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Which regions have held most of the world's nuclear reactor generating capacity?

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Labeled diagram showing the process of a nuclear power plant with a pressurized-water reactor. Water circulates through the reactor core, heats to produce steam in a steam generator, which drives a turbine connected to an electric generator. Steam is then cooled in a condenser using water from a cooling tower, which releases nonradioactive water vapor. Control rods, pumps, and transmission lines are also indicated. — nuclear power Schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant using a pressurized-water reactor.

The overwhelming majority of the world's nuclear reactor generating capacity is concentrated in North America, Europe, and Asia.1

Historically, the early development of the nuclear power industry was dominated by North America, specifically the United States and Canada. However, this lead was overtaken by Europe during the 1980s. Looking toward the future, projections indicate that Asia is expected to hold the largest nuclear capacity, driven largely by significant building programs in countries such as China.1