Demilitarized zone

"DMZ" redirects here. For other uses, seeDMZ (disambiguation).

For the demilitarized zone on the border ofNorth KoreaandSouth Korea,seeKorean Demilitarized Zone.

For the concept of demilitarized zones in computer networks, seeDMZ (computing).

TheVietnamese Demilitarized ZoneseparatingNorthandSouth Vietnamin 1969

Ademilitarized zone(DMZorDZ)is an area in which treaties or agreements between states, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or boundary between two or more military powers or alliances. A DZ may sometimes form ade factointernational border, such as theKorean Demilitarized Zone.Other examples of demilitarized zones are a 14 km (8.7 mi) widearea between Iraq and Kuwait;Antarctica(preserved for scientific exploration and study); andouter space(space more than 100 km or 62 mi from the Earth's surface).

Some zones remain demilitarized after an agreement has awarded control to a state which (under the DZ terms) had originally ceded its right to maintain military forces in the disputed territory. It is also possible for powers to agree on the demilitarization of a zone without formally settling their respective territorial claims, enabling the dispute to be resolved by peaceful means such as diplomatic dialogue or an international court.

Several demilitarized zones have also unintentionally becomewildlife preservesbecause their land is unsafe for construction or less exposed to human disturbances (including hunting). Examples include theKorean Demilitarized Zone,theCypriot Demilitarized Zone(The Green Line), and the formerVietnamese Demilitarized Zonewhich divided Vietnam into two countries (North VietnamandSouth Vietnam) from 21 July 1954 to 2 July 1976.

Current demilitarized zones

• Antarctica– TheAntarctic Treatyforbidsmilitary activity in Antarctica,such as "the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military manoeuvres, as well as the testing of any type of weapon". The Treaty does however provide for the "use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purpose".
• Joint Control Commission– Known locally as the Dniester Valley Security Zone, the demilitarized buffer zone was created by the cease-fire agreement ending theWar of Transnistria.The Commission's peacekeeping mission monitors the demilitarized zone which roughly outlines theDnisterriver betweenMoldovaandTransnistria.It is 225 kilometers long and from 1 to 15 kilometers wide.
• Korean Demilitarized Zone– TheKorean Armistice Agreementcreated a 4 km (2.5 mi)-wide demilitarized zone betweenNorth KoreaandSouth Koreafollowing theKorean War.It is currently one of the most heavily militarized areas in the world despite the name.
• Kuwait–Iraq barrier– TheUnited Nations Security Councilapproved the creation of a demilitarized zone betweenIraqandKuwaitinResolution 689after thePersian Gulf War.Although the demilitarized zone is no longer mandated by the council, it continues to exist.
• Martín García Island– An Argentine island surrounded byUruguayanwaters of theRío de la Plata,according to the 45th article of theRío de la Plata Treatyit states that "the Martín García Island will be destined exclusively as a natural reserve for the conservation and preservation of the native fauna and flora, under the jurisdiction of theArgentine Republic",stating a demilitarized zone in the island.
• Preah Vihear Temple– TheInternational Court of Justicehad ordered the creation of a "provisional demilitarized zone" around the Temple whose ownershipis claimedby bothCambodiaandThailand.
• Sinai Peninsula– TheEgypt–Israel peace treatysets a limit to the amount of forcesEgyptcan place in the Sinai Peninsula. Parts of the peninsula are demilitarized to various degrees, especially within 20–40 kilometres (12–25 miles) ofIsrael.Israel also agreed to limit its forces within 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) of the Egyptian border.The areas are monitored by theMultinational Force and Observers.Because of theSinai insurgencyall sides agreed and encouraged Egypt to send large amounts of military forces into the area, including tanks and helicopters, to fight Islamist groups.
• Sudan– A 10 km (6 mi) demilitarized zone along theSudan–South Sudanborder.
• United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus– The United Nations Security Council created a buffer zone separating the self-proclaimed, internationally unrecognizedTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprusfrom theRepublic of Cyprus.It was authorized byResolution 186and is patrolled by theUnited Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.
• United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone– The United Nations Security Council approved the creation of a demilitarized zone in a portion of theIsraeli-occupied territoryof theGolan HeightsinSyriainResolution 350after theYom Kippur War.The zone is monitored by theUnited Nations Disengagement Observer Force.
• Åland– TheÅland Convention of 1921,which was concluded following a decision of theLeague of Nationsin response to theÅland crisis,mandates that theFinnishgovernment maintain the territory as a demilitarized area.

Former demilitarized zones

Historical map of thepromontoryof Gibraltar.

• A neutral territory was established between theBritish Overseas TerritoryofGibraltarandSpainafter the end of the1727 siege.A strip of land 600toises(about1.2 km or3⁄4mi) long,more than two cannon shots' distance between the British and Spanish guns, was called "the neutral ground" and shown as such on older maps. In 1908, the British built a fence in a portion claimed to be the British half of the neutral territory. Spaindoes not recognizeBritish sovereignty over the isthmus (including the border), asserting it is Spanish soil. Although both the United Kingdom and Spain used to be part of theEuropean Union(before the United Kingdom's exit), the border was ade factointernational frontier with customs and immigration checks; Spain does not formally recognize it as a "frontier", referring to it as a "fence". Whatever its name, Gibraltar opted out of theEuropean Union Customs Unionand is not part of theSchengen Area;the border is open 24 hours a day, withcustomsduties payable on designated goods entering Spain or Gibraltar.
• Rhineland– TheTreaty of Versaillesdesignated the Rhineland as a demilitarized zone afterWorld War I,prohibiting theWeimar Republicfrom deploying itsmilitarythere. It wasre-occupied and re-militarizedin 1936 byNazi Germanyin violation of international treaties.
• Saudi–Iraqi neutral zone– The Uqair Protocol established a demilitarized zone between theSultanate of Nejdand theKingdom of Iraq,which at the time was aLeague of Nations mandateadministered by theBritish Empire.Nejd was later incorporated into theKingdom of Saudi Arabia.The zone was partitioned in 1981 but the treaty was not filed with theUnited Nations.The zone was finally officially abolished during thePersian Gulf War,when Iraq and Saudi Arabia cancelled all international agreements with each other.
• Saudi–Kuwaiti neutral zone– The Uqair Protocol established a neutral zone between the Sultanate of Nejd and theBritish protectorateofKuwaitin 1922. It was partitioned by mutual agreement in 1970.
• Israel and Egypt:
  • Following the1948 Arab–Israeli War,a DMZ (theEl Auja Zone) was created by the1949 Armistice Agreementsbetween Israel and Egypt.
• Israel and Jordan:
  • The Israeli enclave and Jordanian area onMt. Scopuswas designated as a DMZ.
  • The area around theLatrunsalient.
• Israel and Syria: Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, three DMZs were created by the1949 Armistice Agreementsbetween Israel and Syria.
• China – The Imperial Japanese Army conqueredManchuriabetween September 1931 and February 1932, when they proclaimed the region the state ofManchukuo.In May 1933, theTanggu Trucebetween China and Japan was concluded, establishing a demilitarized zone between Manchukuo and China. In 1937 Japan violated this truce with an invasion of the remainder of China. In 1945, after the fall of the Japanese empire at the end of theAsia-Pacific theaterofWorld War II,Manchuria was re-incorporated into China.
• Ecuador – a demilitarized zone was established on 2 October 1941, after thewarbetween Ecuador andPeru,which existed underEcuadorianadministration and under the observation of neutral mediator nations: the United States, Brazil and Argentina.The DMZ was abolished in 1942, with the withdrawal ofPeruvian forcesfromEl Oro Provinceafter the signing of theRio Protocol.
• Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone– The demilitarized zone betweenNorth VietnamandSouth Vietnamwas established in July 1954 as a result of theGeneva Conferenceending the war between theViet MinhandFrance.The DMZ in Vietnam officially lay at the17th paralleland ended in 1976; in reality, it extended about 2 km (1 mi) on either side of theBến Hải Riverand west to east from theLaoborder to theSouth China Sea.
• Norway and Sweden established a demilitarized zone of 1 km (1,100 yards) on each side of their border after thedissolution of the union between Norway and Swedenin 1905. The zone was abolished by mutual agreement in 1993.
• El Caguán DMZ– A demilitarized zone was established in southernColombiabetween 1999 and 2002, during the failedpeace processthat involved the Government ofPresidentAndrés Pastranaand theRevolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia(FARC).
• Northern Syria Buffer Zone– A 115 km (71 mi) demilitarized zone in northern Syria straddling portions of theSyria–Turkey border.It was established between Turkey and the United States, bothNATOallies, during theSyrian Civil Warto prevent clashes betweenKurdishand Turkish forces.The DMZ collapsed in October 2019, after Turkey dismissed the agreement and the United States ordered a withdrawal of US forces from northern Syria, allowing the2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syriato go ahead.
• Ground Safety Zone– A 5-kilometre-wide (3.1 mi) demilitarized area betweenSerbiaandKosovowas created under theKumanovo Agreementfollowing theKosovo Warthat existed between 1999 and 2001. Following theInsurgency in the Preševo Valley,Serbian forces were allowed to enter GSZ.
• Idlib demilitarization agreement zone– A 15 km (9 mi) demilitarized zone, created by agreement betweenRussianandTurkishgovernment, splitting the last major stronghold of theSyrian rebelsfrom theSyrian governmentcontrolled area amidst theSyrian Civil War.

See also

• Buffer Zone
• Ceasefire
• Demilitarisation
• Demarcation line
• DMZ (computing)
• Green zone
• Humanitarian corridor
• List of established military terms
• No-fly zone
• Safe Zone (Syria)
• UNIKOM
• United Nations Safe Areas