Bikini Atoll

E59794

Bikini Atoll is a coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean best known as a former U.S. nuclear test site and now a symbol of both atomic history and environmental impact.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf coral atoll
former nuclear test site
administeredBy Marshall Islands NERFINISHED
castleBravoDate 1954-03-01
castleBravoYield about 15 megatons of TNT
country Republic of the Marshall Islands NERFINISHED
currentPopulation very small transient population
designatedAs UNESCO World Heritage Site
environmentalIssues radioactive contamination of groundwater
radioactive contamination of marine life
radioactive contamination of soil
evacuationOfResidents 1946
formerAdministeredAs Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
formerAdministeredBy United States
hasLagoonArea about 600 square kilometers
hasLandArea about 6 square kilometers
hasLanguageOrigin Marshallese language
hasNumberOfIslands 23
hasShipwreck HIJMS Nagato
USS Apogon
USS Arkansas
USS Lamson
USS Saratoga
knownFor U.S. nuclear weapons testing
atomic history
environmental contamination
shipwreck diving
locatedIn Marshall Islands NERFINISHED
Pacific Ocean
nameMeaning “coconut place” in Marshallese
notableTest Castle Bravo
Operation Crossroads
nuclearTestPeriodEnd 1958
nuclearTestPeriodStart 1946
nuclearTestsConductedBy United States
numberOfNuclearTests 23
operationCrossroadsYear 1946
originalInhabitants Bikini islanders
partOf Ralik Chain
primaryEconomicActivity limited tourism
resettlementAttempts 1960s
1970s
resettlementHaltedDueTo radiation levels
symbolOf Cold War nuclear arms race
environmental impact of nuclear testing
nuclear age
timeZone UTC+12
unescoWorldHeritageCriteria cultural
unescoWorldHeritageInscriptionYear 2010
usedFor nuclear weapons effects testing on naval vessels


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