Home > List of countries with nuclear weapons
There are currently five nations considered to be "nuclear weapons nations", an internationally recognized status conferred by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In order of acquisition of nuclear weapons these are: the United States of America, Russia (formerly the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom, France, and the People's Republic of China. Since the nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan, both nations have publicly declared themselves to be in possession of a nuclear arsenal, but this status is not formally recognized by international bodies; neither of the two countries have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
1 Declared nuclear states in order of total number of warheads
The following is a list of nations that have admitted the possession of nuclear weapons, the approximate number of warheads under their control in 2002, and the year they tested their first weapon. This list is informally known in global politics as the "Nuclear Club". Note that with the exception of Russia and the United States (which have subjected their nuclear forces to independent verification under various treaties) these figures are estimates, in some cases quite unreliable estimates. Also, these figures represent total warheads possessed, rather than deployed. In particular, under the SORT treaty thousands of Russian and US warheads are in inactive stockpiles awaiting destruction.
| Country | Number | Year of first test
|
| United States | 10,240 | 1945
|
| Russia (formerly the Soviet Union) | 8,400 | 19491949 is the common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 4 RMS Caronia of the Cunard Line departs Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage January 4 February 22 Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming,
|
| People's Republic of China | 390 | 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort
|
| France | 350 | 1960Events January-February January 1 Independence of Cameroon January 9 Aswan High Dam construction begins in Egypt January 11 Chad declares its independence. January 14 Ralph Chubb, the gay poet and printer, dies at Fair Oak Cottage in Hampshire. January 23
|
| United Kingdom | 200-300 | 1952Summary of notable events in 1952 . Events January events January 8 West Germany has 8 million refugees inside its borders. January 24 Sudden heavy snowfall in Algeria. January 24 Vincent Massey sworn in as first Canada-born Governor-General of Canada.
|
| India | 60-90 | 1974
|
| Pakistan | 24-48 | 1998
|
From a high of 65,000 weapons in 1985, there were about 20,000 nuclear weapons in the world in 2002.
(Statistics from National Resources Defense Council [1])
