This Is the Country Where People Own the Most Guns

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By Sunday morning, at least 27 people had been shot, four fatally, in different gun violence incidents across Chicago, according to ABC Eyewitness News .

This deadly weekend follows last weekend that recorded three mass shootings that left dozens dead or wounded: one shooting was at a party in Alabama, another in an entertainment district in Ohio, and third in a grocery store in Arkansas. In addition, at least two law enforcement officers were shot, one fatally.

Some people put the blame for the gun violence on the abundance of guns at the hands of civilians in the U.S. But while the U.S. certainly has by far the most civilian guns per capita of any nation on the planet, it does not necessarily have the highest incidence of gun violence.

To identify the countries where people own the most guns, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed estimated civilian firearm possession in 230 countries from the Small Arms Survey 's Global Firearms Holdings database. The study, which it is important to note reflects conditions in 2017, was done using surveys, expert estimates, as well as analogous comparison. Countries on the list are ranked by the estimated number of civilian firearms per 100 people. We used the total number of guns to break ties.

We also added gross domestic product per capita in current U.S. dollars for 2022 or the most recent year available from the World Bank. For reference, the world GDP per capita was $12,688 in 2022. Of the 35 countries on the list with GDP data, only 11 have a lower GDP per capita than the world average. Meanwhile, 13 of the 25 wealthiest countries in the world are on the list, including the richest three.

Countries like Indonesia, Japan, Malawi, South Korea, and several Pacific island states have fewer than 1 firearm per 100 people. The countries on the list, however, have about 17 or more guns per 100 people. Among the countries on the list are a few that have been mired in armed conflict, including civil war. These countries include Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. In Yemen, the rate is particularly high, at 53 guns per 100 civilians.

Among the Western countries, Austria, Finland, and Canada have 30 or more guns per 100 people. But, the U.S. leads the list with a staggering 121 firearms per 100 civilians, about double second place Falkland Island. Still, while the violent firearm deaths are high relative to Western countries, they are not the highest in the world, ranking 40th highest. (Also see: This Is the Country Where the Most People Die Violent Deaths .)

Why it matters

The U.S. surgeon general issued on Tuesday an advisory , declaring firearm violence in America a public health crisis. In 2022, 48,204 people died from firearm‑related injuries, including suicides, homicides, and unintentional deaths. This is about 20% more than in 2019 and a whopping 50% increase from 2010. It is important to understand the role gun ownership plays.

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