Nuclear Test Sites
Since the first nuclear test explosion on July 16, 1945, at least eight nations have detonated 2,056 nuclear test explosions at dozens of test sites, including Lop Nor in China, the atolls of the Pacific, Nevada, Algeria where France conducted its first nuclear device, western Australia where the U.K. exploded nuclear weapons, the South Atlantic, Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan, across Russia, and elsewhere.
Amchitka Island, Alaska, USA
Site of three underground nuclear tests in the 1960's and early 1970s, the Amchitka facility was closed in 1971.
Pacific Ocean
Site of various French nuclear tests.
Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA
Established by President Truman in 1950 and now operated by the Department of Energy, the NTS has been the site of over 900 atmospheric and underground nuclear tests.
Fallon, Nevada
Site of an American test.
Trinity Site, New Mexico, USA
Site of first nuclear weapon test on July 16, 1945.
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Site of an American test.
Green Valley, Colorado
Site of an American nuclear test.
Rifle, Colorado
Site of a American nuclear test.
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Site of several American tests.
Open Sea, South Atlantic Ocean
Site of three American nuclear rocket tests in 1958.
Reggan, Sahara Desert, Algeria
The first French nuclear device was detonated at Reggan on February 13, 1960. At the time, Algeria was a protectorate of France.
Ekker, Algeria
Site of French testing.
Novaya Zemlya Island, C.I.S.
Site of extensive Soviet atmospheric and underground testing, Novaya Zemlya was the site of the largest thermonuclear device ever tested, a 58 megaton bomb detonated on October 23, 1961.
Semipalatinsk, C.I.S.
Site of hundreds of Soviet atmospheric and underground nuclear tests. Also the site of the first Soviet nuclear test on August 29, 1949.
Prince Edward Island, Indian Ocean
Site of the South African/Israeli nuclear test.
Lop Nur, Western China
Primary nuclear test site. Site of the first Chinese atomic explosion on October 16, 1964 and first Chinese thermonuclear detonation on December 27, 1968.
Chagai Hills, Baluchistan, Pakistan
Site of the first Pakistani nuclear detonations on May 28, 1998.
Pokharan, Rajastan Desert, India
Site of the first Indian nuclear detonation on May 18, 1974. This bomb was exploded 100 meters beneath the surface. The site of the 5 nuclear tests in 1998.
Monte Bello Islands, Australia
Site of the first British nuclear weapons tests in 1952. Used for atmospheric tests until 1956.
Nagasaki, Japan
Site of the second nuclear weapon used in wartime. The Nagasaki bomb, Fat Man, was dropped three days after the bomb on Hiroshima, on August 9, 1945. It is yield was about 22 kilotons.
Hiroshima, Japan
Site of the first nuclear weapon used in wartime. The Hiroshima bomb, Little Boy, was dropped on August 6, 1945. It is yield was about 12 kilotons.
Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, North Korea
Site of North Korea's three nuclear tests.
Emu Field, Australia
Site of two British nuclear weapons tests.
Maralinga and Woomera Test Sites, Australia
Used in the 1950's by the British for atmospheric testing.
Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands
Administered by the U.S., this island was used for nuclear testing in the late 1940's and 50's. Eniwetok was the site of the world's first thermonuclear detonation MIKE in 1952.
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
Administered by the U.S., this island was used for nuclear testing in the late 1940's and 50's. Bikini Atoll was the site of BRAVO test.
Johnston Island
Administered by the United States. Site of a number of tests during the late 1950's and early 1960's.
Pacific Ocean
Site of American testing.
CEP , Mururoa and Fangatau Atolls, French Polynesia
(Le Centre d' experimentation du Pacifique) Operated by the French, the CEP is used for nuclear testing. Site of first French thermonuclear device on August 24, 1968.
Christmas Island, Kiribati
Used for British and American nuclear testing in the 1950's and early 1960's. Site of the first British thermonuclear detonation on May 15, 1957.
Sources: Federation of American Scientists, Center for Non-Proliferation Studies, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace