The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, formally known as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), is an international agreement that aims to ban all nuclear explosions for both military and civilian purposes. Opened for signature in 1996, the treaty seeks to prevent the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons by prohibiting nuclear tests, thereby promoting global security and disarmament. Although the treaty has been signed by over 180 countries, it has not yet entered into force because several key nations, including the United States and China, have not ratified it. The treaty is monitored by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), which uses a global network of sensors to detect any nuclear explosions.