Nuclear Weapon States

Nuclear Weapon States are countries officially recognized as possessing nuclear weapons under international agreements or through their actions. There are five recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom. These nations developed nuclear weapons during the Cold War and maintain their arsenals as strategic deterrents. The NPT aims to prevent proliferation, promote disarmament, and facilitate peaceful nuclear technology. Other countries, like India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, either possess nuclear weapons without full international recognition or have conducted nuclear tests outside the treaty framework.