List of countries by gun ownership
Encyclopedia
This is a list of countries by gun ownership rate (number of privately owned small firearms divided by number of residents).
The numbers are based on the average of figures provided by the Small Arms Survey
, in the Small Arms Survey 2007, unless other sources are provided, and are an estimation based on dividing the total amount of civilian owned guns in a nation by the total population of that nation.
As some people may possess multiple weapons while others possess none, this number is not a representation of the percentage of people who possess guns in each nation.
The ownership rate reported is the average estimate taken from "Annexe 4: The largest civilian firearms arsenals for 178 countries. That table gives also the minimum and maximum estimates. Note that for some countries, this margin of error is considerable. E.g. Yemen
, ranked near the top with an ownership rate of 54.8, has a low estimate of 28.6 and a high estimate of 81.1.
While the United States
is ranked for the highest gun ownership rate unambiguously, Yemen based on the margin of error may rank anywhere between 2nd and 18th, Switzerland
anywhere between 2nd and 16th.
The lowest gun ownership rate among the 178 countries surveyed as of 2007 was reported from Tunisia
, with 0.1 (or a total number of 9,000 guns), due to very strict gun control under the Ben Ali
regime (compare the rates of the neighbouring states, Algeria: 7.6, Libya: 15.5).
The numbers are based on the average of figures provided by the Small Arms Survey
Small Arms Survey
The Small Arms Survey is an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland...
, in the Small Arms Survey 2007, unless other sources are provided, and are an estimation based on dividing the total amount of civilian owned guns in a nation by the total population of that nation.
As some people may possess multiple weapons while others possess none, this number is not a representation of the percentage of people who possess guns in each nation.
The ownership rate reported is the average estimate taken from "Annexe 4: The largest civilian firearms arsenals for 178 countries. That table gives also the minimum and maximum estimates. Note that for some countries, this margin of error is considerable. E.g. Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, ranked near the top with an ownership rate of 54.8, has a low estimate of 28.6 and a high estimate of 81.1.
While the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is ranked for the highest gun ownership rate unambiguously, Yemen based on the margin of error may rank anywhere between 2nd and 18th, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
anywhere between 2nd and 16th.
The lowest gun ownership rate among the 178 countries surveyed as of 2007 was reported from Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, with 0.1 (or a total number of 9,000 guns), due to very strict gun control under the Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was...
regime (compare the rates of the neighbouring states, Algeria: 7.6, Libya: 15.5).
| Country | Guns per 100 residents (2007) | Rank (2007) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
 United States |
88.8 | 1 | |
 Serbia |
58.2 | 2 | |
 Yemen |
54.8 | 3 | |
 Switzerland |
45.7 | 4 | |
 Cyprus |
36.4 | 5 | |
 Saudi Arabia |
35.0 | 6 | |
 Iraq |
34.2 | 7 | |
 Finland |
32.0 | 8 | |
 Uruguay |
31.8 | 9 | |
 Sweden |
31.6 | 10 | |
 Norway |
31.3 | 11 | |
 Early Modern France |
31.2 | 12 | |
 Canada |
30.8 | 13 | |
 Austria |
30.4 | 14 | |
 Iceland |
30.3 | 15 | |
 Germany |
30.3 | 15 | |
 New Zealand |
22.6 | 22 | 1993: 26.8. |
 Greece |
22.5 | 23 | |
 Northern Ireland |
21.9 | 25 | |
 Angola |
17.3 | 34 | |
 Thailand |
15.6 | 39 | |
 Australia |
15.0 | 42 | |
 Mexico |
15.0 | 42 | |
 South Africa |
12.7 | 50 | |
 Turkey |
12.5 | 52 | |
 Italy |
11.9 | 55 | |
 Pakistan |
11.6 | 57 | |
 Spain |
10.4 | 61 | |
 Argentina |
10.2 | 62 | |
 Russia |
8.9 | 68 | |
 Iran |
7.3 | 79 | |
 Kingdom of England and  Wales |
6.2 | 88 | |
 Kingdom of Scotland |
5.5 | 93 | |
 Mainland China |
4.9 | 102 | |
 India |
4.2 | 110 | |
 Tunisia |
0.1 | 178 | |
See also
- Gun politicsGun politicsGun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
- Small arms proliferationSmall arms proliferationSmall arms proliferation is a term used by organizations and individuals advocating the control of small arms and their trade; the term has no precise definition...
- Small Arms SurveySmall Arms SurveyThe Small Arms Survey is an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland...
- List of countries by firearm-related death rate