Land mines are controversial because they remain dangerous after the conflict in which they were deployed, killing and injuring civilians and rendering land impassable and unusable for decades. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines has sought to prohibit their use, culminating in the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, known informally as the Ottawa Treaty. The UN estimates that with current technology, it will take nearly 1,100 years to clear all the mines in the world.
Landmine Count: 1 million
The mine problem in Somalia is a result of various internal and regional conflicts over an almost 40-year period, with the first reported occurrence of mine-laying in 1964. Central and southern Somalia are heavily contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The UN claims that the socioeconomic impact of landmines can be seen in almost every aspect of Somali society: reduced land available for livestock and agricultural production, increased transportation costs, poor performance of rehabilitation and development efforts, loss of life, disabilities, a general lack of security of communities, and obstacles to repatriation and reintegration. Casualties continue to be reported from mines and UXO. The UN also believes, however, that the mine and UXO threat in Somalia is “a finite problem” and one that “given sustained attention,” can be solved in a seven- to ten-year period with adequate resources. Somalia cannot accede to the Mine Ban Treaty because it has been without a central government since the 1991 fall of the government of Siyad Barre.
Landmine Count: 3 million
After almost thirty years of war, Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Grain must be imported and the economy depends heavily on foreign aid. Mozambique is faced with desertification, pollution of surface and coastal waters, and severe drought and floods in the central and southern provinces. In addition, much of its farmable land is unusable because of landmines. “Perhaps the most devastating use of land mines was the random dissection of mines in fields and along access paths to stop peasants from producing food,” notes Human Rights Watch Africa in a report entitled “Land Mines and Economic Life”. Mines manufactured in 15 different countries were used by all sides in the fighting, accelerating a devastating famine cycle in the 1980s that sent a huge refugee exodus across the borders with South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi. According to Handicap International, an estimated 20 people step on landmines every month in Mozambique. Sixty percent of them die because they lack access to health services. In 1996, Mozambique’s Defense Minister estimated that there were still about 3 million landmines in Mozambique. The devastation caused by mines in Mozambique is striking. In addition to farmable land, power lines, roads, bridges, railroads, and airports, even schools, factories and cattle dip tanks were mined. Wildlife is also threatened by mines: elephants have been found maimed by anti-personnel mines and killed by anti-tank mines. The average life expectancy in Mozambique is about 46 years.
Landmine Count: 3 million
Bosnia-Herzegovina is heavily contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war, primarily as a result of the 1992-1995 conflict related to the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The mine contamination is generally low density. Mines were used extensively along confrontation lines, which moved frequently. Most minefields are in the zone of separation between the two entities; this is 1,100 kilometers long and up to four kilometers wide. In southern and central Bosnia-Herzegovina, mines were often used randomly, with little record keeping. Some of the affected territory is mountainous or heavily forested, but the fertile agricultural belt in Br?ko District is one of the most heavily contaminated areas. Every month landmines kill or injure 30-35 people, 80% of them civilians. The presence of these deadly weapons is hindering reconstruction, severely reducing food production and diverting resources needed to rebuild society. So far, only a small percentage of mine-contaminated land has been cleared according to humanitarian standards. Most minefields remain unmarked.
Landmine Count: 5 million
Kuwait’s history has been filled with stress due to the vast amount of oil found throughout the country. During the Gulf War, Iraq occupied Kuwait from August 1990 until February 1991. The Iraqi troops planted millions of AP and AT mines in the “Kuwait Theater of Military Operations.” Approximately 97.8 percent of Kuwait’s land became mined or UXO affected. Heavily mined areas were the northern cost of Kuwait Bay and the Kuwait-Saudi Arabia border. Immediately after Kuwait’s liberation, the government planned for an integrated mine action program. The duration was 24 months and cost $128 million (U.S.). According to the Landmine Monitor Report, as of April 3, 1999, almost 2 million landmines had been recovered from coastal and desert areas of Kuwait. A mine awareness program was also established to inform civilians about the dangers of landmines.
Landmine Count: 8-10 million
Three decades of war in Cambodia have left scars in many forms throughout the country. Unfortunately, one of the most lasting legacies of the conflicts continues to claim new victims daily. Land mines, laid by the Khmer Rouge, the Heng Samrin and Hun Sen regimes, the Vietnamese, the KPNLF, and the Sihanoukists litter the countryside. In most cases, even the soldiers who planted the mines did not record where they were placed. Now, Cambodia has the one of the highest rates of physical disability of any country in the world. While census data for Cambodia is sketchy, it is generally accepted that more than 40,000 Cambodians have suffered amputations as a result of mine injuries since 1979. That represents an average of nearly forty victims a week for a period of twenty years. While it is believed that no military groups are still deploying mines, the devices are still being used in new and horrible ways: Civilians have used mines to protect property and settle disputes; poachers are reportedly using mines to hunt tigers, which are prized for use in medicines in neighboring Vietnam; and in once incident in 1998, police surrounded a forest with mines in order to capture a murder suspect who had hidden there. He emerged from the forest and stepped on a mine, and was then shot to death by police. At the current rate of progress, it may take as many as 100 years to clear all the mines in Cambodia.
Landmine Count: 10 million
Iraq is severely affected by mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as a result of the 1991 Gulf War, the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran War, two decades of internal conflict, and even World War Two. Landmines and UXO pose a problem in the north, along the Iran-Iraq border, and throughout the central and southern regions of the country. The number of mines planted in Iraq is not known, but it is estimated by the United Nations to be at least 10 million. A recently completed Landmine Impact Survey confirmed that all twenty-five districts in the three provinces (governorates) comprising northern Iraq are mine-affected, and 3,444 distinct areas suspected of mine and/or UXO contamination affect over 148,000 families (more than one in five) living in 1,096 mine-affected communities.
Landmine Count: 10 million
Afghanistan has suffered greatly from war since 1978, and all sides to the various armed conflicts have used antipersonnel mines, particularly Soviet forces and the Afghan government from 1979 to 1992. Landmines have been planted indiscriminately over most of the country. Agricultural farms, grazing areas, irrigation canals, residential areas, roads and footpaths, both in urban and rural areas, are contaminated. Mines are a major obstacle to repatriation, relief, rehabilitation and development activities. Landmines kill or maim an estimated ten to twelve people each day in Afghanistan. It is believed that almost 50 percent of landmine victims die due to lack of medical facilities.
Landmine Count: 10 to 20 million
Estimates of the number of Angolan landmines range between 10 and 20 million, which equates to at least 1 to 2 land mines for every person in the country. U.N. estimates put the number of Angolan amputees resulting from the silent killers at 70,000. For three decades mines were scattered in Angola’s fields, villages, roads, and other unexpected places to intimidate, maim and kill innocent victims. Land mines have a devastating effect upon the environment by restricting the movement of people, deterring farming, disrupting economies, and killing and mutilating many innocent men, women, and children. In 1993 a UN General Resolution moratorium on the sale and export of antipersonnel land mines was passed. However, international consensus has yet to be achieved and Angola’s problem continues unabated.
Landmine Count: 16 million
Landmine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination in west and southwest Iran, particularly the provinces of Kurdistan, Western Azerbaijan, Khuzestan, and Kermanshah, results from the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq conflict. Government officials claim that Iraq planted some 16 million landmines in Iran during the 1980s, contaminating an area of over 42,000 square kilometers. Landmines and UXO are reported to have severely limited agricultural production in the five provinces along the Iraqi border. They also compromise exploitation of oil fields. Mine and UXO contamination has affected historical sites and hindered archeological studies in southwest Iran.
Landmine Count: 23 million
World War II and the Egypt-Israel wars of 1956, 1967, and 1973 have left Egypt a mine-affected country. Egypt often cites a figure of 23 million landmines buried in the country. Egypt’s problem stems from the fact that its land mines are old and hard to locate and were designed for use against tanks, whereas international criticism is generally focused on anti-personnel mines. According to the ministry of defense, mines have hampered human and economic development and have killed and injured thousands of civilians. Seven million mines have been cleared from the western desert in the past 15 years and three million from the Sinai desert. The nomadic people refer to waste tracts of desert minefields as “The Devil’s Garden.”
Contributor: rushfan
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fact checked by dickensgirl
FAQs
Egypt has been listed as the country most contaminated by landmines in the world with an estimate of approximately 23,000,000 landmines.
Which countries still have landmines? ›
Landmine Monitor 2018 identifies 11 states as producers of antipersonnel mines, unchanged from the previous report: China, Cuba, India, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.
...
Cluster munition producers.
| Brazil | Korea, South |
|---|
| Iran | Singapore |
| Israel | Turkey |
| Korea, North | United States |
4 more rowsThere are two main categories of landmines: anti-personnel and anti-vehicle.
What are 3 effects of landmines? ›
Short term effects generally include the physical destruction of close range vegetation and killing/injuring of wildlife. Medium term impacts may include a deterioration on soil composition preventing cultivation lands to return to levels of agricultural production prior to a landmine explosion.
How many landmines are in the world? ›
Scattered like deadly seeds, they kill and maim between 1.000 and 2.000 people per month, most of them innocent civilians. With an estimated 30 million mines strewn in at least 18 countries, Africa is the continent most severely affected by the large scale sowing of landmines .
How many landmines are in Africa? ›
By 1997 ten of the twelve countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) had recorded landmine incidents. A conservative estimate is that southern Africa has today some twenty million mines in its soil. Mines have claimed over 250,000 victims since 1961.
How big is a landmine? ›
AP blast mines tend to be small, flat and cylindrical, typically 60-140 mm in diameter. They rely on the effect of explosive blast to damage the victim, and are designed to detonate when the victim steps on them. They are often buried in order to camouflage their presence.
Are landmines illegal in war? ›
Anti-personnel landmines are prohibited under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (or Mine Ban Convention), adopted in 1997. More than 150 countries have joined this treaty.
Does the US use landmines? ›
MR BROWN: The United States last used anti-personnel landmines in 1991 during the Gulf War. There was one single incident of one munition being used in the 2002 timeframe in Afghanistan. But otherwise, the United States has not used landmines in – anti-personnel landmines in any significant way since 1991.
What is a landmine girl? ›
It originated from the term 地雷女 (jirai-onna) which means 'landmine girl'. This refers to young women whose looks and personalities have a huge disconnection from one another. The term had negative connotations, but since model Tsubasa Masuwaka made it a popular style trend in 2020, many women started adopting it.
Precursors of the weapon are said to have first been used in the American Civil War in the 1800s. But antipersonnel mines were first used on a wide scale in World War II. Since then they have been used in many conflicts, including in the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the first Gulf War.
What is the best landmine? ›
Best Landmine Exercises
- Landmine Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift.
- Meadows Row.
- Landmine Tall-Kneeling Core Rotation.
- Half-Kneeling Landmine Press.
- Landmine Goblet Squat.
- Landmine Floor Press.
- Landmine Cossack Squat.
- Landmine T-Bar Row.
Landmine exercises are a form of weight training that can elevate your fitness level in many ways. These versatile exercises help build strength and increase muscle mass. Landmine training also improves balance and stability while correcting body misalignments.
What is a land mine called? ›
Landmines, also known as anti-personnel mines, are defined as mines “designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a person and that will incapacitate, injure or kill one or more persons.”
How long do landmines last? ›
Landmines are generally buried 6 inches (15 centimeters) under the surface or simply laid above ground. Buried landmines can remain active for more than 50 years.
Is a land mine a bomb? ›
For a few decades during the Cold War, the U.S. developed atomic demolition munitions, often referred to as nuclear land mines. These were portable nuclear bombs that could be placed by hand, and could be detonated remotely or with a timer.
Is Russia using landmines? ›
Russia and Myanmar are the only two countries to have used antipersonnel mines this year, according to the latest annual report from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). Neither country is among the 164 states that are party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.
How much is one landmine? ›
Landmines cost only $3 to $75 to make and lay but, using traditional techniques, cost an average of $300 to $1000 each to remove.
Why is Egypt full of landmines? ›
Mine fields in Egypt's Eastern Desert: They are the fields where mines were planted as a result of Egyptian-Israeli wars that took place since 1956 to 1973, as follows: - The field of west Suez Canal. - The field of west Suez Gulf. - The field of west Red Sea.
What is Africa's biggest mine? ›
AngloGold Ashanti's Mponeng gold mine, located south-west of Johannesburg in South Africa, is currently the deepest mine in the world.
Landmine Free 2025 is a campaign to re-energise global support to landmine clearance and ensure people affected by landmines are not forgotten. 33 countries and territories have been cleared, but 58 are still contaminated. Over 60 million people live at risk from landmines and unexploded bombs.
Is landmine real? ›
Antipersonnel landmines are explosive devices designed to be detonated by the presence, proximity, or contact of a person. Placed under or on the ground, they can lie dormant for years and even decades until a person or animal triggers their detonating mechanism.
Are landmines waterproof? ›
While some blast AP mines are still made of metal or wood, most are manufactured of plastic. This makes them water resistant or waterproof, and dangerous even when submerged.
Are landmines illegal now? ›
Due to their indiscriminate nature and the human suffering caused by the use of antipersonnel landmines, 164 countries have joined the Mine Ban Treaty, which comprehensively bans the weapons and requires destruction of stocks, clearance of mined areas, and assistance to victims.
Who invented landmines? ›
The first modern land mine was created in the American Civil War. Inspired by simple explosive booby traps, General Gabriel J Rains developed the landmine to defend the positions of the outnumbered Confederate Army at the Battle of Yorktown in 1862.
Can landmines destroy tanks? ›
Antivehicle landmines (also called anti-tank mines) have been used in many contemporary conflicts, including currently by Russian and Ukrainian forces in Ukraine. They are designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles.
Does NATO use land mines? ›
Since 2001, NATO has helped destroy thousands of tons of rocket fuel; hundreds of thousands of rockets, surface-to-air missiles, and small arms and light weapons; millions of hand grenades and landmines; and hundreds of millions of rounds of ammunition.
Is Ukraine using landmines? ›
According to Human Rights Watch, in June 2022, "Russia is the only party to the conflict known to have used banned antipersonnel mines, while both Russia and Ukraine have used anti-vehicle mines."
Are landmines legal in Canada? ›
Canada has been a leader in the global movement to ban landmines. Canada has played a major role in the political process leading to the signature of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (also known as the Ottawa Treaty) in 1997. Two decades later, anti-personnel mines remain a global humanitarian problem.
Who banned landmines? ›
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
| Abbreviation | ICBL |
|---|
| Formation | October 1992 |
| Founder | Jody Williams |
| Founded at | New York, United States |
| Type | NGO |
9 more rowsThe chief acute clinical characteristics of landmine injuries are blood loss and pain. Pain relief is especially important during prolonged evacuation over difficult terrain.
How powerful is a landmine? ›
Anti-tank mines usually contain between 2 and 9 kg of explosive, and their fusing mechanism requires a pressure of about 100-300 kg to activate it. AP mines are smaller, with 10-250 g of explosive, and detonate under about 5-50 kg of pressure.
What is mine in love? ›
It means that he loves you and wants to be with you forever. “You're mine,” is pretty much another way of saying I want you or I love you.
How old is the oldest mine? ›
Ngwenya on the other hand not only boost of being the oldest mine in the world dating back to 43000BC, but also boost of mining rare minerals that no other country has mined like specularite which was used for cosmetics all over the region.
How is a landmine removed? ›
Once a mine is found, the most common methods of removing it are to manually defuse it (a slow and dangerous process) or blow it up with more explosives (dangerous and costly). Research programs have explored alternatives that destroy the mine without exploding it, using chemicals or heat.
Are landmines still used in war? ›
The United States has not signed or ratified the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty but has refrained from using antipersonnel land mines since 1991 — with the exception of a single mine in Afghanistan in 2002. The United States also has not sold land mines to other countries since 2002.
Are landmines good for chest? ›
Does Landmine Press Work Upper Chest? Yes. The exercise does work the upper chest as well as the arms, shoulders, back, core and glutes. The curving bar path and neutral grip makes the exercise a little easier on your shoulders than the Strict Press.
What is a 38 landmine? ›
The TM-38 was a rectangular, metal-cased Soviet anti-tank mine used during the Second World War. The mine had a large raised rectangular central pressure plate with four reinforcing creases. When enough pressure was applied to the plate it collapses pressing down on a bolt connected to an internal lever.
What are hidden landmines called? ›
Omni-directional fragmentation mines
These are hidden above ground in vegetation and triggered by a tripwire. It spreads metal fragments in a 360-degree arc.
Can you survive a landmine? ›
There is little you can do to survive a land mine. They explode WHEN they are stepped on. Mines in WWII were designed to KILL. Today mines are still designed to do that but there are also mines designed to injure (toe poppers).
Performing the standing landmine press is a great way to work the chest and shoulders whilst also engaging other muscle groups. It's a safe and effective compound exercise that offers full-body conditioning.
How sensitive is a landmine? ›
Land mines are selective in the sense that they don't, generally, detonate spontaneously or when encountered by something less than their target. By design, land mines aren't shock-sensitive so they're difficult and expensive to defeat. Most field soldiers with whom I've spoken don't like them at all.
What are 3 types of mines? ›
Open-pit, underwater, and underground mining. These are the three main methods of mining we use to extract our products from the ground.
What are the 5 types of mining? ›
These mining categories are: strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, dredging and high wall mining.
Can rats smell landmines? ›
While other animals can be trained to detect mines, APOPO found rats best suited for the job due to their small size—weighing less than three pounds, they are too light to set off the landmines. Magawa and other African giant pouched rats are trained for nine to 12 months to sniff out landmines.
Should landmines be banned? ›
Banning landmines increases peace and security and can be a valuable peace-building tool. For example, Greece and Turkey, long-term rivals with border disputes, used their shared commitment to joining the Mine Ban Treaty as a confidence building measure.
Why is Cambodia full of landmines? ›
Landmines laid during the ousting of the Khmer Rouge in 1979 and throughout the 80s and 90s have had a devastating impact on the people of Cambodia. Over 64,000 casualties and more than 25,000 amputees have been recorded since 1979.
Which country invented landmines? ›
At Augsburg in 1573, three centuries after the Chinese invented the first pressure-operated mine, a German military engineer by the name of Samuel Zimmermann invented the Fladdermine (flying mine).
Is Egypt full of gold? ›
Active mining began in Egypt around 3000 BCE. Egypt has substantial mineral resources, including 48 million tons of tantalite (fourth largest in the world), 50 million tons of coal, and an estimated 6.7 million ounces of gold in the Eastern Desert.
Do landmines expire? ›
Landmines have no expiration date – the explosives are as dangerous as the day they were laid, and possibly even more so as rust and shifting landscapes have made them more volatile. But no two situations are the same, and MAG has weapons in its own arsenal: human, canine, and machine.
MR BROWN: The United States last used anti-personnel landmines in 1991 during the Gulf War. There was one single incident of one munition being used in the 2002 timeframe in Afghanistan. But otherwise, the United States has not used landmines in – anti-personnel landmines in any significant way since 1991.
Why are land mines good? ›
The land mine is one of the most capable weapons systems available today. It is cheap, easily mass-produced, and deadly.
Who planted landmines? ›
We take a look at the impact and what you need to know to stay safe while traveling. Landmines were laid in Cambodia by the Vietnamese, the Cambodian government and the brutal Khmer Rouge in the 1980s and '90s and continue to have a devastating impact on the people of Cambodia.
How do they remove landmines? ›
Once a mine is found, the most common methods of removing it are to manually defuse it (a slow and dangerous process) or blow it up with more explosives (dangerous and costly). Research programs have explored alternatives that destroy the mine without exploding it, using chemicals or heat.
