DlSARMAMENT CLEARINGHOUSE

FACT SHEET
A BRlEF HlSTORY OF NUCLEAR TESTlNG

The First Nuclear Test:

In the U.S., Trinity, an 18.5 kiloton above ground atmospheric test at Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Advisors to President Truman described it as "unprecedented, magnificent, beautiful, stupendouse and terrifying." (8rigadier General Thomas F. Farrell).

What followed: 2,045 tests over 51 years, or approxirnately one test every 9 days.

The Last (and hopefully final) Nuclear Test:

In China, a 5 kiloton underground test at the Lop Nor test site in Northwest China on July 29, 1996 just as the negotiations for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty were reconvening. The test was condemned by nations and citizens throughout the world. China promised that this was its final test, and that it would now join the international moratorium on nuclear testing.

KNOWN NUCLEAR TESTS WORLDWIDE, 1945-1996
TESTSU.S.S.U. FranceU.K.ChinaIndiaTOTAL
ATMOSPHERIC215219 5021230528
UNDERGROUND815496 160242211517
TOTAL1030715 210454512046


FIRST/LAST TESTING DATES
COUNTRYU.S.S.U. FranceU.K.ChinaIndia
FIRST TEST19451949 1952196019641974
LAST TEST19921990 199619911996?



NUCLEAR TEST SITES WORLDWIDE
COUNTRYLOCATION
United StatesAlamogordo, New Mexico
Nevada Test Site (also in Colorado, Mississippi, and Alaska)
Marshall Islands: (Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, others)
Hiroshima **, Nagasaki** (** as an act of war against Japan)
FranceAlgeria, Moruroa, Fangautafa
United KingdomAustrailia, Nevada Test Site, Christmas Island
Soviet UnionKazakhstan, Novaya Zemia
ChinaLop Nor (Northwestern China)
IndiaRajasthan desert (Western India, near Pakistan)



Global Effects:

Atmospheric testing has resulted in deposition of radioactive materials around the world. For example, 11-13 million curies of Strontium 90, 17-21 milllion curies of cesium 137, 10 million curies Carbon 14, and 225,000 curies of Plutonium 239, are among the radionuclides inventories deposited due to atmospheric testing. These and other radionuclides have created health, and environmental problems in local "downwind" hot spots, and globally.

Underground Testing has left large quantities of long-lived radionuclides at test sites around the world - estimates are that approximately 3,830 kilograms of plutonium has been left in the ground from underground testing. Additionally, radioactive leaking, or venting, has led to contamination over large areas.

All over the world nuclear tests have damaged the environment, created large areas of uninhabitable land, and affected the health of miliions.

A Project of: Greenpeace * Peace Action * Physicians for Social Responsibility
Plutonium Challenge * Women's Action for New Directions
1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202-898-0150 ext. 232 - fax: 202-898-0172
email: disarmament@igc.apc.org

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