As of now, in 2025, there are only nine countries with nuclear weapons, which are shaping the global security landscape. This is also fueling the ongoing debates about global security. These nations collectively hold 12,000 nuclear warheads and we are going to know about it.
Nuclear Weapons Countries List
Given below are the names of the Nuclear Weapons Countries with their Ranking.
| Rank | Country | Estimated Nuclear Warheads |
| 1 | Russia | 5,449 |
| 2 | United States | 5,277 |
| 3 | China | 600 |
| 4 | France | 290 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 225 |
| 6 | India | 180 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 170 |
| 8 | Israel | 90 |
| 9 | North Korea | 50 |
In the list of nuclear weapon countries, the USA and Russia are top of the list. America has 5,227 and Russia has 5,449. These are the two countries that currently dominate the world. The remaining 7 countries have much smaller amounts of nuclear weapons, but they did have a larger influence on the global level.
Nuclear Weapons Countries
Russia- Russia comes first in the ranking of nuclear weapons countries because it has 5449 weapons collectively. It was also the largest amount of weapons when the USSR was dissolved back in 1991. Its nuclear strategy revolves around ICBMs, SLBMs, and Strategic bombers, which is similar to the U.S. The country is continuously making efforts to modernize its nuclear forces by developing new weapons on a timely basis.
- USA-The USA was the first country to have nuclear weapons for the first time in history. In Fact, they had also attacked two places, which are Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, during World War II. Since then, it has maintained a larger and advanced nuclear weapon for its safety. The USA has around 5,277 weapons in the current time. Around 1750 are already deployed. The U.S. nuclear weapons are the central part of its defence system.
- China- China has around 600 nuclear warheads as compared to the USA and Russia. The country has been investing in upgrading its missile systems and increasing the number of nuclear-capable submarines. Their nuclear weapon are primarily focused on differences and are expected to grow this number further.
- France- France is the second European country to have nuclear weapons. France has around 290 nuclear weapons, and it is also one of the independent nuclear deterrents outside of the USA and Russia. France’s nuclear doctrine revolves around the principle of le grande frappe (“the big strike”), and the country maintains a fleet of nuclear-armed submarines and aircraft to ensure second-strike capability.
- The United Kingdom- The UK has only 225 nuclear warheads as compared to other countries as of 2025. Their nuclear weapons are primarily based on submarine-launched Trident missiles. The UK is trying to reduce the size of its nuclear arsenal; it views its nuclear weapons as an essential for its country to have.
- India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea: These are the four countries that came last in the list of nuclear weapon countries. While India and Pakistan developed these nuclear weapons due to their internal rivalries and both have adopted nuclear deterrence strategies. Israel maintains a policy of ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying its nuclear capabilities. On the other hand, North Korea has developed these nuclear weapons and also tested them many times, very openly.
Conclusion
The nine nuclear weapons countries U.S., Russia, China, France, the UK, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, hold a special power in the world. Some of the countries developed them, or we can say they have them to show their influence and power. On the other hand, some people just have it because of their internal conflicts.
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