Less isn't more
Civilians now have access to 650 million small arms — from handguns to semiautomatic rifles — an arsenal that far outstrips that held by police forces and the militaries worldwide, according to a report released Tuesday.
The annual Small Arms Survey estimates that civilians account for about three quarters of the 875 million such weapons in circulation today.
The United States is the worldwide leader, with up to 290 million guns in circulation, or nearly one per person, according to the survey.
"Civilian holdings of weapons worldwide are much larger than we previously believed," the director of the Geneva-based group, Keith Krause, told reporters.
The report notes that only about 12 percent of all weapons worldwide are registered with authorities, making it difficult to collect exact data on gun possession. Five years ago, the group estimated a total of 640 million small arms worldwide. The new figure was the result of more systematic reporting by countries and arms researchers, Krause said.
Other countries with high per capita ownership include Yemen, with 61 small arms per 100 people; Finland, 56; Switzerland, 46; and Iraq, 39. Much lower on the scale are Brazil, with 9 guns per 100 people; England and Wales, 6; India, 4; China, 3; and Nigeria, 1.
"There's a large number of states in the middle, mostly northern industrial states in Western Europe and North America," said Krause, citing France, with 32 per 100 people; Canada and Sweden, 31 each; and Germany, 30.
The figures dispel the idea that gun ownership and high levels of violence necessarily go hand in hand, he said.
"There's no clear relationship between more guns and higher levels of violence," Krause said, pointing to low ownership and high crime rates in Latin America.
So in England & Wales if there are 6 firearms per 100 head of population (or if you like 1:16.66) & Family FM currently own 9 such weapons, what the hell are the rest of you all doing?? Get down to your local gun shop now - go on, you know it makes sense.
Comments
I wonder where they got their info. Using Canada as an example, at 31 per 100, there are no reliable statistics on gun ownership. About 10 years ago, one newspaper attempted to check up on official estimates of gun ownership being made to support the then-proposed Firearms Registry. After much searching, the reporters determined that the last "reliable" estimate was made in 1970, with 7 million guns for 21 million people, or 33 per 100.
Cheers
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs | August 30, 2007 5:30 AM
I have 5, which I don't think is a bad number. Emmigrating to Canada in December (yes yes, bad timing and all that), and first on my list is a 1911 shortly followed by a Browning Hi-Power. Then the fun truly begins when I start venturing into the realms of hunting rifles... I sometimes think my .303 has fairly limited capability in the hunting of smaller quarry.
Posted by: Conrad | August 30, 2007 12:40 PM
Good luck getting the pistols in Canada, Conrad. Canada is going the way of the UK & Australia. You need to go south young man!
Posted by: 45govt | August 30, 2007 1:18 PM
Those US numbers are way too low.
Their survey has a big flaw in it ... most US gun owners, if asked about their firearms, tend to respond to surveys with FOAD.
The government and the media have no clue how many firearms are actually in the US ... and we like it that way.
Posted by: Kristopher | August 31, 2007 5:36 AM
Ten rifles, seven shotguns and three air rifles under this roof!
Pistols are a bit of a sore point mind....
Posted by: EX_STAB | September 3, 2007 1:03 PM