Where the mines are found


Seems like history has an ever-lasting impact on our lives... this is none so clear as in places like Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, where some mine fields date back to the WWII days. This is compounded with those currently being laid down; which, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, comes up to 60 000 a week.

Bosnia Herzegovina, Cambodia and Croatia are the most mined countries in the world, with an average of between 92 and 142 land mines per square mile.
The table below ranks countries according to the number of uncleared mines found within them.
Such figures can be pretty misleading since the site and situation of the mines are almost eqully important. In Egypt, for example, the mines are concentrated in the remote Northern deserts; while in Angola, they are found in small towns and fields.

Where are the land mines?
Rank Country No. of Mines Average per square mile Where exactly
1 Egypt 23 000 000 59 North, toward border with Israel
2 Iran 16 000 000 25 Along border with Iraq
3 Angola 15 000 000 31 Rural areas
4 Afghanistan 10 000 000 40 Scattered by air, also around Kabul
5 Cambodia 10 000 000 142 Rural areas
6 China 10 000 000 3 Along border with Russia
7 Iraq 10 000 000 60 Along border with Iran
8 Bosnia Herzegovina 3 000 000 152 Throughout country
9 Croatia 2 000 000 92 Throughout country
10 Mozambique 2 000 000 7 Rural areas
11 Eritrea 1 000 000 28 Along border with Ethiopia, rural
12 Somalia 1 000 000 4 Along border with Ethiopia
13 Sudan 1 000 000 4 Southern areas
14 Ukraine 1 000 000 4 Old battle fields
15 Ethiopia 500 000 1 Along border with Eritrea, Somalia
16 Yugoslavia 500 000 13 Throughout country
17 Jordan 207 000 5 Along border with Israel
18 Chad 100 000+ 6 Along northern border with Libya
19 Rwanda 100 000+ 5 Primarily in north
20 Vietnam 100 000+ 8 Southern areas, DMZ

Source: U.S. Department of Humanitarian Affairs


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