LATEST GUN STATS: 85% OF THE WORLD’S 1 BILLION GUNS OWN BY CIVILIANS, NOT THE MILITARY, FINDS DON JURAVIN

UPDATE: “Guns” refers to firearms: small arms include handguns (revolvers and pistols) and long guns, such as rifles (of which there are many subtypes such as anti-material rifles, sniper rifles).

HOLY LAND MINISTRY conducted an extensive study (latest 2022) comparing firearms ownership around the world. 230 countries were compared. The research focused on the USA vs Euro-top vs. Israel. 

How many people in the world own guns?

Don Juravin answers that only 15% of guns in the world are in the hands of the military and law enforcement. 

Research Summary

Don Juravin reveals unconventional facts and news: 

85% of the world’s 1,013 billion firearms are in civilian hands. 

• 850 million firearms are owned by civilians, not the military or law enforcement, according to Juravin. 
• 393 million guns are owned by American citizens, according to studies. 
• 120 firearms per 100 citizens in the United States, according to a BBC study.
• 66% of gun owners in America own multiple firearms, not just one or two. 

USA

Guns range from crude craft-made handguns to collectible antiques and state-of-the-art automatic rifles. Civilian ownership is the fastest-growing category, as consumers buy more guns, while military and law enforcement holdings remain more stable and some of their weapons gradually shift into civilian hands.

• • Illegal firearm trafficking, crime, and underworld doings make it impossible to register every single firearm and so the number may be off.
  • Only 3 in 10 Americans actually own a gun despite the 393,000,000 guns in the United States, according to Pew Research. 
    • Two-thirds of those owners say they own a gun for protection purposes. In Juravin’s opinion, these owners do not trust the law to protect them.  
    • Two-thirds of gun owners own more than one gun, while one in five gun owners possess multiple guns. 
  • Three American brands of guns create 41% of domestic weapons annually around the world. 
  • Gun laws in the United States are regulated in a two-fold manner. 
    • One is through the state level, which varies from state to state. 
    • Another is through federal law, which is regulated through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. 

EUROPE AND ISRAEL

The rest of the world does not put so much emphasis on guns as the United States. The United States’ weapon problem is a unique issue that European countries and Israel don’t suffer from. 

• • The world’s armed forces control 132 million firearms total. Juravin determined that this still leaves some 890 million firearms out in the world, controlled by civilians or criminals. 
  • In France, 12 million firearms are owned by citizens. There are 20 guns owned per 100 citizens.
  • Israel has 562,000 civilian-owned guns, and there are 7 guns owned per 100 citizens.

Estimated Civilians Firearms 

per 100 persons | 2018-2019 report

Comparing USA Vs. Europe’s top countries (Germany, France, Italy) Vs. Israel

WINNER: Israel

• • • Israel’s estimate of gun ownership is 4.94 times lower than the world average
    • Israel’s estimate of gun ownership is 17.99 times lower than USA
    • Israel’s estimate of gun ownership is 2.67 times lower than Euro-top

Credits

Research DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3554534

Research by: Don Karl Juravin | Don Juravin tweets | Don Juravin videos | Don Juravin page | Don Karl Juravin Linkedin | Don Juravin Pinterest | Don Juravin images | Don Juravin blogs | Don Karl Juravin Reddit | Don Juravin scholar citation | Don Juravin writer | Don Karl Juravin blog | Google+ | Ted Talks | Don Juravin docs | Don Juravin answers | Don Karl Juravin local | Juravin blogging |