The Nuclear Security Summit that just ended Friday in Washington, DC wrangled over several thorny nuclear proliferation and terrorism issues, and involved over 50 countries. But the two countries on everyone’s mind were North Korea, China and Russia. North Korea, because of its recent nuclear and missile programme. China, because they have started on the world’s largest nuclear build-up in 50 years. And Russia, because they decided not to attend at all.
But many other countries, including the US, have known stockpiles of nuclear weapons.
Nine countries together possess more than 15,000 nuclear weapons; the US and Russia possess 93% of them. The US and Russia maintain roughly 2,000 of their nuclear weapons on high-alert status – ready to be launched within minutes of a warning.
The failure of the nuclear powers to disarm has heightened the risk that other countries will acquire nuclear weapons. The only guarantee against the spread and use of nuclear weapons is to eliminate them without delay. Although the leaders of some nuclear-armed nations have expressed their vision for a nuclear-weapon-free world, they have failed to develop any detailed plans to eliminate their arsenals and are modernising them.
While the exact number in each country’s arsenal is often a closely guarded secret, some information is publicly available. Here’s a breakdown of nuclear arsenals by country, based on data from leading experts in nuclear estimates.
Russia
Total nuclear weapons: 7,300
Operational: 1,790
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 4,490
Total nuclear tests: 715.
First test: August 1949
Most recent test: October 1990
United States
Total nuclear weapons: 6,970
Operational: 1,750
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 4,670
Total nuclear tests: 1,030
First test: July 1945
Most recent test: September 1992
China
Total nuclear weapons: 260
Operational: 0. All are in stockpile.
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 260
Total nuclear tests: 45
First test: October 1964
Most recent test: July 1996
United Kingdom
Total nuclear weapons: 215
Operational: 120
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 95
Total nuclear tests: 45
First test: October 1952
Most recent test: November 1991
France
Total nuclear weapons: About 300
Operational: 280
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 10
Total nuclear tests: 210
First test: February 1960
Most recent test: January 1996
India
Total nuclear weapons: 110 to 120
Operational: 0. All are in stockpile.
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 110 to 120
Total nuclear tests: 3
First test: May 1974
Most recent test: May 1998
Israel
Total nuclear weapons: 80
Operational: 0. All are in stockpile.
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: 80
Total nuclear tests: 0.
There haven’t been any confirmed tests.
North Korea
Total nuclear weapons: Unknown.
Total nuclear tests: 4
First test: October 2006
Most recent test: January 2016
Pakistan
Total nuclear weapons: 110 to 130
Operational: 0
Retired/awaiting dismantlement: all 110 to 130
Total nuclear tests: 2
First test: May 28, 1998
Most recent test: May 30, 1998