Countries with the most nuclear weapons: If someone asks you what happened on 6 August 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it might be difficult for you to elaborate on that devastating historical day.
It was the day when the United States dropped "Little Boy", an atomic bomb, on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II. Just 3 days after this incident, the US again dropped another nuclear bomb, "Fat Man", on August 9, 1945, in Nagasaki.
Fast forward, and the US became the only nation to use this catastrophic power for the first time. The world then saw the explosive development of nuclear weapons and technology.
Other countries eventually developed nuclear capabilities as well. In this article, we’ll take a better look at the countries with nukes and how they have impacted global politics and security.
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Which Country Has the Most Nuclear Weapons?
At present, in total, nine countries hold the power to possess nuclear weapons. However, according to ICAN, Russia holds the foremost position for possessing the most nuclear weapons among the other nuclear powers. It possesses more than 5,500 nuclear warheads.
- Country: Russia
- Capital: Moscow
- Continent: Transcontinental country, spanning both Europe and Asia
- Population: approx. 144 million
- Rank in Nuclear-powered countries: #1
- President: Vladimir Putin
- Defence Minister: Andrey Belousov
List of Countries with Nuclear Weapons
According to ICAN, here’s the list of the countries with the most nuclear weapons in the world.
| Rank | Country | No. of Nuclear Weapons |
| 1 | Russia | Possesses 5,449 nuclear weapons |
| 2 | US | Possesses 5,277 nuclear weapons |
| 3 | China | Possesses 600 nuclear weapons |
| 4 | France | Possesses 290 nuclear weapons |
| 5 | UK | Possesses 225 nuclear weapons |
| 6 | India | Possesses 180 nuclear weapons |
| 7 | Pakistan | Possesses 170 nuclear weapons |
| 8 | Israel | Possesses 90 nuclear weapons |
| 9 | North Korea | Possesses 50 nuclear weapons |
The United States and Russia, the two former Cold War superpowers, collectively control about 88% of the world's total nuclear arsenal and 84% of military-ready warheads.
Since the Cold War peak, global nuclear arsenals have significantly decreased from approximately 70,300 warheads in 1986 to an estimated 12,331 by early 2025.
Here are the current nuclear weapon counts by country:
- Russia: 5,449 warheads
- United States: 5,277 warheads
- China: 600 warheads
- France: 290 warheads
- United Kingdom: 225 warheads
- India: 180 warheads
- Pakistan: 170 warheads
- Israel: 90 warheads
- North Korea: 50 warheads
Focus on India:
Source: The Indian Express
India, currently holding the 6th position globally in terms of nuclear warhead numbers, is actively increasing its nuclear capabilities. This development is especially noteworthy when considered alongside its neighbours, China and Pakistan, who are also pursuing similar expansions.
The fact that India and Pakistan are ranked consecutively (6th and 7th, respectively) in nuclear arsenal size adds a layer of complexity and risk to their already strained bilateral relations. The recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir – a region with a long history of conflict between the two countries – serves as a stark reminder of the volatile security landscape.
While the United States and Russia, the two largest nuclear powers, are engaged in a gradual reduction of their stockpiles through the dismantling of retired warheads, India stands out as one of the nations actively growing its nuclear inventory.
This contrasts with the prevailing view among most nuclear-armed states that a few hundred nuclear weapons are sufficient to address national security concerns. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) study from early 2025 estimates the total global nuclear warhead count to be around 12,331.
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Who Are The Top 5 Nuclear Superpowers?
As of 2025, the top five nuclear superpowers, ranked by their estimated number of nuclear warheads, are Russia, the United States, China, France, and the United Kingdom. Russia leads with approximately 5,449 warheads, closely followed by the United States with about 5,277.
Together, these two nations possess roughly 88% of the world's total nuclear arsenal. China comes in third with an estimated 600 warheads, while France and the United Kingdom round out the top five with approximately 290 and 225 warheads, respectively.
What Are Nuclear Weapons?
Source: FAS
Nuclear weapons are explosive arsenals which are considered to be a catastrophic force and can erase a whole country in a single blast.
They get their destructive force from nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or a combination of both. They are commonly known as atom bombs, atomic bombs, A-bombs, nuclear bombs, nuclear warheads, or simply nukes.
These weapons fall into two broad categories: fission and combination weapons, or the more destructive fusion-based designs (thermonuclear weapons), also known as hydrogen bombs or H-bombs.
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