Southern Africa is home to the world's greatest landmine infestation. Antipersonnel mines have been killing and injuring civilians in this region for 30+ years. By 1998, 11 of the 14 countries that make up the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) had recorded incidents of landmines. The millions of mines that were shipped into Southern Africa during its decades of colonial wars and post-colonial wars come from 22 different nations. The most mined countries within the SADC are Angola and Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Other countries in the SADC include Botswana, Lethoso, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mauritius, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar. All of these nations have signed the mine treaty and are state parties.
FACT: Estimated Number of Mines in Area: 20 million
Information adapted from: Lawson, Robert &Tomlin, Brian, To Walk Without Fear: The Global Movement to Ban Landmines, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998All images on this page were provided by the International Campaign To Ban Landmine's (ICBL.ORG) The following photographers are given full credit for these images: George Gittoes, Tim Grant, John Rodsted, Mercedes Sayagues, Robert Semeniuk, Brian Liu. Their contact information can be seen at www.icbl.org/imagelibrary/copyright