Nuclear Weapons by Country: 9 Nations, an Estimated 12,187 Warheads
01Nuclear Weapons by Country (Ranked by Total Inventory)
9 Nuclear-Armed States Ranked by Total Inventory (January 2026)
02Estimated Nuclear Arsenal Data by Country
| Rank | Country | Total Inventory | Military Stockpile | Deployed | First Test | NPT Status | Nuclear Triad |
|---|
SIPRI estimates for January 2026 (SIPRI Yearbook 2026). Every figure is an estimate, not an official count; the US and UK publish some official stockpile data, while figures for Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and India carry much wider uncertainty. SIPRI notes that India's 12 deployed warheads (about 12 warheads it may occasionally deploy on one ballistic missile submarine) are especially uncertain. Totals are sums of these estimates. First Test is the first confirmed nuclear test explosion; Israel has never confirmed a test, and its ~1967 date is an estimate of when it first had a usable weapon. Nuclear Triad means delivery systems on land, at sea and in the air (see the definition below).
03Global Deployment Status
Global Nuclear Warhead Deployment Status (12,187 Total)
04Historical Nuclear Stockpile Trends (1945-2025)
Global Nuclear Stockpile Growth and Decline (1945-2025)
05Nuclear Delivery Systems
The Nuclear Triad
Four countries field nuclear delivery systems on land, at sea and in the air - a nuclear triad in the broad sense: United States, Russia, China, and India. The US and Russia use long-range strategic bombers for the air leg, and China uses its H-6N bomber. India has no strategic bombers; its air leg is nuclear-capable fighter-bombers (Mirage 2000H and Jaguar IS), and FAS describes its triad, especially the sea leg, as still nascent. The triad provides redundancy, survivability, and flexibility in nuclear deterrence.
Land-Based: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)
Characteristics: Launched from underground silos or mobile launchers. Most responsive leg of the triad - can be launched within minutes. Vulnerable to first strike but create complex targeting problem for adversaries.
Examples: US Minuteman III (450 silos), Russia RS-24 Yars, China DF-41, India Agni-V
| Range | 5,500+ km (3,400+ mi) |
| Launch Time | Minutes |
| Flight Time | 30 minutes (intercontinental) |
| Warhead Yield | Up to several megatons |
Sea-Based: Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs)
Characteristics: Launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Most survivable leg - submarines remain hidden in ocean depths. Each submarine covers over 1 million square miles on patrol.
Examples: US Trident II D5 (14 Ohio-class submarines), Russia RSM-56 Bulava, UK Trident D5, France M51, China JL-3
| Range | 7,400-12,000 km |
| Launch Capability | Underwater |
| Detection Difficulty | Very High |
| Patrol Duration | 2-3 months |
Air-Based: Strategic Bombers
Characteristics: Carry nuclear gravity bombs or air-launched cruise missiles. Most flexible leg - can be recalled mid-flight, visible deterrent signal, can loiter for extended periods.
Examples: US B-2 Spirit, B-52H Stratofortress, Russia Tu-95 Bear, Tu-160 Blackjack, China H-6N
| Range | 10,000+ km unrefueled |
| Recallability | Yes |
| Visibility | High (deterrent signal) |
| Speed | Subsonic to supersonic |
06Delivery System Capabilities by Country
Nuclear Delivery System Platforms by Country
07United States Nuclear Weapon Storage Locations
Geographic Distribution
The United States stores nuclear weapons at 24 locations across 11 US states and 5 European countries. Approximately 1,770 warheads are deployed, with the remainder in reserve storage. The table below lists the principal sites, not all 24.
| Location | Holdings | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Kirtland AFB, New Mexico | ~2,485 warheads | Underground Munitions Storage Complex |
| Pantex Plant, Texas | Assembly/Disassembly | Near Amarillo |
| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington | ~1,620 warheads | Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific |
| Malmstrom AFB, Montana | 150 ICBM silos | Minuteman III missiles |
| Minot AFB, North Dakota | 150 ICBM silos + Bombers | Minuteman III + B-52H bombers |
| F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming | 150 ICBM silos | Extends into Colorado & Nebraska |
| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia | Atlantic SLBM base | Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic |
| Whiteman AFB, Missouri | B-2 Stealth Bombers | 20 B-2 Spirit aircraft |
| Barksdale AFB, Louisiana | B-52H Bombers | Air-launched cruise missiles |
| Nellis AFB, Nevada | Tactical weapons storage | Training & testing support |
| Europe: NATO Nuclear Sharing | ~100 B61 bombs | 6 bases in 5 countries: |
08Countries That Voluntarily Gave Up Nuclear Weapons
South Africa (1989-1991)
| 1979- 1989: | Developed 6 gun-type fission weapons (similar to Hiroshima bomb). Enriched uranium at Valindaba facility. |
| 1989- 1991: | President F.W. de Klerk ordered dismantlement. All weapons destroyed, facilities decommissioned. |
| 1991: | Signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as non-nuclear-weapon state. |
| 1993: | Publicly announced former nuclear weapons program. Only country to voluntarily dismantle an independently developed nuclear arsenal. |
Ukraine (1991-1996)
| 1991: | Inherited ~1,700 strategic warheads + 2,883 tactical warheads after USSR collapse. Third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world (more than China, France, UK combined). |
| Weapons inherited: | 130 UR-100N ICBMs (6 warheads each), 46 RT-23 ICBMs (10 warheads each), 33 heavy bombers. |
| 1994: | Budapest Memorandum: US, UK, Russia provided security assurances in exchange for denuclearization. Trilateral Statement with US and Russia signed. |
| 1996: | Last warhead transferred to Russia for dismantlement. US provided $300+ million financial assistance via Nunn-Lugar program. |
| 2014- 2022: | Russia violated Budapest Memorandum: annexed Crimea (2014), full invasion (2022). |
Kazakhstan (1991-1995)
| 1991: | Inherited ~1,400 strategic warheads on 104 SS-18 ICBMs after USSR collapse. Also major nuclear test site (Semipalatinsk - 456 tests 1949-1989). |
| 1992: | Signed Lisbon Protocol to START I treaty. |
| 1994: | Signed Budapest Memorandum. Joined NPT as non-nuclear-weapon state. |
| 1995: | All warheads returned to Russia by April 1995. |
| 1996: | All 104 SS-18 silos eliminated. |
Belarus (1991-1996)
| 1991: | Inherited 81 strategic warheads on 81 single-warhead mobile SS-25 ICBMs after USSR collapse, plus an unknown number of tactical nuclear weapons. |
| 1992: | Signed Lisbon Protocol. Russia pressured Belarus into classified denuclearization agreement. |
| 1993: | Joined NPT as non-nuclear-weapon state. |
| 1996: | All SS-25 missiles and warheads returned to Russia. |
| 2023: | Russia deployed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus (weapons remain under Russian control). |
Other Countries That Abandoned Nuclear Programs
| 1970s | Sweden, South Korea, Taiwan discontinued weapons development programs. |
| 1980s | Argentina and Brazil ended programs after signing bilateral inspection agreements. |
| 1990s | South Africa dismantled completed arsenal (only country to do so independently). |
| Total | Nine countries on this page gave up nuclear weapons (South Africa, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus) or weapons programs (Sweden, South Korea, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil). Libya also renounced its program in December 2003. |
09Major Nuclear Arms Control Treaties
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Signed: 1968 | In Force: 1970 | Indefinite duration
Parties: 191 countries (nearly universal)
Non-signatories: India, Israel, Pakistan, South Sudan | Withdrew: North Korea (2003)
Key Provisions:
- Five recognized nuclear-weapon states (US, Russia, UK, France, China) - those who tested before 1967
- Non-nuclear-weapon states agree not to acquire nuclear weapons
- Nuclear-weapon states agree not to transfer weapons to non-nuclear states
- All parties have right to peaceful nuclear energy use
- Nuclear-weapon states commit to pursue disarmament negotiations in good faith (Article VI)
- IAEA safeguards and inspections for non-nuclear-weapon states
Status: Cornerstone of nuclear nonproliferation regime. Extended indefinitely in 1995. Review conferences every 5 years.
New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)
Signed: 2010 | In Force: 2011-2026 | Expired: February 5, 2026
Parties: United States and Russia (bilateral)
Key Limits:
- 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads (each side)
- 700 deployed ICBMs, SLBMs, and strategic bombers (each side)
- 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers, and strategic bombers (each side)
- Verification: 18 on-site inspections per year, data exchanges, telemetry
Status: Was the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia. Extended for 5 years in 2021. Russia suspended participation in 2023. In September 2025 Russia offered to keep observing the treaty's central limits for one more year after expiry; the United States did not formally accept. The treaty expired on February 5, 2026 with no successor agreement - for the first time since 1972, there are no binding limits on the US and Russian strategic arsenals.
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Adopted: 1996 | Opened for signature: September 1996
Signatories: 187 countries | Ratifications: 178 countries
Key Provision: Bans all nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosions (underground, underwater, atmospheric).
Verification: International Monitoring System (337 facilities): seismic stations, hydroacoustic, infrasound, radionuclide detection.
Entry into Force Requirement: Must be ratified by all 44 "Annex 2" states (nuclear-capable countries).
Status: Has NOT entered into force. Still waiting ratification from: China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, United States (signed but not ratified); India, North Korea, Pakistan (not signed). Russia ratified but withdrew ratification in 2023. Most countries observe testing moratorium despite treaty not being in force.
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty
Signed: 1987 (Reagan-Gorbachev) | In Force: 1988-2019 | Duration: 31 years
Parties: United States and Soviet Union/Russia
Key Provision: Eliminated all ground-based ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges 500-5,500 km. Resulted in destruction of 2,692 missiles.
Status: US withdrew August 2019 (accused Russia of violations with 9M729 cruise missile). Russia withdrew same day. Marked end of Cold War-era arms control architecture.
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
Adopted: 2017 | In Force: January 2021
Parties: 73 ratifications, 93 signatories
Key Provisions: Comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons - prohibits development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use, and threat of use.
Status: NO nuclear-armed states have joined. Opposed by US, Russia, UK, France, China. NATO members prohibited from joining. Championed by non-nuclear states and civil society (ICAN won 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for advocacy).
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I)
Signed: 1991 | In Force: 1994-2009 | Duration: 15 years
Parties: US, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine
Results: Reduced strategic nuclear weapons by 80%. US went from ~10,000 to 6,000 deployed warheads; Russia from ~10,000 to 6,000. Most comprehensive arms control treaty in history.
Current Challenges:
- New START expired February 5, 2026 with no successor agreement
- On October 30, 2025, President Trump directed the Pentagon to begin testing US nuclear weapons "on an equal basis" with other countries; the US has not conducted an explosive nuclear test since 1992
- INF Treaty collapsed (2019) - no restrictions on intermediate-range missiles
- CTBT never entered into force - not ratified by key states
- Russia suspended New START participation (2023) amid Ukraine war
- China conducting rapid nuclear expansion (not party to any bilateral treaties)
- Growing risk of new nuclear arms race for first time since Cold War
10Cold War Peak (1986) vs Today (2026)
83% Reduction Since Cold War Peak
Key Insights: Global Nuclear Landscape
- Dramatic Reduction: Global stockpile declined from 70,300 warheads (1986 Cold War peak) to 12,187 (January 2026) - an 83% decrease
- Superpower Dominance: US and Russia control about 86% of world's nuclear weapons and 83% of the military stockpile (January 2026)
- China's Expansion: Fastest growing arsenal. Increased from 500 (2024) to 600 (2025) and about 620 (January 2026). Could reach 1,500 by 2035
- High Alert Status: ~2,100-2,200 warheads on high operational alert (mostly US & Russia), ready to launch within minutes
- Triad Powers: Only 4 countries have land, sea and air nuclear delivery: US, Russia, China, India (India's air leg is fighter-bombers, not strategic bombers)
- Delivery Speed: ICBMs can strike targets 8,700+ miles away in under 30 minutes
- Submarine Superiority: SLBMs most survivable - submarines nearly impossible to track in ocean depths
- Arms Control Crisis: New START expired February 5, 2026 with no successor. For the first time since 1972, no bilateral limits exist
- Successful Denuclearization: 9 countries gave up weapons or weapons programs (South Africa, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Sweden, South Korea, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil), and Libya renounced its program in 2003
- Budapest Memorandum Violations: Russia violated Ukraine's Budapest Memorandum (Crimea 2014, invasion 2022) - raising questions about security assurances
- Modernization: All 9 nuclear-armed states upgrading arsenals - US spending $1.7 trillion over 30 years
- Hiroshima Comparison: Modern warheads range from 8 to 300+ kilotons. Hiroshima bomb was 15 kilotons. Single modern warhead 20x more destructive
11China's Nuclear Expansion (2020-2026)
China: Fastest Growing Nuclear Arsenal (about +100 warheads a year, 2023-2025)
12Data Sources & Methodology
Primary Sources:
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026 (released June 8, 2026) | Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Nuclear Information Project | Arms Control Association | Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Nuclear Notebook | Congressional Research Service reports | US Department of Defense assessments | International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) | CTBTO Preparatory Commission
Treaty Documentation:
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty official text | New START Treaty documentation | Budapest Memorandum (1994) | Lisbon Protocol | CTBT text | Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
US Storage Locations:
Federation of American Scientists facility assessments | National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) | Department of Energy declassified data | US Strategic Command | Bulletin of Atomic Scientists "Where the Bombs Are" report | Commercial satellite imagery analysis
Historical Data:
Natural Resources Defense Council nuclear data project | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Woodrow Wilson Center nuclear proliferation archives | Brookings Institution denuclearization studies | National Security Archive
Disclaimer: Exact nuclear weapon numbers are classified national secrets. All figures are estimates by independent researchers based on publicly available information, declassified documents, satellite imagery, historical records, and occasional official disclosures. Estimates carry significant uncertainty, particularly for countries with high secrecy (North Korea, Israel, Pakistan). Data current as of January 2026 (SIPRI Yearbook 2026; FAS Status of World Nuclear Forces, early 2026).
Note: All information presented comes from publicly available sources and open-source intelligence (OSINT). No classified information is included.
Corrections and Updates
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| October 25, 2026 | India deployed warheads corrected from 0 to 12 (SIPRI Yearbook 2026); triad definition corrected (India's air leg is fighter-bombers, not strategic bombers); Israel first test shown as none confirmed (capability est. ~1967); totals labelled as estimates. |
| October 24, 2026 | Fixed the Key Insights denuclearization count to nine, Belarus to 81 strategic warheads, and the China growth chart and heading to match SIPRI yearly counts. |
| October 24, 2026 | Corrected the count of countries that gave up nuclear weapons or programs (nine listed) and clarified that the US storage table lists principal sites only. |
Every correction to a published figure on this site is logged on Sources and Methods.
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