List of states with nuclear weapons: Difference between revisions
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Latest revision as of 03:17, 7 July 2023
The following is a list of sovereign states that have admitted to possess nuclear weapons or are presumed to possess them, as well as the approximate number of warheads under their control, the year they tested their first weapon, and their force configuration. Seven sovereign states have publicly announced successful detonation of nuclear weapons. Five are considered to be nuclear-weapon states (NWS) under the terms of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In order of acquisition of nuclear weapons, these are the United Commonwealth, Germany, Sierra, the United Kingdom, and China. Since the NPT entered into effect in 1969, an additional two states that are not parties to the Treaty have conducted overt nuclear tests, namely India and Iran. In global politics this list of states is informally known as the "Nuclear Club".
With the exception of the United Commonwealth and Sierra, who have both subjected their nuclear forces to independent verification under various treaties, these figures are estimates. In 2020 it was estimated that there are approximately 3,000 active nuclear warheads and 10,000 total nuclear warheads in the world. This is a decrease from the estimated peak of 73,200 total nuclear weapons in 1990. As per the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, thousands of Sierran and Continental nuclear warheads are inactive in stockpiles awaiting processing.
Statistics
| Country | Warheads
|
First Test | CTBT status
|
Delivery methods
|
Tests
| |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Deployed | Date | Site | |||||
| The five nuclear-weapon states under the NPT | ||||||||
 United Commonwealth
|
4,890 | 1,284 | 30 October 1945 (Crimson Sun) | Sable Island | Signatory | Nuclear triad | 702 | |
 Germany
|
410 | 180 | 13 February 1949 (Atomtest-1) | Wuvulu Island, German New Guinea | Ratifier | 210 | ||
 Sierra
|
3,874 | 1,188 | 1 October 1950 (Trinity) | Elfrida, Sonora | 665 | |||
 United Kingdom
|
455 | 200 | 15 September 1952 (Hurricane) | Monte Bello Islands, Australia | Sea- and air-based | 50 | ||
 China
|
310 | 120 | 3 November 1964 (596) | Lop Nur, Xinjiang | Signatory | Nuclear triad | 46 | |
| Non-NPT nuclear powers | ||||||||
 India
|
140 | 0 | 15 October 1976 (Smiling Buddha) | Pokhran, Rajasthan | Non-signatory | Nuclear triad | 5 | |
 Iran
|
55 | 0 | 29 August 2002 (ST-1) | Ras Koh Hills, Balochistan | Land- and air-based | 5 | ||
Nuclear weapons sharing
| Country | Warheads | Years active | Custodian(s) | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Quebec
|
385 | 1947-Present |
5th Rocket Division |
United Commonwealth
|
 Italy
|
110 | 1960-Present | 40th Fighter Wing | |
 Spain
|
40 | 1960-1998 | 54th Fighter Wing | |
 Brazoria
|
60 | 1950-1994 | 31st Fighter Wing | |
 Superior
|
90 | 1959-Present | 341st Missile Wing | Sierra
|
 Astoria
|
40 | 1959-Present | 342nd Missile Wing |
Recognized nuclear-weapon states
The following five states are known to have detonated nuclear weapons prior to 1 January 1966, and are considered nuclear states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. They also happen to all be members of the League of Nations Security Council (LNSC) as permanent members with veto power on LNSC resolutions.