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About the ICC
Issues
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Land Mines
The Facts:
- There are numerous types of landmines, but anti-personnel landmines are the most deadly to civilians. Anti-personnel mines are small explosives that are buried in the ground and explode under the weight of a person.
- Today, an estimated 60 to 100 million landmines can be found in over 70 countries around the world.
- The countries with the greatest number of un-cleared landmines are: Afghanistan, Kosovo, Angola, Bosnia, Iraq, Somalia, Laos, Sudan, Mozambique, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
- An estimated 25,000 deaths and injuries are caused every year by landmines.
- Every year an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 children are killed or injured by landmines.
- A landmine can cost as little as $3 to buy, and up to $1,000 to clear.
- There are approximately 37 million landmines in Africa alone. In Angola there are more landmines than people.
- The Ottawa Treaty prohibits all countries that have ratified from manufacturing, trading or using anti-personnel landmines. The treaty also forces governments to destroy any stockpiled landmines and to clear the mine-affected areas in their country.
- 136 countries have signed the Ottawa Treaty. It has not yet been signed by the three largest manufactures of landmines: China, Russia and the United States.
What Can You Do?
Find Out More:
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