22 %.

This is coolbert:

Thanks to Der Spiegel:

"Landmines in the Desert Sand"

"Nazi Landmines Block Egypt's Access to Oil and Gas"

"Egypt is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The unexploded ordnance left lying in its desert from World War II battles ranks the country right up there with Afghanistan on this dubious list."

"Some 22 million landmines and unexploded ordnance have lain hidden in the northwest of Egypt since World War II"

These mines were laid almost exclusively by the Germans and British, and to a much lesser extent by the Italians? Just around El Alamein alone the Germans placed into the ground a half million or so mines? Prodigious amounts of mines in a small spot. These mine fields to some extent were mapped and marked according to international protocols. Those maps still exist?

"So far, the military has only removed 2.9 million mines and unexploded shells from the core battle area"

This is the Egyptian military. I would have to think that just in the process of removing all that unexploded [UX] ordnance and mines a lot of troops perhaps died in the process. Removal of UX and mines in the western desert of Egypt would pose not so difficult a problem as it would in other locales? I am not sure.

"The former battleground is a treasure trove of raw materials such as oil, natural gas and ore."

"But the mines deny access to a landmass of approximately 22 percent of the national territory"

22 percent of Egypt is off-limits denied territory. NOT safe for anyone to enter for any reason. Too much danger from being blown sky high by a land mine laid down nearly seventy years ago now!!

22 percent of your territory being denied is a very serious matter for the Egyptian. A burgeoning population needs space to live and the over crowed masses living along the Nile need SPACE! Wealth too in the form of oil and gas reserves cannot be gotten to without great risk!

And in the aftermath of WW2, NONE OF THE INSTIGATORS EVER THOUGHT TO CLEAN UP THE PROBLEM? I guess not!

coolbert.