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The most politically isolated country in the world, North Korea began developing nuclear weapons in the '80s, in defiance of international agreements and sanctions.
Today, North Korea has 20 nuclear warheads, making it the ninth country with the most nuclear weapons in the world.
The country is led by Kim Jong-un, who is considered a threat to international security and world peace.
Israel has 90 nuclear warheads, making it the eighth country with the most nuclear weapons in the world.
It's widely believed that Israel began to develop nuclear weapons in the '60s, though they have never officially acknowledged them.
With one of the strictest military forces in the world, Israel maintains a nuclear arsenal in case of potential threats to its national security.
Most people would be surprised to learn that India has many powerful nuclear weapons. Ranked at number seven, it actually has 160 nuclear weapons.
India developed its own nuclear weapons program in the late '60s and conducted its first nuclear test in 1974.
The nation currently has a "no first use" policy, meaning that it will only use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack.
The former British colony also holds a massive stockpile of nuclear weapons, with a total of 165 warheads.
Pakistan developed its own nuclear weapons program in response to India's nuclear program, conducting its first test in 1998.
Like India, the country has a "no first use" policy. However, the nuclear arms race between the two countries has heightened tensions in the region.
Ranking fifth when it comes to the most nuclear weapons, the UK has 225 nuclear warheads.
The UK developed its nuclear weapons in the '50s, with the help of the US, to maintain its position as a major global power.
However, based on the country's politics, it's highly unlikely they'll be using them, unless it's to ensure national security.
France is the fourth country with the most nuclear weapons worldwide, with 290 nuclear weapons.
The country started working on nuclear weapons in the '50s, and conducted its first nuclear test in 1960.
France's arsenal is believed to consist of both submarine-launched and air-launched nuclear missiles. However, it has committed to a strict "no first use" policy.
China ranks third in terms of the most nuclear weapons worldwide, holding 350 warheads.
China developed its nuclear weapons program in the '50s and conducted its first nuclear test in 1964.
China's nuclear collection is often seen as a way of intimidating rivals.
The US actually takes second spot when it comes to nuclear power, with 5,428 nuclear weapons. It became the first country to use nuclear weapons in warfare, dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Today, its nuclear strategy is based on the concept of deterrence. The US believes that its possession of nuclear weapons deters other countries from attacking it or its allies.
With one of the world's biggest armies, the US has also committed to reducing the role of nuclear weapons in its national security strategy.
Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey all host US nuclear weapons. The US insists that it maintains operational control of these weapons, which helps them with nuclear war planning.
With 5,977 nuclear weapons, Russia claims first place in the nuclear race.
During the Cold War, the US and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race, resulting in the buildup of a vast nuclear arsenal by both nations.
Today, the threat of nuclear escalation, in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, is a concern for the international community.
Since June 2023, the leaders of Russia and Belarus have claimed that a number of nuclear weapons are located on Belarusian territory.
Sources: (World Population Review) (Forbes) (Wisevoter)
See also: The stupidest excuses for war in history
For all kinds of reasons, certain nations have strict and often scary defense policies, including arming themselves with nuclear weapons. With a global nuclear stockpile of over 13,000, it's scary to imagine that most of these are much more powerful than the nuclear weapons dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
But which countries have the most nuclear weapons? Click on to find out.
Here are the world’s most powerful nuclear nations
These nine nations have the largest nuclear arsenals in the world
LIFESTYLE Geopolitics
For all kinds of reasons, certain nations have strict and often scary defense policies, including arming themselves with nuclear weapons. With a global nuclear stockpile of over 13,000, it's scary to imagine that most of these are much more powerful than the nuclear weapons dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
But which countries have the most nuclear weapons? Click on to find out.