Civilian Guns Owned (per 100 People)
Gun ownership is often a deeply personal choice, whether grounded in self-defense, hunting, sport shooting, or simply exercising a right. However, it also contributes significantly to each country's social and political fabric, shaping cultures and influencing policies. An examination of international gun ownership rates reveals striking differences among countries, reflecting societal norms, legislation, and historical contexts. According to a comprehensive data report by the Small Arms Survey, the United States stands out as the country with the highest rate of civilian gun ownership worldwide. With an estimated 120.5 firearms per 100 people, the U.S. ranks far ahead of countries such as Yemen, Serbia, Canada, and others, which record rates that are less than half this figure. Key findings from the data include:
Topping the list of countries with the highest civilian gun ownership rates is the United States, with an astonishing figure of 120.5 guns owned per 100 individuals. This is followed by Yemen, which claims the second spot with a significantly lower 52.8 guns owned per 100 individuals. Next, New Caledonia comes in third place with 42.5 guns per 100 individuals, with Serbia and Montenegro both sharing the fourth spot as they each have an average of 39.1 guns per 100 individuals. Further down the list, Canada and Uruguay both boast an ownership rate of 34.7 guns per 100 individuals, whereas Cyprus follows closely behind with an average of 34.0 guns per 100 individuals. Concluding the list of the top ten countries with the highest rates of civilian gun ownership are Finland, with an average of 32.4 guns per 100 individuals and Lebanon, averaging at 31.9 guns per 100 individuals. 10 Countries with the Highest Civilian Gun Ownership are:
The ten countries with the lowest rates of gun ownership are Solomon Islands, South Korea, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Benin, Malawi, North Korea, Japan, Eritrea, and Turkmenistan. Both Solomon Islands and South Korea rank as the countries with the lowest rates of gun ownership, with only 0.2 civilian guns owned per 100 people. Timor-Leste, Singapore, Benin, Malawi, North Korea, and Japan all follow, reporting an average ownership of 0.3 civilian guns per 100 people. Eritrea and Turkmenistan close the list, each with an average rate of 0.4 civilian guns owned per 100 people. 10 Countries With Lowest Gun Ownership
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.5
#58
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.0
#66
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.1
#157
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.7
#191
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
14.1
#51
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
11.2
#68
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.4
#107
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
7.4
#94
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.1
#105
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.6
#150
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
14.5
#47
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
30.0
#13
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.6
#127
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
18.8
#31
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.8
#56
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.4
#198
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.5
#130
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.1
#104
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.7
#57
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.0
#76
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.3
#207
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.6
#116
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.8
#185
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.0
#163
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
31.2
#12
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.1
#121
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.3
#87
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.8
#187
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.4
#171
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.4
#86
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.9
#180
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.0
#162
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.5
#118
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
34.7
#6
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.7
#106
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
9.2
#81
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.8
#164
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.0
#177
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.1
#63
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.6
#125
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.1
#72
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.5
#170
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.0
#75
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
13.7
#52
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.1
#158
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.6
#149
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
34.0
#8
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.5
#59
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.2
#172
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
9.9
#78
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.1
#139
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.2
#103
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
7.4
#95
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.4
#155
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.1
#120
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.0
#65
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.5
#60
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.4
#203
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.0
#112
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.4
#199
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.5
#195
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
32.4
#9
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
19.6
#25
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
19.6
#28
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.5
#153
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.4
#131
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.5
#101
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.1
#73
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
19.6
#24
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.0
#90
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.1
#123
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
17.6
#34
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
22.3
#22
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.6
#115
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.5
#83
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
11.5
#67
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.1
#64
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.0
#178
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.5
#169
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
15.8
#43
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.6
#148
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
14.1
#50
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.6
#128
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.5
#70
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
31.7
#11
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.3
#109
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
7.3
#96
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
19.6
#26
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
7.2
#97
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.7
#98
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
14.4
#48
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.4
#119
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.8
#82
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.3
#204
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
18.7
#32
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.8
#142
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.5
#167
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.8
#186
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.7
#39
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.8
#144
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.0
#140
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.5
#71
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
31.9
#10
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.8
#114
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.1
#159
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
13.3
#54
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
28.8
#16
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
13.6
#53
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
18.9
#30
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.6
#129
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.7
#189
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.3
#206
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.7
#188
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.2
#102
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.1
#174
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
28.3
#17
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.5
#196
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.5
#84
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.8
#145
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.3
#88
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.9
#55
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.7
#190
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.0
#141
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
19.6
#29
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
7.9
#92
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
39.1
#5
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.4
#108
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.8
#113
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.5
#117
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.6
#166
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
15.4
#45
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.5
#168
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.6
#147
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
42.5
#3
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
26.3
#19
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.2
#110
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.5
#192
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.2
#137
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.3
#205
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
29.8
#14
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.6
#151
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
28.8
#15
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.7
#38
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
22.3
#21
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.5
#197
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.1
#176
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.8
#69
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.0
#179
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.7
#37
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.0
#160
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.6
#126
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.5
#152
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
21.3
#23
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.7
#40
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.4
#156
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
19.6
#27
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.6
#146
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.3
#62
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.5
#193
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.4
#135
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.4
#133
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.5
#85
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.4
#134
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
10.1
#74
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
14.4
#49
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.4
#132
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.7
#35
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.0
#161
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
39.1
#4
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
4.1
#122
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.5
#194
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.3
#208
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.5
#100
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
15.6
#44
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.2
#211
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
12.4
#61
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
9.7
#79
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.2
#210
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
9.6
#80
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
7.5
#93
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.4
#154
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
6.6
#99
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
15.9
#42
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
23.1
#20
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
27.6
#18
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.2
#89
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.4
#201
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.8
#182
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
15.1
#46
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.3
#209
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.8
#184
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
8.0
#91
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.2
#138
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.1
#175
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.5
#41
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.4
#202
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.3
#136
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.2
#173
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.8
#183
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
9.9
#77
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
16.7
#36
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
5.1
#111
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
120.5
#1
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
34.7
#7
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.4
#200
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
3.9
#124
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
18.5
#33
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
1.6
#165
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
52.8
#2
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
0.9
#181
Metric
Value
Rank
Guns Owned
2.8
#143