In PHOTOS: The world's top 15 nuclear nations

Nuclear power generation began more than 50 years ago and now generates as much global electricity as was produced then by all sources.

Some two-thirds of world population lives in nations where nuclear power plants are an integral part of electricity production and industrial infrastructures.

Half the world's people live in countries where new nuclear power reactors are in planning or under construction. Thus, a rapid expansion of global nuclear power would require no fundamental change -- simply an acceleration of existing strategies.

Today nearly 440 nuclear reactors produce electricity around the world. More than 15 countries rely on nuclear power for 25 per cent or more of their electricity. In Europe and Japan, the nuclear share of electricity is over 30 per cent. In the US, nuclear power creates 20 per cent of electricity.

Let's take a look at top 15 nuclear nations...

India

Percentage of total power generated: 2.2 pc

Reactors Operable: 20
MWe net: 4,385

Reactors under construction: 5
MWe net: 3,900

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 18
MWe net: 15,700

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 40
MWe net: 49,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,053 tons

China

Percentage of total power generated: 1.9 pc

Reactors Operable: 13
MWe net: 10,234

Reactors under construction: 27
MWe net: 29,790

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 50
MWe net: 57,830

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 110
MWe net: 108,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 4,402 tons

Japan

Percentage of total power generated: 28.9 pc

Reactors Operable: 51
MWe net: 44,642

Reactors under construction: 2
MWe net: 2,756

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 12
MWe net: 16,532

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 3
MWe net: 4,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 8,195 tons

France

Percentage of total power generated: 75.2 pc

Reactors Operable: 58
MWe net: 63,130

Reactors under construction: 1
MWe net: 1,720

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 1
MWe net: 1,720

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 1
MWe net: 1,100

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 9,221 tons

United States

Percentage of total power generated: 20.2 pc

Reactors Operable: 104
MWe net: 101,229

Reactors under construction: 1
MWe net: 1,218

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 9
MWe net: 11,662

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 23
MWe net: 34,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 19,427 tons

Russia

Percentage of total power generated: 17.8 pc

Reactors Operable: 32
MWe net: 23,084

Reactors under construction: 10
MWe net: 8,960

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 14
MWe net: 16,000

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 30
MWe net: 28,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 3,757 tons

South Korea

Percentage of total power generated: 34.8 pc

Reactors Operable: 21
MWe net: 18716

Reactors under construction: 5
MWe net: 5800

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 6
MWe net: 8400

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 3586 tons

Canada

Percentage of total power generated: 14.8 pc

Reactors Operable: 18
MWe net: 12,679

Reactors under construction: 2
MWe net: 1,500

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 3
MWe net: 3,300

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 3
MWe net: 3,800

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,884 tons

Germany

Percentage of total power generated: 26.1 pc

Reactors Operable: 17
MWe net: 20,339

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 3,453 tons

United Kingdom

Percentage of total power generated: 17.9 pc

Reactors Operable: 19
MWe net: 10,962

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 4
MWe net: 6,680

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 9
MWe net: 12,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 2,235 tons

Ukraine

Percentage of total power generated: 48.6 pc

Reactors Operable: 15
MWe net: 13,168

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 2
MWe net: 1,900

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 20
MWe net: 27,000

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 2,037 tons

Sweden

Percentage of total power generated: 34.7 pc

Reactors Operable: 10
MWe net: 9,399

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,537 tons

Spain

Percentage of total power generated: 17.5

Reactors Operable: 8
MWe net: 7,448

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,458 tons

Belgium

Percentage of total power generated: 51.7 pc

Reactors Operable: 7
MWe net: 5,943

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,052 tons

Czech Republic

Percentage of total power generated: 33.8 pc

Reactors Operable: 6
MWe net: 3,722

Reactors under construction: 0

Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 2
MWe net: 2,400

Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 1
MWe net: 1,200

Uranium Required (as on 2011): 680 tons