Maralinga

Site in the southern Australian desert about 1,000 km/620 mi north of Adelaide, used by the British government for nuclear testing between 1952 and 1963. Nine atomic explosions were conducted, resulting in the contamination of 3,000 sq km/1,200 sq mi of land. In 1993 Britain agreed to contribute 45% of the cost of cleaning the area. In 1994 the Australian government agreed to compensate the Aborigines, who were removed from their traditional homelands before the tests started, and who can never return because of the contamination of the land.