Anti personnel mine is a kind of mine aimed at human use, while anti tank mine is aimed at vehicle use. Anti personnel mines can be divided into explosive mines or fragmentary mines, which may or may not be border mines.

Mines are often designed to harm rather than kill their victims in order to increase the logistical (mainly medical) support needed by the enemy that encounters them. Some types of anti personnel mines can also damage the tracks on the tires of armored vehicles or wheeled vehicles.

The international campaign to ban landmines seeks to ban mines that culminated in the 1997 Ottawa Treaty, although it has not yet been accepted by many countries, including the United States, Russia, the people's Republic of China, Pakistan and India.