Six cards comparing global civilian gun ownership and homicide rates, showing U.S. ownership per capita, high-ownership low-homicide countries, and regional homicide rates from UNODC.

Are Guns a uniquely American problem

by

About This Question

The United States has more privately owned firearms than any other country. The Small Arms Survey estimated in 2018 that there were about 857 million civilian-held firearms worldwide, and that Americans held about 393 million of them, roughly 46% of the global total, or about 120.5 guns for every 100 residents. No other country comes close on a per-person basis, though several have high ownership rates of their own, including Canada (about 34.7 per 100), Finland (32.4) and Switzerland (27.6), all of which have low homicide rates.

Six cards comparing global civilian gun ownership and homicide rates, showing U.S. ownership per capita, high-ownership low-homicide countries, and regional homicide rates from UNODC.

Violence involving firearms, however, is not a uniquely American problem. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that in 2021 the Americas had the highest homicide rate of any region, about 15 per 100,000 people, and that firearms were used in an estimated 75% of homicides there. UNODC linked sharp increases in countries such as Haiti and Ecuador to competition among organized crime groups and gangs; the region recorded about 154,000 homicides that year. Africa had the largest absolute number of homicides. International comparisons suggest that the number of guns alone does not explain a country’s violence; crime, governance and social conditions matter a great deal.

Key Facts

  • 2017 (published 2018): Small Arms Survey estimates 857 million civilian firearms worldwide
  • United States: about 393 million civilian firearms, 120.5 per 100 residents
  • Canada 34.7, Finland 32.4, Switzerland 27.6 firearms per 100 residents
  • 2021: Americas homicide rate about 15 per 100,000, highest of any region (UNODC)
  • 2021: Global homicide rate 5.8 per 100,000; Europe 2.2, Asia 2.3

Learn More

Sources

Profiles on Minuteman University.com are editorial content compiled from public sources. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of, sponsorship by, or affiliation with this site or the Gun Websites Firearms Network. Corrections and removal requests are welcome through Contact Us.