THE number of nuclear weapons controlled by Russia, the US, and the world’s other nuclear-armed states has been revealed in a new report.
The 2024 Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor was launched at a press conference at a UN summit on Tuesday, where the majority of the world’s nations are taking part in discussions on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
The new report provides information on all 197 of the countries which are legally able to sign up to the TPNW – which prohibits developing, testing, holding, using, or threatening to use nuclear weapons.
As it stands, 70% of the world’s nations are supportive of the TPNW, the report says. A total of 8% are classified as undecided, while 22% – which includes the UK and the other nuclear states – are opposed.
Which countries have nuclear weapons?
In total, nine countries have nuclear weapons. These are:
- the UK
- France
- the US
- Russia
- India
- China
- Pakistan
- Israel
- North Korea
However, there is a huge imbalance in the number of nuclear weapons each state has at their disposal.
For example, the 2024 Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor notes: “The average destructive power of a single US Ohio-class [nuclear submarine] is … almost twice the nuclear arsenals of India, Israel, and Pakistan combined."
Here are how many nuclear weapons each of the world’s nine nuclear-armed states have, according to the 2024 Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor and figures from the Federation of American Scientists.
How many nuclear weapons does Russia have?
At the beginning of 2025, Vladimir Putin’s Russia had the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons on earth.
Experts estimate that the country has 5449 nuclear warheads, 4299 of which are ready for use.
The estimated yield of these warheads was 953 megatons – or around 63,532 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
One megaton is the equivalent of detonating one million tons of TNT.
How many nuclear weapons does the US have?
According to the Nuclear Ban Monitor report, Donald Trump’s administration controls 5277 total warheads, of which 3700 are readily available for use.
The estimated yield of the US nuclear stockpile was 895 megatons – or around 59,644 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
After the US and Russia, there is a significant drop-off in the number of nuclear weapons each nation controls – which experts say is a direct result of the Cold War arms race.
How many nuclear weapons does China have?
The world's third largest nuclear arsenal is controlled by China. Xi Jinping’s government controls 600 nuclear warheads, all of which are readily available for use.
Chinese nuclear weapons have an estimated yield of 280 megatons, which equates to around 18,630 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
How many nuclear weapons does France have?
The fourth largest stockpile of nuclear weapons belongs to France, though there is another significant drop-off from third place.
The French government has a reported 290 nuclear warheads, all of which are available for use. They have an estimated yield of 29 megatons, of 1993 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
How many nuclear weapons does the UK have?
The UK’s nuclear weapons have an estimated yield of 22.5 megatons, or 1500 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
The UK’s nuclear arsenal is heavily modelled on the US’s, with its Vanguard-class submarines largely copied from the American Ohio-class. France, by contrast, largely develops its nuclear weapons domestically.
How many nuclear weapons does India have?
According to the latest figures, India has 180 nuclear warheads, all of which are available to use. This means it has the world’s sixth largest, slightly ahead of Pakistan.
India’s nuclear weapons are estimated to have a yield of 4.5 megatons, or 301 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
How many nuclear weapons does Pakistan have?
The seventh largest nuclear arsenal on earth is controlled by Pakistan. However, experts say that, like India, it is currently increasing its stockpile.
At the beginning of 2025, Pakistan was estimated to have 170 nuclear warheads, all of which are available to use. They have an estimated yield of 3.4 megatons, or 226 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
How many nuclear weapons does Israel have?
These weapons have an estimated yield of 2.5 megatons, or 165 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
How many nuclear weapons does North Korea have?
The smallest nuclear stockpile on earth is controlled by North Korea, though it is thought to be increasing.
Kim Jong Un controls around 50 nuclear warheads, all of which are available to be used. They have an estimated yield of 4.6 megatons, or 307 Hiroshima-bomb equivalents.
The data above was first published on March 4, 2025. The 2024 Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor report can be found in full at https://banmonitor.org/, where you can also see each country’s nuclear status.
