By Sunita Patel-Carstairs, News Reporter

North Korea has carried out a series of nuclear and missile tests over recent years that have sent regional tensions soaring.

Kim Jong-Un, who came to power in December 2011, has been flexing his muscles by ramping up the secretive state's nuclear missile programme in defiance of UN sanctions and international warnings.

Here is a look at some of Pyongyang's key rocket launches and nuclear detonations:

Sixth nuclear test

Image: Kim Jong Un inspecting a device claimed to be a hydrogen bomb

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake was recorded near North Korea's weapons test site.


The detected tremor is confirmed to be a nuclear blast.

It came just hours after Pyongyang claimed to have developed a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded into a long-range missile.

Threatens Guam

North Korea says it is "carefully examining" a plan to strike the US territory of Guam with missiles.

The threat came hours after President Donald Trump told Pyongyang that any threat to the US would be met with "fire and fury".

Image: People watch South Korean TV reports of the ICBM launch

ICBM test

North Korea confirms it has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, which it claims can hit anywhere in the world. The launch, which came on US Independence Day, received an angry response from President Trump, who tweeted: "Does this guy have anything better to do with his life?"

Image: Kim Jong Un and his generals watching the missile launch

Four missiles launched

North Korea fires four banned ballistic missiles, three of which land in Japan's exclusive economic zone. Japanese officials describe the launches as a "grave threat" and lodge protests.

North Korea fires four missiles in test

New Year message

Kim Jong-Un uses his New Year's message to say his country is in the "final stages" of developing a long-range missile.

In a televised address, he boasts: "Research and development of cutting edge arms equipment is actively progressing and ICBM rocket test launch preparation is in its last stage."

If we continue on this path of confrontation, this will lead to very catastrophic results, not only for the two countries but for the whole entire world as well

Fifth nuclear test

North Korea says it has carried out its fifth - and largest - "nuclear warhead explosion" designed to counter alleged hostility from the United States.

It boasts the ability to produce "at will a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power".

The test causes a 5.3-magnitude seismic event and is condemned as "maniacal recklessness" by Seoul and sparks calls from Britain, France and the US for new sanctions.

G20 show of strength

North Korea fires three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan of its east coast as top world leaders meet at the G20 summit in China.

The missiles reportedly land between 120 and 160 miles west of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island.

The US condemns the move as "reckless", while the European Union says the "illegal" actions "serve no purpose other than (to) increase tensions to the detriment of all".

Image: Donald Trump says Pyongyang's ambition of testing a nuclear missile capable of hitting the US 'won't happen'

Submarine launched missile test

Pyongyang successfully test-fires a submarine-launched ballistic missile off its eastern coast, in retaliation for large-scale South Korea-US military drills.

The device travels 300 miles before falling inside Japan's Air Defence Identification Zone.

North Korea describes the military exercises as an "unpardonable criminal act" and warns any violation of territorial sovereignty will result in a "pre-emptive nuclear strike".

Missile hits Japan controlled waters

The North fires a ballistic missile directly into Japanese-controlled waters for the first time - a move which is branded a "grave threat" by Tokyo - further escalating regional tensions.

The South warns the launch shows the secretive state's ambition to "directly and broadly attack neighbouring countries and target several places in the Republic of Korea such as ports and airfields".

Research and development of cutting edge arms equipment is actively progressing and ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) rocket test launch preparation is in its last stage.

Missile fails

The North fails in its attempt to launch a powerful new medium-range ballistic missile - with an estimated range of 1,553 to 2,485 miles - on the birthday of founding leader Kim Il Sung.

The lower end of that estimate would put all of South Korea and Japan in range, the upper estimate extends to US military bases on Guam.

Hydrogen bomb test

North Korea claims to have conducted its first successful test of a miniature hydrogen bomb - its fourth underground nuclear test.

Pyongyang trumpets the detonation as an "historic" event which catapults Pyongyang to "the ranks of advanced nuclear states".

But the White House casts doubt on the claim. It asserts the evidence is "not consistent" with Pyongyang's claims it exploded a miniature nuclear device.

Nuclear earthquake

North Korea confirms it has carried out a third nuclear test after monitoring agencies report an "unusual seismic event".

The test triggers an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9.

Seoul says the blast had an explosive yield of between six and seven kilotons (kt) and was of "enormous destructive power".

In comparison, the nuclear weapons detonated above Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 carried estimated yields of 15kt and 22kt respectively.

Image: Kim Jong Un used his New Year's message to boast Pyongyang is in the 'final stages' of developing a long-range missile

Second nuclear test

North Korea, under the control of Kim Jong Il, risks further international isolation by test-firing a second underground nuclear test, several times more powerful than the first.

Six weeks earlier it quit nuclear disarmament talks in protest over tougher UN sanctions and vowed to restart its plutonium programme.

Two weeks after the second underground nuclear detonation, the Security Council passes Resolution 1874, imposing tougher sanctions on the North's atomic and ballistic missile programmes.

First nuclear test

The North claims to have conducted its first underground nuclear test in defiance of international warnings.

The move is condemned as a "provocative act" by the US and as "brazen" by China.

Japan warns the region is "entering a new, dangerous nuclear age".

Five days later, the UN Security Council approves Resolution 1718, demanding a halt to missile and nuclear tests.