India to Pakistan: 9 countries and their number of nuclear arsenals

Nuclear bombs are the most destructive weapons in human history. The first atomic bomb was developed in America during World War II. This article highlights the nuclear bomb stockpiles of various countries around the world

Seeing Iran's nuclear capabilities, the US took a step that changed the Iran-Israel war. America dropped a powerful bomb on Iran's nuclear facility from its advanced B-2 stealth fighter.

It's claimed they destroyed three major Iranian nuclear sites built deep inside mountains. But do you know which country possesses how many nuclear bombs?

The first nuclear bomb: A weapon that changed global politics, science, and warfare, developed during World War II (1939-45) in America.

The top-secret Manhattan Project began in 1942, driven by US fears that Nazi Germany might develop nuclear weapons.

The world's first nuclear bomb test was on July 16, 1945, in the desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico. Codenamed Trinity, it released power equal to about 20,000 tons of TNT.

Its brightness was so intense that the desert became as bright as day, a picture of both hidden power and destruction.

Nuclear bombs are incredibly destructive, using nuclear fission and fusion. This process starts by splitting heavy elements or combining light nuclei, releasing massive energy as an explosion.

A small amount of material generates energy equivalent to millions of tons of TNT.

A nuclear bomb explosion emits intense heat, radiation, and electromagnetic pulses, making it far more destructive than conventional weapons.

The first and only wartime use of nuclear bombs was in WWII. On August 6, 1945, the US dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima.

Over 80,000 people died instantly. Three days later, "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki, killing about 40,000 immediately.

After these attacks, Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945. The death toll continued to rise in the following years.

Russia and the US have the world's largest nuclear arsenals, with Russia reportedly ahead.

The 2025 report by the Federation of American Scientists shows over 12,000 nuclear bombs globally, with over 88% held by Russia and the US.

Russia: 5,449; USA: 5,277; China: 600; France: 290; UK: 225; India: 180; Pakistan: 170; Israel: 90; North Korea: 50

There was a time when the two largest countries, the US and the Soviet Union, were in a nuclear arms race.

By 1986, there were over 70,000 nuclear bombs worldwide. Recognizing the danger, stockpiles began to decrease. By early 2025, the number had dropped to 12,331.