Belfort Atoll
Belfort Atoll | |
|---|---|
 The Belfort Atoll | |
| Capital | Albemarle |
| Number of Islands | 40[a] |
| Government | Overseas Territory of the Social Republic of the Novella Islands |
| Formative events | |
• Colonised by the Communist Union of the Novella Islands | 2 December 1942 |
• First nuclear test conducted under the auspices of Operation First Light | 21 June 1968 |
• Fully incorporated as a part of the Novella Islands Overseas Territories | 1 January 1970 |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.85 km2 (2.26 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 365 |
• 2022 census | 351 |
The Belfort Atoll is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the XXX Ocean, and a constituent of the Novella Islands Overseas Territories. It is most notable as the site of the world's first nuclear weapons test on 21 June 1968, conducted by the Communist Union of the Novella Islands under the auspices of Operation First Light. Since 1 January 1970, the atoll has been the primary location for nuclear weapons experimentation by the Social Republic of the Novella Islands after its reformation, with routine testing continuing well into the 21st century.
History
Discovery
Colonisation
Operation First Light
Post-First Light nuclear testing
Islands
List of nuclear tests conducted at the Belfort Atoll
Notes
- ↑ This number is indicative of the number of islands currently present. Both natural environmental effects and prolonged nuclear testing have changed this number over time.