Global Nuclear Warhead Inventories

The global inventory of nuclear warheads is dominated by Russia and the United States, which together possess approximately 88 percent of the world's total nuclear weaponry. As of early 2024, the Federation of American Scientists estimates that nine countries hold a combined total of roughly 12,121 warheads. While total numbers have decreased significantly since the Cold War peak in the mid-1980s, the rate of reduction has slowed, and some nations, most notably China, are currently expanding their arsenals.

Russia maintains the largest overall inventory with about 5,580 warheads, followed closely by the United States with 5,044. These figures include military stockpiles assigned to operational forces as well as retired warheads awaiting dismantlement. China has seen the most rapid growth recently, increasing its stockpile to an estimated 500 warheads, with projections suggesting further significant expansion over the next decade. Other nuclear armed states include France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea, each maintaining smaller but strategically significant deterrents.

Sources: Federation of American Scientists, SIPRI, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists