Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
Regional treaties in which participating states agree not to manufacture, test, station, or acquire nuclear weapons within a defined geographic area.
Established Zones
| Zone | Treaty | Year | Signatories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin America & Caribbean | Treaty of Tlatelolco | 1967 | 33 states |
| South Pacific | Treaty of Rarotonga | 1985/1986 | 13 states |
| Southeast Asia | Bangkok Treaty | 1995 | 10 ASEAN states |
| Africa | Treaty of Pelindaba | 1996 | 43 African nations |
| Antarctica | Antarctic Treaty | 1959 | Covers the continent |
What NWFZs Accomplish
- Remove territories from nuclear targeting by establishing a legal renunciation of weapons.
- Create regional norms that make proliferation politically costly.
- Require nuclear weapons states to pledge not to use or threaten nuclear weapons against NWFZ members (negative security assurances).
- Complement the NPT by creating binding regional regimes where the global treaty may have gaps.
Limits
Nuclear weapons states are asked but not always required to ratify the protocols banning first use against zone members. The US has at various points been reluctant to give unconditional negative security assurances to NWFZ members in strategic regions.