Special Report
The 33 Countries With the Most Gun Deaths per Person
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There have been more than over 34,000 deaths from gun violence in the United States in 2023, as of the middle of October. Included in that figure, which comes from data released by the Gun Violence Archive, are a staggering 547 mass shootings. It remains to be seen if 2023 will eventually surpass last year’s record-setting 40,603 gun violence deaths, or the record 690 mass shootings, set in 2021. (These are the deadliest mass shootings since the Columbine massacre.)
While the United States stands out among developed nations in gun deaths, many other countries struggle with gun violence. In Mexico, guns were used in the vast majority of homicides, contributing to 22,118 total gun deaths in 2019. In Brazil, President Bolsonaro loosened gun law, despite the country’s 49,437 gun-related fatalities in the year he was elected to office, 2019. Both Brazil and Mexico grapple with drug cartel gun violence.
To determine the countries with the most gun deaths, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on overall gun deaths and per capita gun deaths in 204 countries in 2019 from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluations. Countries were ranked on 2019 gun deaths per person. We added overall and per capita gun figures on interpersonal violent firearm deaths, self-inflicted firearm deaths, and unintentional firearm deaths in 2019, also from the IHME. Gun ownership data came from the 2017 Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research project. 2021 population figure came from the World Bank. Only countries with more than 1,000 firearm deaths were included on the list.
Among countries with the most gun deaths per capita, the U.S. holds a high-ranking position in several categories. The U.S. ranks No. 2 for the most gun deaths overall and No. 1 in the rate of self-inflicted gun deaths. Many lawmakers attribute the high rate of gun deaths in the U.S. with lax gun laws.
The U.S. also holds the No. 1 ranking for civilian firearm ownership, with 120.5 firearms owned per 100 persons. In fact, according to the Small Arms Survey, the U.S. has 46% of all civilian-owned guns across the globe, despite having less than 5% of the global population. Among the countries on our list, No. 14, Pakistan, has the second highest number of civilian firearm owners per 100 persons. (States Where Gun Deaths Are Increasing Fastest.)
Three of the top five countries with the most gun deaths overall are in South America, one is in North America, and one is in Asia. El Salvador, No. 17, has the highest rate of interpersonal violent firearm deaths, per 100,000 people, followed by No. 6, Venezuela and No. 8, Guatemala. On a per capita basis, however, the countries with the worst gun violence are all in the Western Hemisphere, with the top six countries all in South America.
33. China
> 2019 gun deaths: 0.8 per million (total: 1,126 — 29th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 0.2 per million — #202 out of 204 (total: 334)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 0.3 per million — #202 out of 204 most (total: 467)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 0.2 per million — #192 out of 204 (total: 325)
> 2017 gun ownership: 3.6 firearms per 100 people — #22 out of 230 (total: 4,971,000)
> 2021 population: 1,412,360,000
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32. Bangladesh
> 2019 gun deaths: 9.9 per million (total: 1,580 — 24th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 7.8 per million — #103 out of 204 (total: 1,235)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 1.5 per million — #168 out of 204 most (total: 231)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 0.7 per million — #156 out of 204 (total: 114)
> 2017 gun ownership: 0.4 firearms per 100 people — #32 out of 230 (total: 7,588,000)
> 2021 population: 166,303,494
31. India
> 2019 gun deaths: 10.6 per million (total: 14,712 — 4th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 5.7 per million — #120 out of 204 (total: 7,977)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 4.4 per million — #107 out of 204 most (total: 6,145)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 0.4 per million — #179 out of 204 (total: 589)
> 2017 gun ownership: 5.3 firearms per 100 people — #20 out of 230 (total: 331,000)
> 2021 population: 1,393,409,033
30. Germany
> 2019 gun deaths: 12.0 per million (total: 1,020 — 32th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 1.0 per million — #187 out of 204 (total: 84)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 10.6 per million — #36 out of 204 most (total: 899)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 0.4 per million — #176 out of 204 (total: 37)
> 2017 gun ownership: 19.6 firearms per 100 people — #3 out of 230 (total: 393,347,000)
> 2021 population: 83,129,285
29. Pakistan
> 2019 gun deaths: 13.2 per million (total: 2,949 — 14th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 7.7 per million — #105 out of 204 (total: 1,721)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 3.2 per million — #127 out of 204 most (total: 710)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 2.3 per million — #100 out of 204 (total: 517)
> 2017 gun ownership: 22.3 firearms per 100 people — #2 out of 230 (total: 12,732,000)
> 2021 population: 225,199,929
28. Democratic Republic of the Congo
> 2019 gun deaths: 15.1 per million (total: 1,325 — 26th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 4.4 per million — #130 out of 204 (total: 382)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 4.5 per million — #103 out of 204 most (total: 395)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 6.3 per million — #51 out of 204 (total: 548)
> 2017 gun ownership: 1.2 firearms per 100 people — #28 out of 230 (total: 2,062,000)
> 2021 population: 92,377,986
27. Russia
> 2019 gun deaths: 16.9 per million (total: 2,480 — 16th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 7.8 per million — #101 out of 204 (total: 1,145)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 7.2 per million — #66 out of 204 most (total: 1,053)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 1.9 per million — #108 out of 204 (total: 282)
> 2017 gun ownership: 12.3 firearms per 100 people — #12 out of 230 (total: 13,249,000)
> 2021 population: 143,446,060
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26. Nigeria
> 2019 gun deaths: 23.8 per million (total: 5,103 — 9th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 16.2 per million — #68 out of 204 (total: 3,482)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 2.1 per million — #148 out of 204 most (total: 458)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 5.4 per million — #61 out of 204 (total: 1,163)
> 2017 gun ownership: 3.2 firearms per 100 people — #24 out of 230 (total: 795,000)
> 2021 population: 211,400,704
25. Uganda
> 2019 gun deaths: 26.9 per million (total: 1,108 — 30th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 19.4 per million — #64 out of 204 (total: 799)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 2.6 per million — #140 out of 204 most (total: 108)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 4.9 per million — #67 out of 204 (total: 201)
> 2017 gun ownership: 0.8 firearms per 100 people — #30 out of 230 (total: 71,101,000)
> 2021 population: 47,123,533
24. Turkey
> 2019 gun deaths: 27.4 per million (total: 2,232 — 18th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 11.9 per million — #78 out of 204 (total: 967)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 7.2 per million — #65 out of 204 most (total: 585)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 8.4 per million — #30 out of 204 (total: 680)
> 2017 gun ownership: 16.5 firearms per 100 people — #7 out of 230 (total: 17,620,000)
> 2021 population: 85,042,736
23. Tanzania
> 2019 gun deaths: 29.7 per million (total: 1,684 — 23th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 20.4 per million — #61 out of 204 (total: 1,159)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 3.6 per million — #125 out of 204 most (total: 203)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 5.7 per million — #57 out of 204 (total: 323)
> 2017 gun ownership: 0.8 firearms per 100 people — #30 out of 230 (total: 377,000)
> 2021 population: 61,498,438
22. France
> 2019 gun deaths: 31.7 per million (total: 2,098 — 19th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 3.4 per million — #146 out of 204 (total: 222)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 26.4 per million — #9 out of 204 most (total: 1,748)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 1.9 per million — #109 out of 204 (total: 127)
> 2017 gun ownership: 19.6 firearms per 100 people — #3 out of 230 (total: 43,917,000)
> 2021 population: 67,499,343
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21. Ethiopia
> 2019 gun deaths: 34.5 per million (total: 3,712 — 11th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 21.3 per million — #60 out of 204 (total: 2,293)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 3.2 per million — #128 out of 204 most (total: 340)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 10.0 per million — #21 out of 204 (total: 1,079)
> 2017 gun ownership: 0.4 firearms per 100 people — #32 out of 230 (total: 427,000)
> 2021 population: 117,876,226
20. Ivory Coast
> 2019 gun deaths: 38.9 per million (total: 1,017 — 33th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 27.0 per million — #50 out of 204 (total: 707)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 6.0 per million — #77 out of 204 most (total: 157)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 5.8 per million — #56 out of 204 (total: 153)
> 2017 gun ownership: 4.4 firearms per 100 people — #21 out of 230 (total: 17,510,000)
> 2021 population: 27,053,629
19. Thailand
> 2019 gun deaths: 40.0 per million (total: 2,804 — 15th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 33.5 per million — #41 out of 204 (total: 2,351)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 5.5 per million — #86 out of 204 most (total: 382)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 1.0 per million — #138 out of 204 (total: 71)
> 2017 gun ownership: 15.1 firearms per 100 people — #8 out of 230 (total: 750,000)
> 2021 population: 69,950,844
18. Kenya
> 2019 gun deaths: 41.8 per million (total: 2,098 — 19th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 30.5 per million — #43 out of 204 (total: 1,533)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 3.9 per million — #116 out of 204 most (total: 195)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 7.4 per million — #37 out of 204 (total: 370)
> 2017 gun ownership: 1.5 firearms per 100 people — #27 out of 230 (total: 10,342,000)
> 2021 population: 54,985,702
17. Mali
> 2019 gun deaths: 50.4 per million (total: 1,105 — 31th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 38.3 per million — #34 out of 204 (total: 841)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 4.0 per million — #112 out of 204 most (total: 87)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 8.1 per million — #33 out of 204 (total: 177)
> 2017 gun ownership: 1.1 firearms per 100 people — #29 out of 230 (total: 16,809,000)
> 2021 population: 20,855,724
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16. Ecuador
> 2019 gun deaths: 64.1 per million (total: 1,127 — 28th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 56.2 per million — #26 out of 204 (total: 989)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 5.1 per million — #93 out of 204 most (total: 90)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 2.7 per million — #91 out of 204 (total: 48)
> 2017 gun ownership: 2.4 firearms per 100 people — #26 out of 230 (total: 5,895,000)
> 2021 population: 17,888,474
15. Somalia
> 2019 gun deaths: 64.5 per million (total: 1,313 — 27th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 38.5 per million — #33 out of 204 (total: 783)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 6.3 per million — #71 out of 204 most (total: 129)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 19.7 per million — #10 out of 204 (total: 401)
> 2017 gun ownership: 12.4 firearms per 100 people — #11 out of 230 (total: 3,776,000)
> 2021 population: 16,359,500
14. South Africa
> 2019 gun deaths: 65.0 per million (total: 3,610 — 12th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 52.8 per million — #28 out of 204 (total: 2,937)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 7.1 per million — #67 out of 204 most (total: 397)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 5.0 per million — #65 out of 204 (total: 276)
> 2017 gun ownership: 9.7 firearms per 100 people — #16 out of 230 (total: 291,000)
> 2021 population: 60,041,996
13. Argentina
> 2019 gun deaths: 73.3 per million (total: 3,309 — 13th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 37.9 per million — #35 out of 204 (total: 1,709)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 26.7 per million — #6 out of 204 most (total: 1,204)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 8.8 per million — #27 out of 204 (total: 396)
> 2017 gun ownership: 7.4 firearms per 100 people — #18 out of 230 (total: 1,171,000)
> 2021 population: 45,808,747
12. Philippines
> 2019 gun deaths: 82.6 per million (total: 9,268 — 7th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 80.5 per million — #21 out of 204 (total: 9,028)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 1.0 per million — #176 out of 204 most (total: 110)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 1.2 per million — #129 out of 204 (total: 130)
> 2017 gun ownership: 3.6 firearms per 100 people — #22 out of 230 (total: 1,145,000)
> 2021 population: 111,046,910
11. Iraq
> 2019 gun deaths: 105.0 per million (total: 4,424 — 10th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 62.9 per million — #24 out of 204 (total: 2,649)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 10.2 per million — #39 out of 204 most (total: 428)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 32.0 per million — #5 out of 204 (total: 1,347)
> 2017 gun ownership: 19.6 firearms per 100 people — #3 out of 230 (total: 659,000)
> 2021 population: 41,179,351
10. United States of America
> 2019 gun deaths: 112.9 per million (total: 37,040 — 2th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 39.6 per million — #32 out of 204 (total: 13,001)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 71.2 per million — #2 out of 204 most (total: 23,365)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 2.1 per million — #103 out of 204 (total: 674)
> 2017 gun ownership: 120.5 firearms per 100 people — #1 out of 230 (total: 15,822,000)
> 2021 population: 331,893,745
9. Dominican Republic
> 2019 gun deaths: 140.2 per million (total: 1,526 — 25th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 118.4 per million — #14 out of 204 (total: 1,288)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 8.8 per million — #51 out of 204 most (total: 96)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 13.0 per million — #15 out of 204 (total: 141)
> 2017 gun ownership: 7.4 firearms per 100 people — #18 out of 230 (total: 6,154,000)
> 2021 population: 10,953,714
8. Haiti
> 2019 gun deaths: 159.2 per million (total: 1,975 — 22th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 102.2 per million — #18 out of 204 (total: 1,268)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 4.8 per million — #100 out of 204 most (total: 60)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 52.2 per million — #1 out of 204 (total: 647)
> 2017 gun ownership: 2.6 firearms per 100 people — #25 out of 230 (total: 5,351,000)
> 2021 population: 11,541,683
7. Mexico
> 2019 gun deaths: 177.0 per million (total: 22,118 — 3th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 164.1 per million — #10 out of 204 (total: 20,509)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 7.3 per million — #64 out of 204 most (total: 914)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 5.6 per million — #59 out of 204 (total: 696)
> 2017 gun ownership: 12.9 firearms per 100 people — #10 out of 230 (total: 206,000)
> 2021 population: 130,262,220
6. Honduras
> 2019 gun deaths: 213.0 per million (total: 2,091 — 21th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 201.5 per million — #7 out of 204 (total: 1,978)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 3.5 per million — #126 out of 204 most (total: 35)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 8.0 per million — #35 out of 204 (total: 79)
> 2017 gun ownership: 14.1 firearms per 100 people — #9 out of 230 (total: 3,256,000)
> 2021 population: 10,062,994
5. Brazil
> 2019 gun deaths: 228.2 per million (total: 49,437 — 1th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 219.3 per million — #5 out of 204 (total: 47,510)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 5.8 per million — #81 out of 204 most (total: 1,259)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 3.1 per million — #85 out of 204 (total: 668)
> 2017 gun ownership: 8.3 firearms per 100 people — #17 out of 230 (total: 1,049,000)
> 2021 population: 213,993,441
4. Colombia
> 2019 gun deaths: 275.7 per million (total: 13,171 — 5th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 263.6 per million — #4 out of 204 (total: 12,596)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 10.0 per million — #41 out of 204 most (total: 478)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 2.0 per million — #105 out of 204 (total: 97)
> 2017 gun ownership: 10.1 firearms per 100 people — #15 out of 230 (total: 49,735,000)
> 2021 population: 51,265,841
3. Guatemala
> 2019 gun deaths: 336.5 per million (total: 5,982 — 8th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 290.6 per million — #3 out of 204 (total: 5,165)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 3.6 per million — #124 out of 204 most (total: 64)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 42.3 per million — #2 out of 204 (total: 752)
> 2017 gun ownership: 12.1 firearms per 100 people — #13 out of 230 (total: 946,000)
> 2021 population: 17,109,746
2. El Salvador
> 2019 gun deaths: 369.8 per million (total: 2,313 — 17th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 367.8 per million — #1 out of 204 (total: 2,301)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 1.6 per million — #162 out of 204 most (total: 10)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 0.5 per million — #171 out of 204 (total: 03)
> 2017 gun ownership: 12.0 firearms per 100 people — #14 out of 230 (total: 737,000)
> 2021 population: 6,518,500
1. Venezuela
> 2019 gun deaths: 377.6 per million (total: 10,599 — 6th most)
> 2019 interpersonal violent firearm deaths: 332.7 per million — #2 out of 204 (total: 9,338)
> 2019 self-inflicted firearm deaths: 25.0 per million — #10 out of 204 most (total: 702)
> 2019 unintentional firearm deaths: 19.9 per million — #9 out of 204 (total: 559)
> 2017 gun ownership: 18.5 firearms per 100 people — #6 out of 230 (total: 402,000)
> 2021 population: 28,704,947
Methodology
To determine the countries with the most gun deaths, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on overall gun deaths and per capita guns deaths in 2019 from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluations as well as over and per capita gun figures on physical violence deaths, self-harms deaths and unintentional deaths from firearms in 2019 also from the IHME. Gun ownership data comes from the 2017 Small Arms Survey. 2021 population numbers are from the World Bank. Only countries with more than 1,000 firearm deaths were included on the list.
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