This layer presents the assumed contamination ('very heavy, heavy, medium/light') of land with cluster munitions for 2017.
Cluster munitions are metal containers that hold hundreds of small explosive charges. Cluster bombs are dropped from an aircraft, open in the air and release their small charges that spread over a large area. Upon contact with the ground, with people or vehicles, cluster munitions are intended to explode, causing death and destruction. Typical for cluster bombs is the high rate of unexploded bombs. Nearly half of the munitions do not explode when touching the ground but remain active.
Generally, there are no exact maps or land registers of mine fields so that the approximate scope of the contamination with mines can only be estimated. The Landmine Monitor differentiates between three types of contamination: very heavy (surfaces > 1000 km2), heavy (surfaces 1000km2 - 100km2) and light (surfaces < 100km2).
© picture-alliance / dpa
Production, proliferation and effects of landmines and cluster bombs
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Mine Ban Treaty) entered into force in 1999. The Convention only covers anti-personnel mines and therefore excludes anti-vehicle mines.
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