World Map of Nuclear Explosions
Nuclear explosions are unleashed by releasing energy stored in the nucleus of atoms through two types of reactions: fission (splitting heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium) and fusion (combining light atoms like hydrogen). Fission bombs, like those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, release massive energy by splitting atoms. Fusion bombs, or thermonuclear weapons, use a fission explosion to trigger fusion, producing even greater destructive force.
The development of nuclear weapons began during World War II with the U.S.-led Manhattan Project. The first successful test, code-named Trinity, occurred in July 1945 in New Mexico. Since then, nine nations have developed nuclear arsenals, conducting over 2,000 test detonations.
These explosions have served various purposes: demonstrating military power, testing weapon designs, studying environmental and health effects, and signaling political intent. While some tests were conducted underground to limit fallout, many early tests were atmospheric or underwater, spreading radioactive contamination.
Nuclear detonations have occurred across the globe—from the deserts of Nevada and Kazakhstan to the atolls of the Pacific and the steppes of Russia. Major test sites include Bikini Atoll, Novaya Zemlya, Lop Nur, and Mururoa. Each blast marks a moment in the complicated and often perilous history of the atomic age. Use our world map of nuclear explosions & detonations to navigate this complex history and find out where each nuclear explosion took place, when and why it happened, which country was responsible, and more…
Quick Guide to using the World Map of Nuclear Explosions
MAP – Click and drag to move the map around. Hold Ctrl and use the mouse wheel to zoom in or out. Alternatively use the zoom buttons in the top right corner.
POINTS – Points are coloured based on the purpose of the nuclear explosion.
COUNTER – The counter in the top left displays the number of nuclear explosions under each purpose. Clicking on a specific counter lets you see only detonations that fall within that category.
POPUPS – Hovering over a specific point on the map will show you a popup containing additional information about the nuclear explosion.
Notes on the data
The data for the World Map of Nuclear Explosions is taken from an incredibly exhaustive database created by user ‘Damian Spangrud’ on ‘ArcGIS Online’. It is almost entirely unaltered, other than removing some events lacking sufficient data, and tidying up the formatting where necessary. The database contains additional data beyond what is presented in our interactive map, including links to sources and relevant articles, if you are looking for more information about particular events.
Note – While the database is well cited, and assumed to be mostly factually accurate, it is likely that there are gaps or inaccuracies in the data.
