Artigenda
International Day against Nuclear Tests
When: annually, August 29.
29 August has been declared International Day against Nuclear Tests by the United Nations.
Resolution 64/35
More than 2,000 nuclear tests have taken place since 16 July 1945, leaving areas inaccessible or uninhabitable for long periods. To draw attention to this, the UN created the day on 2 December 2009 through Resolution 64/35. It was more than that, by the way, as it was also a call to stop nuclear testing.
First nuclear test
The first nuclear test was conducted on 16 July 1945 by the United States. The bomb had a power equivalent to a force of 20 kilotons of TNT. Officially, India and Pakistan were responsible for the last nuclear tests in 1998. After that, nuclear tests were conducted by North Korea. The most number of nuclear tests were probably conducted by the United States. The official count is 1,054 tests. The number is possibly even higher and is estimated between 1,151 and 1,482.
The United States continued conducting (underground) nuclear tests until the 1990s (1992). The then-Soviet Union stopped it in 1990. France and China continued it until 1996. India and Pakistan held their last nuclear tests in 1998.
North Korea
The last nuclear tests were conducted by North Korea. This country has indicated it does not want to stop conducting nuclear tests.
More information
More information about the International Day against Nuclear Tests is available on the website of the UN.
