Economists for Peace and Security

The Economics of Peace and Security Journal

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A publication by Economists for Peace and Security

The business of land-mine clearing
Bob French

Vol 1, No 2 - Peacemaking and Peacekeeping, June 2006

Considering that some eighty countries have a problem with land mines, and observing the consequential effects on their economies, the amount of money available for the task of clearance is miserly. Th article discusses land mine types and uses, and the excruciating work and cost involved in demining activity. Depending on the country, terrain, climate, commercial clearance, and NGO involved, costs to clear mines can vary from $2 to $39 per square meter. As an example of the size of the problem, Bosnia-Herzegovina has over 18,000 minefields mapped, with probably the same again not yet mapped. The mapped area represents approximately 3,000 square kilometers of contamination of which around 1,000 square kilometers is good agricultural land. In 2002, only four square kilometers were actually cleared. Various technical, financial, regulatory, and political prospects regarding land mine clearing are discussed.

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