The numbers coming out of what happened in New York and Washington last Tuesday are almost too big to comprehend: Thousands believed dead. Millions of pounds of rubble where the World Trade Center and part of the Pentagon stood. Billions of dollars expected to be sent to New York as aid.
That's why Heritage Foundation analysts are trying to give these
numbers some context. Below is a quick reference guide from
Heritage's Center for Data Analysis (CDA) that includes figures and
facts about:
The number of hijacking incidents from 1975 to
2000.
American casualties caused by terrorist attacks
from (1995-2000)
Total anti-U.S. attacks in 2000.
The volume of domestic air traffic in 2000.
Casualty figures from U.S. wars and battles.
We hope you find this useful as you pursue different angles to a story that will go on for months.
However, if you need other data or need someone to answer a specific statistical question not included here, please call Dexter Ingram, Threat Assesment Specialist, at (202) 608-6227. The Heritage Foundation has access to several government databases from agencies such as the Census Bureau, the State Department and the Department of Transportation-and can help you out in a hurry.
|
Year |
U.S. registered Aircraft |
Foreign-registered Aircraft |
|
1975 |
6 |
13 |
|
1976 |
2 |
14 |
|
1977 |
5 |
26 |
|
1978 |
7 |
17 |
|
1979 |
11 |
13 |
|
1980 |
21 |
18 |
|
1981 |
7 |
23 |
|
1982 |
9 |
22 |
|
1983 |
17 |
15 |
|
1984 |
5 |
21 |
|
1985 |
4 |
22 |
|
1986 |
2 |
5 |
|
1987 |
3 |
5 |
|
1988 |
1 |
10 |
|
1989 |
1 |
14 |
|
1990 |
1 |
39 |
|
1991 |
1 |
23 |
|
1992 |
0 |
12 |
|
1993 |
0 |
31 |
|
1994 |
0 |
23 |
|
1995 |
0 |
9 |
|
1996 |
0 |
14 |
|
1997 |
0 |
10 |
|
1998 |
0 |
9 |
|
1999 |
0 |
11 |
|
2000 |
0 |
20 |
Note: This does not include commandeering or bombings of airplanes. The difference between commandeering and hijacking is that a hijacking is defined as a case where a passenger takes over a plane or attempts to take over a plane after the doors are closed (even if the plane is still on the ground).
Number of International
Terrorist Attacks
From 1981 to 2000, there were a total of 9,179 international
terrorist attacks (excluding intra-Palestinian violence), averaging
at 459 attacks a year.
The number of terrorism attacks was at its highest in mid-1980s.
The average number of annual attacks between 1985 and 1988 numbered
about 630.
Terrorism declined in the mid-1990s and was at its lowest in 1998,
when only 274 attacks were recorded. It increased in 1999 to 392
attacks, and 423 attacks in 2000.
Facilities Struck By Terrorist
Attacks, 1995-2000
Businesses are the target of choice of international terrorists.
From 1995 to 2000, an average of 67 percent of international
terrorists targeted businesses. That's compared to only 7 percent
aimed at diplomats and 3.5 percent at government facilities.
A total of 1,842 businesses were attacked abroad by
international terrorists-compared to 200 diplomatic posts and 97
government facilities.
Only 48 military facilities, or less than 2 percent of the total
number of attacks, were hit by international terrorists.
Of the roughly 2,850 attacks launched, 571 were aimed at other
establishments.
American Casualties Caused by Attacks, 1995-2000
From 1995 to 2000, 77 Americans died as a result of international terrorist attacks. That's an average of 13 per year.
During the same period, 651 Americans were wounded by international terrorists, or an average of 109 per year.
From 1995 to 2000, Latin America experienced the most international terrorist attacks with 729. That's an average of 122 attacks per year. The year 2000 saw the most attacks in Latin America, when 193 were recorded.
Western Europe is second with 608 attacks, an average of 101 per year. The overall number of terrorist attacks there, however, has been decreasing from a high of 272 in 1995 to a low of 30 in 2000.
Asia has been seeing a rise in terrorist attacks, from 16 in 1995 to a high of 98 in 2000, for a total of 267 for the 6-year period.
North America has had the lowest concentration of international terrorist attacks. Only 15 were recorded from 1995 to 2000.
Total Terrorist Deaths from Attacks by Region, 1995-2000Asia suffered the most deaths as a result of terrorist attacks; a total of 9,713 perished there from 1995 to 2000. Africa follows with 5,762 deaths for the 6-year period. The Middle East comes next with 2,190, and Western Europe with1,212. North America had the least number of dead, with only seven during that period.
Asia has the highest number of deaths in a single year for any region, with 5,639 dead in 1995. This is followed by Africa with 5,379 deaths in 1998.
In 2000, 86 percent of anti-U.S. attacks occurred in Latin America. The rest of the anti-U.S. attacks came in Asia (4.5 percent), Western Europe (3.5 percent), Africa (3 percent), Eurasia (2 percent) and the Middle East (1 percent). This includes attacks against U.S. facilities and attacks in which American citizens suffered casualties.
A majority of the attacks were in the form of bombings (90 percent). Other methods used were: kidnapping (6 percent), armed attack (2 percent), arson (1 percent), firebombing (1 percent), and other methods (2 percent).
Businesses were the common target for nearly 87 percent of these attacks. Only about 3 percent of the attacks were directed at military establishments and facilities. Diplomatic establishments were next (1.5 percent) followed by government facilities that were neither military nor diplomatic. (less than 1 percent).
Domestic Air
Traffic in 2000
U.S.-based airplanes-from commuter planes to jumbo jets-took off more than 8.8 million times last year, or 24,100 flights per day.
More than 80 air carriers, including freight, commuter, charter and major commercial transporters, departed from 565 regional and major American airports every day.
Major domestic passenger airline statistics:
American: 743,000+ departures
Continental: 397,000+ departures
Delta: 900,000+ departures
Northwest: 563,000+ departures
TWA: 274,000+ departures
United: 750,000+ departures
U.S. Airways 736,000+ departures
Airplane Accidents in the United StatesThere were 47 accidents involving airplanes last year, or less than one per week.
Only 21 of them were considered "serious" accidents, producing some kind of injury.
Only three led to a loss of life.
Most of the "serious" accidents occurred when individuals (usually flight attendants) were hurt due to moderate or severe air turbulence.
Arrests at U.S. Airports From Airline Passenger Screening, 1980-1998
|
Persons Arrested |
|||
|
Year |
Passengers Screened (Millions) |
Carrying firearms/explosives |
Giving False Info |
|
1980 |
585 |
1,031 |
32 |
|
1981 |
599 |
1,187 |
49 |
|
1982 |
630 |
1,314 |
27 |
|
1983 |
709 |
1,282 |
34 |
|
1984 |
776 |
1,285 |
27 |
|
1985 |
993 |
1,310 |
42 |
|
1986 |
1,055 |
1,415 |
89 |
|
1987 |
1,096 |
1,581 |
81 |
|
1988 |
1,055 |
1,493 |
222 |
|
1989 |
1,113 |
1,436 |
83 |
|
1990 |
1,145 |
1,336 |
18 |
|
1991 |
1,015 |
893 |
28 |
|
1992 |
1,111 |
1,282 |
13 |
|
1993 |
1,150 |
1,354 |
31 |
|
1994 |
1,261 |
1,433 |
35 |
|
1995 |
1,263 |
1,194 |
68 |
|
1996 |
1,497 |
999 |
131 |
|
1997 |
1,660 |
924 |
72 |
|
1998 |
1,903 |
660 |
86 |
Use of
Airplanes for Long Trips (100+ miles), 1995 (most recent date
available)
There were 1 billion person-trips* over 100 miles taken in 1995
Almost 16 percent of those were on airplanes.
Of those airplane flights, about 43 percent were for business purposes.
Those who are 65+ years old took only 8.3 percent of all airplane flights.
The majority of air passengers (65 percent) have household incomes greater than $50,000.
* A person-trip is one person travelling to a destination. For example, if a family of three flies from Albuquerque to San Jose, that is considered three person-trips.
American Revolution (April 19, 1775-Oct. 18, 1781): 4,435
War of 1812 (June 18, 1812 - February 17,
1815): 2,260
Antietam (Sept. 17, 1862): 5,425
Pearl Harbor (Dec. 6, 1941): 2,388
D-Day (June 6, 1944): 4,900
Iwo Jima (Feb. 19-March 25, 1945): 6,503
Inchon Landing (Sept. 15-22, 1950): 670
Tet Offensive (Jan. 27-June 1, 1968): 7,040
# # #
The Center for Data Analysisis the statistical department of The Heritage Foundation (www.heritage.org), a Washington-based public policy institute.
