The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is an international
agreement designed to end thetesting of n!lear e"plosives# As of
Mar!h$ %&&'$ the nited tates is one of the *++ states
thathave signed the treaty$ ,t the CTBT -ill only .enter into
for!e. (i#e#$ ta/e on the for!e of la- forall ratifying states)
-hen 00 .n!lear1!apa,le. !ontries spe!ifi!ally listed in the treaty
have allratified the treaty# 2f these 00 states$ India$ 3a/istan$
and North 4orea have refsed to sign$ and*' (in!lding the ##) have
signed ,t not ratified#
Nuclear Testing.N!lear testing is the detonation of n!lear
-eapons for test prposes# Testingis needed to verify ne- ,om,
designs and to o,serve the effe!ts of n!lear -eapons (e#g#$
typesand amonts of radiation prod!ed)# The first n!lear test$
!odenamed Trinity$ -as !ond!ted ,ythe nited tates on 5ly *+$ *607$
near Alamagordo$ Ne- Me"i!o# in!e that time$ si" othernationsChina$
8ran!e$ India$ 3a/istan$ the oviet nion$ and the nited
4ingdomhave!ond!ted n!lear tests# (ome e"perts assert$ ,ased on ##
intelligen!e satellite data$ thatIsrael and oth Afri!a may have
!ond!ted a 9oint n!lear test at sea in *6:6#) The most re!entn!lear
test -as !ond!ted ,y India$ on May '&$ *66;#
N!lear tests !an ,e !ond!ted ndergrond$ nder -ater$ in spa!e$ or
in the atmosphere# Non!lear -eapon has ever ,een tested in spa!e$
,t appro"imately %&7& have ,een detonated invarios
environments on
