Getty Nuclear weapons map: These are the countries who have them

FREE now and never miss the top Royal stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

North Korea launched its sixth nuclear missile test in six weeks last week, sparking fears of World War Three involving nuclear warfare. However, there are only nine countries in the world who have nuclear weapons, according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Alongside North Korea, these countries include the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France. China, India, Pakistan and Israel also possess some nuclear weapons in their countries.

Getty Nuclear weapons map: The nine countries include the United Kingdom, United States and North Korea

Some 93 per cent of these nuclear weapons are shared by Russia and the US – 7,500 and 7,200 nuclear weapons respectively. However, under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), they are said to be reducing this amount. There is a big gap between this and the nuclear weapon count of France, China and United Kingdom, who have 300, 250 and 215 nuclear weapons respectively. However, only five of these countries – China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA – are legally recognised as Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) under the terms of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Inside Seoul's nuclear bunkers amid North Korea threat Thu, November 30, 2017 First ever high street bunkers are now being sold in busy Seoul shopping district, thanks to a British firm and there are plans to roll out showrooms in Europe and the UK amid the nuclear threat from North Korea Play slideshow IMP Features/Chris White 1 of 10

North Korea is rumoured to own fewer than ten nuclear warheads

North Korea is rumoured to own fewer than ten nuclear warheads, however it is difficult to be sure given the country’s closed and secretive nature. The country was the last of the listed nations to develop nuclear weapons in 2006, under the late Kim Jong-il, the former leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The United States were the first nation to do so – developing theirs straight after World War Two in 1945. Russia conducted its first nuclear test in 1949, while the UK was the third country to do so, in 1952.

Getty Nuclear weapons map: North Korea is said to have less than 10