Editing Nuclear weapons testing (section)

==Nuclear testing by country==
{{main|List of nuclear weapons tests}}
[[File: Rael Nuclear use locations world map.png|thumb|Over 2,000 nuclear tests have been conducted in over a dozen different sites around the world. Red Russia/Soviet Union, blue France, light blue United States, violet Britain, yellow China, orange India, brown Pakistan, green North Korea, and light green (territories exposed to nuclear bombs). The black dot indicates the location of the [[Vela incident]].]]
[[File:Operation Crossroads Baker Edit.jpg|thumb|"Baker Shot", part of [[Operation Crossroads]], a nuclear test by the United States at [[Bikini Atoll]] in 1946]]

The nuclear powers have conducted more than 2,000 nuclear test explosions (numbers are approximate, as some test results have been disputed):

* {{flagicon|USA}} '''United States''': 1,054 tests by official count (involving at least 1,149 devices). 219 were atmospheric tests as defined by the [[Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty|CTBT]]. These tests include 904 at the [[Nevada Test Site]], 106 at the [[Pacific Proving Grounds]] and other locations in the Pacific, 3 in the South Atlantic Ocean, and 17 other tests taking place in [[Amchitka]] [[Alaska]], [[Colorado]], [[Mississippi]], [[New Mexico]] and [[Nevada]] outside the NNSS (see [[Nuclear weapons and the United States]] for details). 24 tests are classified as British tests held at the NTS. There were 35 Plowshare detonations and 7 Vela Uniform tests; 88 tests were safety experiments and 4 were transportation/storage tests.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office|date=2000-12-01|title=United States Nuclear Tests: July 1945 through September 1992|location=Las Vegas, NV|url=http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/publications/historical/DOENV_209_REV15.pdf|access-date=2013-12-18|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012160826/http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/publications/historical/DOENV_209_REV15.pdf|archive-date=2006-10-12}} This is usually cited as the "official" US list.</ref> Motion pictures were made of the explosions, later used to validate computer simulation predictions of explosions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blasts-from-the-past-old-nuke-test-films-offer-new-insights-video|title=Blasts from the Past: Old Nuke Test Films Offer New Insights [Video]|last=Long|first=Kat|work=Scientific American|access-date=2017-04-24}}</ref> ''[[Nuclear weapons and the United States|United States' table data]]''.
* {{flagicon|USSR}} '''Soviet Union''': 715 tests (involving 969 devices) by official count, plus 13 unnumbered test failures.<ref>{{cite document|publisher=RFNC-VNIIEF|year=1996|title=USSR Nuclear Weapons Tests and Peaceful Nuclear Explosions 1949 through 1990|location=Sarov, Russia}} The official Russian list of Soviet tests.</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Mikhailov, Editor in Chief|first1=V.N.|first2=L.A.|last2=Andryushin|first3=N.P.|last3=Voloshin|first4=R.I.|last4=Ilkaev|first5=A.M.|last5=Matushchenko|first6=L.D.|last6=Ryabev|first7=V.G.|last7=Strukov|first8=A.K.|last8=Chernyshev|first9=Yu.A.|last9=Yudin|title=Catalog of Worldwide Nuclear Testing|url=http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/|access-date=2013-12-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219131618/http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/|archive-date=2013-12-19}}An equivalent list available on the internet.</ref> Most were at their Southern Test Area at [[Semipalatinsk Test Site]] and the Northern Test Area at [[Novaya Zemlya]].  Others include rocket tests and peaceful-use explosions at various sites in [[Russia]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Uzbekistan]] and [[Ukraine]]. ''[[List of nuclear weapons tests of the Soviet Union|Soviet Union's table data]]''.
* {{flagicon|UK}} '''United Kingdom''': 45 tests, of which 12 were in [[Australia]]n territory, including three at the [[Montebello Islands]] and nine in mainland [[South Australia]] at [[British nuclear tests at Maralinga|Maralinga]] and Emu Field,<ref>{{Cite web| title = British nuclear weapons testing in Australia {{!}} ARPANSA| accessdate = 2022-11-02| url = https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/sources-radiation/more-radiation-sources/british-nuclear-weapons-testing}}</ref>  9 at [[Kiritimati|Christmas Island (Kiritimati)]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]], plus 24 in the United States at the Nevada Test Site [[1958 US–UK Mutual Defence Agreement|as part of joint test series]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awe.co.uk/main_site/about_awe/history/timeline/1958/index.html  |title=UK/US Agreement |access-date=2010-10-21 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070607112924/http://www.awe.co.uk/main_site/about_awe/history/timeline/1958/index.html |archive-date = 2007-06-07}}</ref> 43 safety tests (the ''Vixen'' series) are not included in that number, though safety experiments by other countries are. ''[[Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom|The United Kingdom's summary table]]''.
* {{flagicon|France}} '''France''': 210 tests by official count (50 atmospheric, 160 underground<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/rap-oecst/essais_nucleaires/i3571.asp |title=N° 3571.- Rapport de MM. Christian Bataille et Henri Revol sur les incidences environnementales et sanitaires des essais nucléaires effectués par la France entre 1960 et 1996 (Office d'évaluation des choix scientifiques et technologiques) |website=Assemblee-nationale.fr |access-date=2010-10-21}}</ref>), four atomic atmospheric tests at [[C.S.E.M.]] near [[Reggane]], 13 atomic underground tests at [[C.E.M.O.]] near [[In Ekker]] in the French [[Algeria]]n [[Sahara]], and nuclear atmospheric and underground tests at and around [[Fangataufa]] and [[Moruroa]] Atolls in [[French Polynesia]]. Four of the In Ekker tests are counted as peaceful use, as they were reported as part of the CET's APEX (Application pacifique des expérimentations nucléaires, “Peaceful Application of Nuclear Experiments”), and given alternate names. ''[[France and weapons of mass destruction|France's summary table]]''.
* {{flagicon|China}} '''China''': 45 tests (23 atmospheric and 22 underground), at [[Lop Nur]] Nuclear Weapons Test Base, in [[Malan, Xinjiang|Malan]], [[Xinjiang]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fas.org/nuke/guide/china/nuke/index.html|title=Nuclear Weapons Test List|website=Fas.org|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref> There are two additional unnumbered failed tests. ''[[China's nuclear test series|China's summary table]]''.
* {{flagicon|India}} '''India''': Six underground explosions (including the first one in 1974), at [[Pokhran]]. ''[[India's nuclear testing series|India's summary table]]''.
* {{flagicon|Pakistan}} '''Pakistan''': Six underground explosions at [[Ras Koh Hills]] and the [[Chagai District]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://fas.org/nuke/guide/pakistan/nuke/chron.htm |title=Pakistan Special Weapons - A Chronology |access-date=2018-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427000543/http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/pakistan/nuke/chron.htm |archive-date=2012-04-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Pakistan's nuclear testing series|Pakistan's summary table]]''.
* {{flagicon|North Korea}} '''North Korea''': North Korea is the only country in the world that still tests nuclear weapons, and their tests have caused [[2017-2018 North Korea crisis|escalating tensions between them and the United States]]. Their most recent nuclear test was on [[2017 North Korean nuclear test|September 3, 2017]]. ''[[North Korea's nuclear testing series|North Korea's summary table]]''
 
There may also have been at least three alleged but unacknowledged nuclear explosions (see [[List of nuclear tests#Alleged tests|list of alleged nuclear tests]]) including the [[Vela incident]].

From the first nuclear test in 1945 until tests by Pakistan in 1998, there was never a period of more than 22 months with no nuclear testing. June 1998 to October 2006 was the longest period since 1945 with no acknowledged nuclear tests.

A summary table of all the nuclear testing that has happened since 1945 is here: [[Worldwide nuclear testing counts and summary]].

[[File:Worldwide nuclear testing multilang.svg|750px|center|Graph of nuclear testing|lang=en]]