Ranking · Military
Nuclear weapons by country
Russia has the most nuclear warheads with about 5,420. The United States is second with about 5,040. Together they hold about 86% of the world's roughly 12,200 warheads. China is third with about 620. France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea hold the remaining roughly 1,100.
- Under 100
- 100–300
- 300–1,000
- Over 1,000
- Not in this ranking
| # | Country | Warheads | Share of world |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Russia |
5,420 | 44.5% |
| 2 |  United States |
5,042 | 41.4% |
| 3 |  China |
620 | 5.1% |
| 4 |  France |
370 | 3.0% |
| 5 |  United Kingdom |
225 | 1.8% |
| 6 |  India |
190 | 1.6% |
| 7 |  Pakistan |
170 | 1.4% |
| 8 |  Israel |
90 | 0.7% |
| 9 |  North Korea |
60 | 0.5% |
Why they rank where they do
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France
France's count includes about 80 older warheads taken off its submarines and waiting to be dismantled. France is the only nuclear power in the European Union.
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United Kingdom
Every British warhead is carried on Trident missiles aboard four Vanguard-class submarines. The United Kingdom has kept at least one nuclear-armed submarine on patrol at all times since 1969.
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India
India's arsenal has grown by about 20 warheads since 2024, according to FAS estimates, while Pakistan's has stayed the same size.
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Pakistan
Pakistan built its entire nuclear arsenal with one enemy in mind: India.
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North Korea
North Korea's arsenal is the most uncertain count of any nuclear state. North Korea has produced enough fissile material to build more warheads than it is thought to have assembled.
Is China's nuclear arsenal growing?
Yes. China has about 620 warheads today, and that number is growing fast. The Pentagon projects over 1,000 by 2030, up from a couple hundred a few years ago. Satellite imagery shows hundreds of new missile silos. China is moving from a minimal deterrent toward a much larger force.
Does Israel have nuclear weapons?
Israel has never confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons, a policy of deliberate ambiguity known as amimut. Estimates put Israel's arsenal at about 90 warheads. Those estimates rest heavily on information that technician Mordechai Vanunu leaked in 1986. Israel is the only nuclear-armed state that does not officially acknowledge its arsenal.
Is there a treaty limiting nuclear weapons?
New START was the last treaty limiting the Russian and American nuclear arsenals. It expired in February 2026, ending about half a century of negotiated limits between the two countries. No replacement has been reached. Russia and the United States hold about 86% of all nuclear warheads worldwide, and no agreement now limits how many either country can keep.
Read more
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Blog
Why do only nine countries have nuclear weapons?
John F. Kennedy expected twenty-five nuclear states by the 1970s. There are nine. The bomb was never the hard part, and the deal that kept the number low is breaking down.
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Blog
Why did Ukraine give up the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal?
In 1994 Ukraine held more warheads than Britain, France, and China combined. Within two years it gave them all up for a promise Russia would break.
