French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea's nuclear test and said Paris would back firm action by the UN Security Council.

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"I condemn in the strongest terms the latest nuclear test by North Korea," he said in a statement, adding that France "will back strong action by the UN Security Council and will work to this end with its partners".

Hollande called on Pyongyang to "unconditionally abstain from staging any acts which will heighten tension in the Korean peninsula and impact on peace and international security."

He also urged North Korea to abide by "its international obligations and proceed to completely and irreversibly dismantle its nuclear and ballistic programme in a manner which is verifiable".

The United States, China and Russia joined other world powers in a chorus of condemnation of a test carried out in defiance of stark international warnings.

US President Barack Obama called for "swift and credible" action after the underground blast as main ally China expressed its "firm opposition" to the nuclear test and Russia urged Pyongyang to halt its "illegal actions."

UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said he was "gravely concerned about the negative impact of this deeply destabilizing act" as the Security Council prepared to hold an emergency session at 9am in New York (1400 GMT).

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meanwhile called the test a "grave threat" to his country that "cannot be tolerated," while Britain called for a "robust response" and Germany said further sanctions should be considered.

Even Iran -- under harsh UN sanctions over its own controversial nuclear program -- used the occasion to call for a nuclear weapons-free world, while defending its own atomic program, which it claims is entirely peaceful.

The provocative North Korean test flew in the face of the UN Security Council's warning last month of a "significant" response to any such move, and came hours before Obama was to deliver his annual State of the Union address.

Obama called the test a "highly provocative act" that -- following the North's December 12th ballistic missile launch -- undermined regional stability and violated UN Security Council resolutions.

"North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs constitute a threat to US national security and to international peace and security," Obama said in a statement issued shortly before 2am Washington time (0700 GMT).

"The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community," he said, adding that the United States would do whatever was necessary to defend its allies.

The United States, China, Russia and the other major powers face intense pressure to act over North Korea's defiance of sanctions imposed after previous tests in 2006 and 2009.

North Korea said it staged a successful test of a "miniaturized" bomb in a declaration that brought immediate global protests, with the UN nuclear watchdog calling it a "clear violation" of Security Council resolutions.

The UN secretary general also condemned the test as "a clear and grave violation" of the resolutions and called on North Korea to "reverse course."

China, the isolated North's closest ally, expressed its "firm opposition" to the nuclear test in a foreign ministry statement that urged Pyongyang to "honor its commitment to denuclearization."

In the Asia-Pacific region, nuclear-armed India called the test a "matter of deep concern," while Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan condemned the blast.

Beijing had made a special effort to try to head off the move, according to a UN diplomat who has taken part in recent consultations.

"The Chinese gave the North Koreans a strong warning against carrying out a test as it became apparent that it was imminent," said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"What the North Koreans have done now is a big challenge to the Chinese," the diplomat said, adding that China, Russia and the United States were likely to quickly agree on a tough response.

The envoy added that sanctions may not be agreed upon on Tuesday, but the"intention" would be made clear.

It took weeks for the Security Council to agree on statements and sanctions after North Korea's nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, and North Korea's sinking of a South Korean warship in 2010.

China has traditionally shielded its neighbour from international action, warning Western powers against any measures that could cause instability along its frontier.

But the Security Council scolded Pyongyang last month for the rocket launch it staged on December 12th, adding North Korea's state space agency, a bank, four trading companies and four individuals to its existing sanctions list.

China agreed to add to the resolution a threat of "significant action" in response to any future North Korean nuclear test.