ANKARA
Despite the ongoing efforts to denuclearize the world, nine countries possess the “most dangerous” nuclear weapons in terms of the destruction they cause, according to data collected by Anadolu Agency.
Among the nine countries, the U.S. and Russia control 93 percent of the nuclear warheads in the world.
According to figures released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), there are nearly 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Out of them nearly 14,000 are possessed by Russia and the U.S.
Russia has 7,000 nuclear warheads, while the U.S. has 6,800.
Also, it is estimated that France has 300 nuclear warheads, China has 270 and United Kingdom has 215. Pakistan presumably possesses 140, India 130, Israel 80 and North Korea 60.
Even though the number of nuclear weapons decreased in 2017 compared with the previous year, many countries continue to expand their nuclear arsenal.
A single nuclear bomb has the power to destroy a whole city, kill thousands of people, and endanger the environment and lives of the future generations with its prolonged effects.
Ninety percent of Hiroshima was destroyed and 80,000 people were killed in the first atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. on Aug. 6, 1945.
Three days later, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing at least 40,000 people initially -- and causing 200,000 deaths in the following years due to its after-effects.
Number decreased, nuclear modernization started
According to SIPRI’s 2017 report, nine countries that have nuclear power possess approximately 14,935 nuclear weapons, compared with approximately 15,395 in early 2016. The states in question are not likely to denuclearize.
The report adds that even though the U.S. and Russia reduced their weapon inventory, they initiated a nuclear modernization program.
The U.S. is estimated to have spent around $400 billion between 2017-2026 to improve and update its nuclear power.
Meanwhile, China focuses on improving its nuclear arsenal in terms of quality in the long-term. India and Pakistan also improve their nuclear weapon inventory and missiles.
In 2016, North Korea increased its nuclear weapons to 20. The country also launched many unexpected nuclear tests in the same year.
Nuke tests of countries
The U.S. – which produced the first atomic bomb -- tested its nuke in a desert in New Mexico’s district of Alamogordo. Also, the Enola Gay B-29 aircraft of the country dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
More than 2,000 tests were carried out during the time between 1945 and 1996 when Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) -- a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear explosions for both civilian and military purposes -- was signed.
The CTBT was signed on Sept. 10, 1996, but it did not come into effect since eight countries -- China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the U.S. -- did not ratify the treaty.
Around 4,000 weapons ready
According to the Federation of American Scientists’ report on worldwide deployments of nuclear weapons for 2017, there are nearly 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world, located at 107 sites in 14 countries.
“Roughly, 9,400 of these weapons are in military arsenals. The remaining weapons are retired and awaiting dismantlement. Nearly 4,000 are operationally available, and some 1,800 are on high alert and ready for use on short notice,” the report reads.
Today, five countries -- the U.S., China, Russia, France and U.K. -- out of the nine are titled as states with nuclear weapons in the framework of Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). India, Pakistan and Israel are not a party to this treaty. North Korea also declared withdrawal from the NPT in 2003 and developed nuclear weapons.
Reporting by Meltem Bulur:Writing by Sena Guler
