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Underground U.S. testing in 1992 (Source)

Limited Test Ban Treaty (Full Text)
This treaty, signed in 1963, eliminated the testing of nuclear weapons in the air, in space, and under water. While testing was still allowed underground, restrictions prohibited the underground testing if it caused "radioactive debris to be present outside the territorial limits of the State under whose jurisdiction or control" the explosions were conducted.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (Full Text)
First signed in 1968, the NPT was established to limit the globalization of nuclear weapons technology. States currently possessing weapons agreed not to disseminate nuclear weapons to those states without them, and states without nuclear weapons agreed not to accept them. Under this agreement, states possessing nuclear technology agreed to help establish nuclear power systems in those countries without them. Signing countries agreed to be monitored by the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA).

A ground-based missile prohibited under the INF. Source

Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) (Full Text)
The Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was the first to reduce the size of active arsenals. Signed by both the United States and the Soviet Union in 1988, it eliminated all ground-based, medium range nuclear missiles stationed in Europe.

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) (Text of START I, Text of START II)
The Goal of these two treaties was to reduce the size of the active nuclear arsenals in the U.S. and former Soviet Union. START 1 was signed in 1991, and when completed, had reduced the strategic arsenals of the U.S. and former Soviet Union by 30-40 percent⁶. START II was first signed in 1993 but was not ratified by Russia until 1999. The versions ratified by both countries were also not the same. Russia pulled out of this treaty on June 14, 2002.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (Full Text)
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty required all signing countries to agree "not to carry out any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion." The treaty was opened for signature in September 1996, and still North Korea, Pakistan, and India have yet to sign. Also many countries have yet to ratify the treaty (pass it in the parliament or congress). The U.S. has not ratified the treaty protesting that it would be too difficult to monitor and that other countries would not follow it. The monitoring aspects of the treaty cannot be put into effect until all 44 countries possessing nuclear research (in 1996) have signed and ratified it⁷.

Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (Full Text)
This treaty required both Russia and the United States to reduce their strategic nuclear warheads to 1700-2200 by the end of 2012. This would reduce the current level by nearly two-thirds. It was signed by Presidents Bush and Putin in 2002.

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