SIPRI launches world nuclear forces data

16 June 2014

SIPRI today launched its annual nuclear forces data, which assesses the current trends and developments in world nuclear arsenals. The data shows that while the overall number of nuclear weapons in the world continues to decline, none of the nuclear weapon-possessing states are prepared to give up their nuclear arsenals for the foreseeable future.

At the start of 2014 nine states—the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea—possessed approximately 4,000 operational nuclear weapons. If all nuclear warheads are counted, these states together possessed a total of approximately 16,300 nuclear weapons compared to 17,270 in early 2013.

SIPRI's world nuclear forces pages summarize the main developments in the arsenals of each of the nuclear weapon-possessing states. It also includes several SIPRI graphics which are available for download.

‘Once again this year, the nuclear weapon-possessing states took little action to indicate a genuine willingness to work toward complete dismantlement of their nuclear arsenals. The long term modernization programmes under way in these states suggest their views that nuclear weapons will remain deeply embedded elements of their strategic calculus,’ say SIPRI Researchers Shannon Kile and Phillip Patton Schell.

Read the full press release online in English, or in Catalan, Español, Français or svenska (PDF).