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Fact Sheet: Who Has Nuclear Weapons, And How Many Do They Have?

There are more than 15,000 nuclear weapons around the world; the U.S. and Russia possess 93 percent of them. Here's a breakdown by country.
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Global leaders are meeting in Washington on Thursday to unite against the threat of nuclear weapons around the world.

The nuclear security summit, hosted by President Barack Obama, aims to put pressure on North Korea amid concerns over its recent nuclear tests and missile launches.

Related: North Korea Says It Successfully Conducted Hydrogen Bomb Test

But many other countries, including the U.S., have known stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

More than two dozen nations have nuclear power. Only nine possess actual nuclear weapons: Russia, the United States, China, India, Israel, France, North Korea, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

The Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation, estimates there are more than 15,000 nuclear weapons around the world; the U.S. and Russia possess 93 percent of them. The former Cold War foes keep nearly 2,000 nuclear weapons at the ready for immediate launch against each other, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Related: Terrorism and North Korea Dominate Nuclear Talks in Washington

While the exact number in each country's arsenal is often a closely guarded secret, some information is publicly available. Here's a breakdown of nuclear arsenals by country, based on data from leading experts in nuclear estimates.

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Russia

  • Total nuclear weapons: 7,300, according to the Federation of American Scientists.
  • Number that are operational: 1,790
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 4,490
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 715, according to the Arms Control Association.
  • First test: August 1949
  • Most recent test: October 1990

United States

  • Total nuclear weapons: 6,970
  • Number that are operational: 1,750
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 4,670
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 1,030
  • First test: July 1945
  • Most recent test: September 1992
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on Feb. 20, 2016.
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on Feb. 20, 2016.U.S. Air Force via AP, file

China

  • Total nuclear weapons: 260
  • Number that are operational: 0, according to the Federation of American Scientists. All are in stockpile.
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 260
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 45
  • First test: October 1964
  • Most recent test: July 1996

India

  • Total nuclear weapons: 110 to 120
  • Number that are operational: 0, according to the Federation of American Scientists. All are in stockpile.
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 110 to 120
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 3
  • First test: May 1974
  • Most recent test: May 1998

Israel

  • Total nuclear weapons: 80
  • Number that are operational: 0, according to the Federation of American Scientists. All are in stockpile.
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 80
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 0. There haven't been any confirmed tests.

France

  • Total nuclear weapons: About 300
  • Number that are operational: 280
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 10
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 210
  • First test: February 1960
  • Most recent test: January 1996

North Korea

  • Total nuclear weapons: Unknown. The U.S. said in February it had intelligence indicating the secretive nation could soon have enough plutonium for nuclear weapons and was taking steps toward a long-range missile system, but experts do not believe North Korea currently has the technology to deliver weapons.
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 4
  • First test: October 2006
  • Most recent test: January 2016

Pakistan

  • Total nuclear weapons: 110 to 130
  • Number that are operational: 0
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: all 110 to 130
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 2
  • First test: May 28, 1998
  • Most recent test: May 30, 1998

United Kingdom

  • Total nuclear weapons: 215
  • Number that are operational: 120
  • Number retired/awaiting dismantlement: 95
  • Total nuclear tests, approximately: 45
  • First test: October 1952
  • Most recent test: November 1991

Sources: Nuclear Threat Initiative; Federation of American Scientists; Arms Control Association.