Armenia has outstripped its neighbors on nuclear-weapon safety, American Nuclear Threat Initiative NGO made the rating together with Economist Intelligence Unit Company.

The rating features how nuclear materials are preserved in 176 states. It is divided into two groups-states, which have just 1 kg or more of such material (32 states) and those which have less than 1 kg or do not have it at all (144 states).

The rating was based on several factors including domestic nuclear materials security legislation, safeguards adoption and compliance, political stability and pervasiveness of corruption.

Armenia shared the 17th position with Portugal in the second group and was the securest state in the region. Georgia was the 30th, Turkey 36th and Azerbaijan 44th. The group headed Finland, Denmark and Spain and closed Zimbabwe, Congo and Somali.

Iran is included in the first group occupying the 30th position. It yields only to Pakistan and South Korea on danger degree.

Russia, acquiring more than 500 tons of nuclear material appeared in the 24th position due to its high level of corruption.

The safest nuclear-weapon states are Australia, Hungary and Czech Republic.