider a safe place.

That having been said, how are you supposed to get on an Oil Rig within a day or two?

[Sven Smokevich]

Y'all might've guessed I live in Philly cause of the amazing vibes of urban cool in my writing, which I know y'all can't help being impressed wit. Anyhow, that's where my turf's at, so my answers're coming from my hood.

1. I gotta say, prolly a coupla days, week or two maybe if you figure in the slavedriver shift managers not letting the brothers at the plant leave and a good barbwire fence to keep em in and your zombies out. Then the fuel round here's all gone, so lights out. Hurr hurr.

2. Safest place in North Philly is prolly the one with the most guys packin the most heat. Zombies hit North Philly, you worry about the brothers on the next corner before some infected bum staggering down the street. Figure the hood'll go to hell before the first case comes over from westside or center city. Get enough muscle together and survive that shit, you got ammo to take on the zombies and take any supplies you need anyplace you can find em.

3. Apotheosis and X've got it down. You get some real-world zombie and it's prolly like rabies, just some poor damnfool homeboy out of his damn mind shrieking around the street makin noise until some gangbanging concerned citizen or cop puts a cap in his candy ass. Second, people are assholes. I'm talking strip searches and beatdowns and if you've got a bite, you've got a nine mil round or a crowbar upside your head. Third, all that prolly means your zombie-ism'll spread slower than you think. Society falls apart, maybe, but the zombies're goin' down before we do, damn straight.

4. Don't make me laugh. Two days, three max, peeps hoarding it and whatever, and that's that. Best case, you get about one resupply a coupla weeks later, and that's in center city.

5. I gotta go wit strength in numbers and strength in arms. Two of my homies are tight with one of the checkholders round here. I'm goin' wit them and the three toughest, meanest assholes they know, plus the nastiest badass weapons this side of Philly. Shoot first, ask questions later, and take what you need from brothers who don't.

6. I's too much of a lover and only above average at the fighting thing. The checkholder's gonna be the toughest homicidal monster in the hood, long as he's got the organizing smarts to keep the rest of em under his thumb. I'm lookin' out for numero uno, so I'll pay the dude the lip to stay in his corner, but when the cons outweigh the pros I cut and run with my homies and everything that's not nailed down.

Best believe that's how it's gonna go down in Philly. North side Montgomery style, bitch.

[Hi! My name is: Katie]

Five More Questions

Hey,
thanks guys!

Now I have questions about the Reconstruction following the zombie outbreak...

1. First, do you think zombies will die off, or always be a problem? Some books and movies have everyone infected automatically, if you die, you come back, period. On the other hand, some require you to be exposed via bites, or scratches. If everyone that dies becomes infected, then it would always be a problem, but if you could wait out the biters you might have a chance, although you would have to assume in that scenario that the infection literally decays the mind.

2. With your previous answer in mind, what kind of communities will first begin to appear?

3. What would be the biggest danger to joining a community like you described above?

4. Do you believe a zombie outbreak would go global before it could be stopped? If infection is spread like rabies, it takes several days or months for symptoms to show, people could have traveled widely by that time. It would be easy to imagine that it could potentially spread rapidly, but would it be global?

5. What countries would be most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse, if any?

[xnull]

1. Zombies will die off and there will be many different groups with different ideas on how to accomplish this until it finally happens. In my not-yet-partially-completed-story 2023, I developed the same strain of thinking. Church will have a gander at it, making up religious reasons and explanations. State will try to exterminate the zombies and scientific groups will try to find cures and killalls. Some people will say abandon Earth and more will say put them all on space shuttles to mars.

The more zombies there are, the less food there is. Simple as that. As long as some people survive to reproduce and their children don't get eaten either, the zombies will fall.

2. With your previous answer in mind, what kind of communities will first begin to appear?

Small effective groups that are tightly woven. Think of them as early nomadic groups. These are the groups that have found a way to survive and know that survival comes before everything else. They have survival down to a science and will slowly build up fortified territory (an island, an old fort, junkyard, whatever). They will begin populating their fortified area while eliminating zombie threats, teaching the new humans how to be effective. The new children will know to avoid zombies like we know not to stick our hands in the garbage disposal and know not to run in front of cars. It will be a danger they grow up with.

These territories, filled with new inbred people will demand more territory and take it from the zombies, building outward, merging with the other people that have survived.

The entire time this is happening, all groups and people will try to lay claim to kingship - power over the most powerful surviving group makes you king of the new world.

3. The people. After zombies stop being a fundamental threat to human livelihood, other people will for the reasons I mentioned earlier. Everyone will be trying for the top spot.

Ooh, edit, also the nuclear plants that melted down without people maintaining them.

4. I can see some discrete parts of the world being missed, but would expect the majority of the civilized world to be infected within a month or so.

5. Civilizations that live up north (see mentions of cold > zombies earlier) and civilizations that kick ass too much to be taken down. I think the one major weakness that mankind has is that a lot of people, for sake of love, would try to transport and safeguard loved ones bitten.

Oh, um, groups of people that are spread apart are better than the more densely packed areas for obvious reasons. Japan is going down, the midwest may hold out long stretches of time.

As a whole I think it depends on the exact amount of time for the infection to take over. Countries that have weeks of forewarning, after making smart decisions as opposed to dumb ones, may be capable of staying secure.

[End Master]

1. Well even if you go by the "If you die, you become a zombie" thing you could still somewhat "wait them out" because eventually they're going to rot away to the point of being unable to function if they're in hot climates and they'll certainly freeze in very cold ones.

The problem with waiting them out though is you'll still be left with millions of rotting corpses and all the regular disease that comes with that, which again is why you'd probably want to be in a cold climate at least. (Freezing would prevent some of the danger)

So in either case yeah they could eventually "all die out" but it probably wouldn't be in any of our lifetimes. (And then we'll come back as a zombie anyway if we do the "Die=Zombie" rule)

2. Just using this country as an example, there would definitely remnants of the US government still trying to maintain order over the country. They'd probably manage to remain in control of a few "states" though I'd probably just say territory where certain states USED to be at this point.

Martial Law and a severe alteration of the constitution naturally would occur and it would probably just be a President backed by whatever is left of the military.

The next biggest would be various ex-states involved in secessionist behavior. I'd see Alaska, Hawaii and Texas being the best candidates for being able to do this somewhat successfully and still able to maintain "identity". And I doubt if Texas would be able to maintain all of its current territory.

Next in line would be "City States" which are cities that somehow managed to not go completely to shit when the outbreaks first occurred and managed to deal with the zombie threat fairly effectively. Since it would be assumed that they didn't get much in the way of government or even state help, I'd guess these places would be run by a strong charismatic leader who may or may not be a good guy. I can see Mormons being able to pull this off the best since they tend to all live in the same area , have a strong work ethic and are unified by faith and a lot of them are already bordering on survivalist/theocracy leanings.

Next would be small towns that managed to survive, survivalist compounds and rogue military controlled areas.

I'm sure you'd have other communities too, but I get the strong feeling that in most cases it's going to be run by one person backed up with guns.

3. Well the biggest problem is you're living in a dictatorship in most places and all the problems that come with it.. It's going to be rare that you're going to find a community that has some council where people sit around and vote what to do next. (That'll probably happen more with bands of survivors who are confused on what to do next) Decisions are pretty much going to be swift and final. Even more so depending on how large the zombie threat is. Perhaps when the zombies aren't so much of a problem then things will get slightly more democratic, but most people don't want to give up power.

The solution would either try to find a "benevolent" dictatorship, and/or claw your way up the power structure of the community you're in.

Or just be a nomad.

4. I would imagine that it could be stopped in time before it got global, though it does depend on where the initial outbreak occurs. If it's someplace like England, well it's a simple if ruthless solution to just quarantine the entire island and check EVERYONE who has come from that country recently and everyone they've come in contact with, and quarantine them as well.

If it's someplace like China, then we're pretty much fucked. Though it's possible that the Americas, Australia and islands could be spared if they closed airports in time. (And Vice versa if it happened here or Australia instead)

Basically the larger the populated area where the outbreak occurs the worse off we're going to be.

5. Assuming the outbreak doesn't start there? I'll say Australia has the best chance at being the largest country that could survive in a relatively known form due to it's relative isolation from the rest of the world. Though in the dark days of absolute chaos it could get nuked purposely or "accidently" by humans.

Places like New Zealand and Iceland might be safe from zombie or human attacks though.

Other countries like USA, China, India, Russia, that are big enough and have a strong military might survive in some form, but it wouldn't be as we'd recognize it today. (Same is true for most countries I guess) Canada might survive in some form, but I imagine we'd be helping them out with military matters. I'd also imagine that a lot of the population might just move further north to where it's colder though where the zombies will freeze.

[Sven Smokevich]

1. Like I said before, yo, the thing to think about is assholes wit guns. Cities'll fall, but not all of em. Zombies're goin' down, hardcore, a few months for many and maybe a decade or two to totally finish em off.

2. I gotta say, you got armed camps for awhile, and you got your more civilized armed camps where government's still around. Fortress cities on military alert. Maybe they nuke the ones that get overrun. Zombie threat starts disappearing, government comes back, maybe some radical regime changes in a few places.

3. Only danger in an effective armed camp is rival assholes wit guns. Try not to get capped, and you's aight.

4. Global? Around the world, sure, but not all over. I got faith.

5. Island countries, first-world countries wit distributed population.

If anyone who dies's a zombie, any society's gotta have a death ritual of a cap to the head, or an exploding brain implant or something. Before that goes down, it's prolly back to the stone age, mofo.