List of states with nuclear weapons

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Map of nuclear-armed states of the world.
  Other states believed to have nuclear weapons (Israel)

There are eight sovereign states that have successfully detonated nuclear weapons. Five are considered to be "nuclear-weapon states" (NWS) under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In order of acquisition of nuclear weapons these are: the United States, the Russian Federation (successor state to the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom, France, and China. Nations that are known or believed to possess nuclear weapons are sometimes referred to informally as the nuclear club.





From a high of 68,000 active weapons in 1985, as of 2014 there are some 4,000 active nuclear warheads and some 16,400 total nuclear warheads in the world.[3] Many of the decommissioned weapons were simply stored or partially dismantled, not destroyed.[4]

Country Warheads active/total[nb 1] Date of first test CTBT status[5] Delivery mechanisms
The five nuclear-weapon states under the NPT
United States 1,920 / 7,315[3] 16 July 1945 ("Trinity") Signatory Nuclear triad
Russia 1,600 / 8,000[3] 29 August 1949 ("RDS-1") Ratifier Nuclear triad
United Kingdom 160 / 225[3] 3 October 1952 ("Hurricane") Ratifier Sea-based forces only
France 290 / 300[3] 13 February 1960 ("Gerboise Bleue") Ratifier Sea-based forces
China n.a. / 250[3] 16 October 1964 ("596") Signatory Land-based forces
Non-NPT nuclear powers
India n.a. / 90–110[3] 18 May 1974 ("Smiling Buddha") Non-signatory Land-based forces
Pakistan n.a. / 100–120[3] 28 May 1998 ("Chagai-I") Non-signatory Land-based forces
North Korea n.a. / <10[3] 9 October 2006[6] Non-signatory Land-based forces
Undeclared nuclear powers
Israel n.a. / 80,[3] 60-400[7][8] Unknown (suspected 22 September 1979) Signatory Suspected Nuclear triad

Five nuclear-weapon states under the NPT[edit]


United States[edit]


Soviet Union / Russian Federation[edit]


United Kingdom[edit]





China tested its first nuclear weapon device ("596") in 1964 at the Lop Nur test site. The weapon was developed as a deterrent against both the United States and the Soviet Union. Two years later, China had a fission bomb capable of being put onto a nuclear missile. It tested its first hydrogen bomb ("Test No. 6") in 1967, a mere 32 months after testing its first nuclear weapon (the shortest fission-to-fusion development known in history).[20] The country is currently thought to have had a stockpile of around 240 warheads, though because of the limited information available, estimates range from 100 to 400.[21][22][23] China is the only NPT nuclear-weapon state to give an unqualified negative security assurance due to its "no first use" policy.[24][25] China signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1992.[19]

Other states declaring possession of nuclear weapons[edit]




Indian officials rejected the NPT in the 1960s on the grounds that it created a world of nuclear "haves" and "have-nots," arguing that it unnecessarily restricted peaceful activity (including peaceful nuclear explosives), and that India would not accede to international control of their nuclear facilities unless all other countries engaged in unilateral disarmament of their own nuclear weapons. The Indian position has also asserted that the NPT is in many ways a neo-colonial regime designed to deny security to post-colonial powers.[26] Even after its 1974 test, India maintained that its nuclear capability was primarily "peaceful", but between 1988 and 1990 it apparently weaponized two dozen nuclear weapons for delivery by air.[27] In 1998 India tested weaponized nuclear warheads ("Operation Shakti"), including a thermonuclear device.[28]

In July 2005, U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced plans to conclude an Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement.[29] This came to fruition through a series of steps that included India’s announced plan to separate its civil and military nuclear programs in March 2006,[30] the passage of the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act by the U.S. Congress in December 2006, the conclusion of a U.S.-India nuclear cooperation agreement in July 2007,[31] approval by the IAEA of an India-specific safeguards agreement,[32] agreement by the Nuclear Suppliers Group to a waiver of export restrictions for India,[33] approval by the U.S. Congress[34] and culminating in the signature of U.S.-India agreement for civil nuclear cooperation[35] in October 2008. The U.S. State Department said it made it "very clear that we will not recognize India as a nuclear-weapon state".[36] The United States is bound by the Hyde Act with India and may cease all cooperation with India if India detonates a nuclear explosive device. The US had further said it is not its intention to assist India in the design, construction or operation of sensitive nuclear technologies through the transfer of dual-use items.[37] In establishing an exemption for India, the Nuclear Suppliers Group reserved the right to consult on any future issues which might trouble it.[38] As of early 2013, India was estimated to have had a stockpile of around 90–110 warheads.[3]



It is believed that Pakistan has possessed nuclear weapons since the mid-1980s.[39] The United States continued to certify that Pakistan did not possess such weapons until 1990, when sanctions were imposed under the Pressler Amendment, requiring a cutoff of U.S. economic and military assistance to Pakistan.[40] In 1998, Pakistan conducted its first six nuclear tests at the Chagai Hills, in response to the five tests conducted by India a few weeks before.


As of early 2013, Pakistan was estimated to have had a stockpile of around 100–120 warheads.[3]

North Korea[edit]


Other states believed to possess nuclear weapons[edit]





Nuclear weapons sharing[edit]

U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe[50]
Country Air base Custodian Warheads
 Belgium Kleine Brogel 52d Fighter Wing 10~20
 Germany Büchel 52d Fighter Wing 10~20
 Italy Ghedi Torre 6th Fighter Wing 10~20
Aviano 31st Fighter Wing 50
 Netherlands Volkel 52d Fighter Wing 10~20
 Turkey Incirlik 39th Air Base Wing 60~70
Total 150~200
  • Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey
Under NATO nuclear weapons sharing, the United States has provided nuclear weapons for Belgium,[51] Germany,[51] Italy, the Netherlands,[51] and Turkey[51] to deploy and store.[52] This involves pilots and other staff of the "non-nuclear" NATO states practicing, handling, and delivering the U.S. nuclear bombs, and adapting non-U.S. warplanes to deliver U.S. nuclear bombs. U.S. nuclear weapons were also deployed in Canada until 1984, and in Greece until 2001 for nuclear sharing purposes.[53]
Members of the Non-Aligned Movement have called on all countries to "refrain from nuclear sharing for military purposes under any kind of security arrangements."[54] The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) has criticized the arrangement for allegedly violating Articles I and II of the NPT, arguing that "these Articles do not permit the NWS to delegate the control of their nuclear weapons directly or indirectly to others."[55] NATO has argued that the weapons' sharing is compliant with the NPT because "the U.S. nuclear weapons based in Europe are in the sole possession and under constant and complete custody and control of the United States."[56]

States formerly possessing nuclear weapons[edit]

Nuclear weapons have been present in many nations, often as staging grounds under control of other powers. However, in only one instance has a nation given up nuclear weapons after being in control of them; in most cases this has been because of special political circumstances. The fall of the Soviet Union, for example, left several former Soviet republics in possession of nuclear weapons.

Spare bomb casings from South Africa's nuclear weapon program

South Africa[edit]


Former Soviet countries[edit]

  • Ukraine has acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Ukraine inherited about 5,000 nuclear weapons when it became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, making its nuclear arsenal the third-largest in the world.[60] By 1996, Ukraine had voluntarily disposed of all nuclear weapons within its territory, disassembling them in Russia.[61]

See also[edit]




  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Federation of American Scientists: Status of World Nuclear Forces". Early 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-26. 
  5. ^ "Status of Signature and Ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty". Retrieved 13 January 2012. 
  13. ^ [2]
  18. ^ France 'would use nuclear arms' (BBC, January 2006)
  21. ^ [3][4][5]
  25. ^ Statement on security assurances issued on 5 April 1995 by the People’s Republic of China. United Nations. 6 April 1995. S/1995/265. Retrieved 20 September 2012. 
  33. ^ Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India
  37. ^ Was India misled by America on nuclear deal?, Indian Express.
  38. ^ ACA: Final NSG Statement
  39. ^ NTI Pakistan Profile, retrieved 22 April 2012.
  43. ^ a b NTI Israel Profile Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  49. ^ Israel's Nuclear Weapons, Federation of American Scientists (August 17, 2000)
  51. ^ a b c d Murphy, Philip D. (12 November 2009). "NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HEUSGEN ON AFGHANISTAN, MIDDLE EAST, IRAN, DETAINEES, RUSSIA, NUKES AND BALKANS". Cablegate. Wikileaks. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010. "a withdrawal of nuclear weapons from Germany and perhaps from Belgium and the Netherlands could make it very difficult politically for Turkey to maintain its own stockpile" 
  53. ^ Hans M. Kristensen (February 2005). U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe. Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved 2006-05-23. 
  58. ^ Belarus Special Weapons, Federation of American Scientists
  59. ^ Kazakhstan Special Weapons, Federation of American Scientists
  60. ^ Ukraine Special Weapons,
  61. ^ Ukraine Special Weapons, Federation of American Scientists

External links[edit]