Countries With the Highest Rates of Gun Violence

Special Report

Published: March 28, 2024 8:50 am

Among wealthy, highly-developed countries, the United States is an outlier when it comes to gun violence. According to the Small Arms Survey, an international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, over 22,700 Americans were killed by a firearm in 2021, not counting suicides. Adjusting for population, the gun death rate in the U.S. of 6.7 fatalities for every 100,000 people in 2021 is at least three times higher than in any country in Europe or Oceania.

While deadly gun violence is far more prevalent in the U.S. than in the rest of the developed world, compared to all countries, the problem is by no means unique to the United States.

Using data from the Small Arms Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the countries with the highest rates of deadly gun violence. Countries are ranked on the estimated number of violent gun deaths – excluding suicides – for every 100,000 people in 2021, the latest year of available data. Only considered countries with populations of at least 10 million, according to the latest World Bank estimates, were considered.

Among the 35 countries on this list, rates of deadly gun violence in 2021 range from about 2 for every 100,000 people to more than 50 per 100,000. The countries on this list span the globe, from Asia and Oceania, to Africa and the Americas.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the U.S. is by far the wealthiest country to rank on this list, with a GDP per capita of over $76,300 in 2022, according to the World Bank. Chile, the second wealthiest country to rank on this list, has a per capita GDP of just $15,355. Many of the 33 other countries with high rates of gun violence rank among the poorest places in the world.

In several countries, deadly gun violence is driven by large-scale armed conflict. Some of the highest-ranking countries on this list, including Afghanistan, Colombia, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, are in the throes of terrorist insurgencies, drug wars, civil war, or ethnic violence.

High rates of civilian gun ownership is also common in many countries on this list. As of 2017, the latest year of available data from the Small Arms Survey, there were more than 30 civilian owned firearms for every 100 people in several of the countries with the highest rates of deadly gun violence. In the U.S., which, along with Guatemala, Haiti, and Mexico, is one of only four countries where gun ownership is a constitutional right, there are an estimated 393.3 million civilian owned firearms, making it the only country in the world with more guns than people. (Here is a look at the cities in every state with the highest gun-crime rate.)

35. Burundi

Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 1.9 per 100,000 people (total: 243)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 15.1%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 2.0 per 100 people (total: 238,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $259
Population, 2022: 12,889,576
Region: Eastern Africa

34. Egypt

Source: Mohamed kamal 1984, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 2.0 per 100,000 people (total: 2,139)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 94.1%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 4.1 per 100 people (total: 3,931,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $4,295
Population, 2022: 110,990,103
Region: Northern Africa

33. Papua New Guinea

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 2.2 per 100,000 people (total: 218)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 16.0%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 1.0 per 100 people (total: 79,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $3,116
Population, 2022: 10,142,619
Region: Melanesia

32. Philippines

Source: E911a / Wikimedia Commons

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 2.3 per 100,000 people (total: 2,639)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 38.1%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 3.6 per 100 people (total: 3,776,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $3,499
Population, 2022: 115,559,009
Region: South-Eastern Asia

31. Chile

Source: diegograndi / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 2.6 per 100,000 people (total: 498)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 61.1%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 12.1 per 100 people (total: 2,220,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $15,355
Population, 2022: 19,603,733
Region: South America

30. Sudan

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 2.8 per 100,000 people (total: 1,277)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 28.2%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 6.6 per 100 people (total: 2,768,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $1,102
Population, 2022: 46,874,204
Region: Northern Africa

29. Turkey

Source: volkan83 / Flickr

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 2.9 per 100,000 people (total: 2,481)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 89.5%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 16.5 per 100 people (total: 13,249,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $10,675
Population, 2022: 84,979,913
Region: Western Asia

28. Argentina

Source: saiko3p / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 3.0 per 100,000 people (total: 1,353)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 54.1%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 7.4 per 100 people (total: 3,256,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $13,651
Population, 2022: 46,234,830
Region: South America

27. Peru

Source: simonmayer / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 3.4 per 100,000 people (total: 1,151)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 51.4%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 2.0 per 100 people (total: 633,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $7,126
Population, 2022: 34,049,588
Region: South America

26. South Africa

Source: michaeljung / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 4.7 per 100,000 people (total: 2,786)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 9.6%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 9.7 per 100 people (total: 5,351,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $6,766
Population, 2022: 59,893,885
Region: Southern Africa

25. Ethiopia

Source: derejeb / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 5.3 per 100,000 people (total: 6,407)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 33.0%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 0.4 per 100 people (total: 377,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $1,028
Population, 2022: 123,379,924
Region: Eastern Africa

24. Burkina Faso

Source: Gilles_Paire / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 5.6 per 100,000 people (total: 1,230)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 39.3%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 0.9 per 100 people (total: 175,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $830
Population, 2022: 22,673,762
Region: Western Africa

23. Niger

Source: HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 6.0 per 100,000 people (total: 1,516)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 50.7%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 0.5 per 100 people (total: 117,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $585
Population, 2022: 26,207,977
Region: Western Africa

22. Haiti

Source: La_Corivo / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 6.0 per 100,000 people (total: 689)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 38.2%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 2.6 per 100 people (total: 291,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $1,748
Population, 2022: 11,584,996
Region: Caribbean

21. United States

Source: kasto80 / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 6.7 per 100,000 people (total: 22,702)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 82.7%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 120.5 per 100 people (total: 393,347,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $76,330
Population, 2022: 333,287,557
Region: Northern America

20. Cote d’Ivoire

Source: brendanvanson / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 7.0 per 100,000 people (total: 1,922)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 52.0%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 4.4 per 100 people (total: 1,049,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $2,486
Population, 2022: 28,160,542
Region: Western Africa

19. Chad

Source: Marco Di Lauro / Getty Images News via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 7.1 per 100,000 people (total: 1,212)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 45.9%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 1.0 per 100 people (total: 151,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $717
Population, 2022: 17,723,315
Region: Middle Africa

18. Nigeria

Source: peeterv / E+ via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 7.6 per 100,000 people (total: 16,309)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 44.0%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 3.2 per 100 people (total: 6,154,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $2,163
Population, 2022: 218,541,212
Region: Western Africa

17. Dominican Republic

Source: Lya_Cattel / E+ via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 9.4 per 100,000 people (total: 1,041)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 61.2%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 7.4 per 100 people (total: 795,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $10,111
Population, 2022: 11,228,821
Region: Caribbean

16. Democratic Republic of the Congo

Source: Johnstanbul, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 9.4 per 100,000 people (total: 9,015)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 42.2%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 1.2 per 100 people (total: 946,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $654
Population, 2022: 99,010,212
Region: Middle Africa

15. Somalia

Source: ambjorn / Flickr

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 9.9 per 100,000 people (total: 1,695)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 50.8%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 12.4 per 100 people (total: 1,145,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $592
Population, 2022: 17,597,511
Region: Eastern Africa

14. Iraq

Source: 2003 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 10.6 per 100,000 people (total: 4,620)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 61.6%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 19.6 per 100 people (total: 7,588,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $5,937
Population, 2022: 44,496,122
Region: Western Asia

13. Mali

Source: dutourdumonde / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 10.8 per 100,000 people (total: 2,366)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 50.5%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 1.1 per 100 people (total: 206,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $833
Population, 2022: 22,593,590
Region: Western Africa

12. Myanmar

Source: fran001 / Flickr

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 11.1 per 100,000 people (total: 5,966)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 34.4%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 1.6 per 100 people (total: 877,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $1,149
Population, 2022: 54,179,306
Region: South-Eastern Asia

11. South Sudan

Source: Phototreat / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 11.5 per 100,000 people (total: 1,239)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 35.9%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 9.6 per 100 people (total: 1,255,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: N/A
Population, 2022: 10,913,164
Region: Eastern Africa

10. Ecuador

Source: footprintbooks / Flickr

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 11.8 per 100,000 people (total: 2,098)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 73.1%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 2.4 per 100 people (total: 402,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $6,391
Population, 2022: 18,001,000
Region: South America

9. Guatemala

Source: frank_am_main / Flickr

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 15.3 per 100,000 people (total: 2,690)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 66.4%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 12.1 per 100 people (total: 2,062,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $5,473
Population, 2022: 17,357,886
Region: Central America

8. Syrian Arab Republic

Source: John Moore / Getty Images News via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 17.9 per 100,000 people (total: 3,818)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 30.3%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 8.2 per 100 people (total: 1,547,000)
GDP per capita, 2021: $421
Population, 2022: 22,125,249
Region: Western Asia

7. Brazil

Source: Mario Tama / Staff / Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 18.7 per 100,000 people (total: 39,963)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 76.7%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 8.3 per 100 people (total: 17,510,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $8,918
Population, 2022: 215,313,498
Region: South America

6. Colombia

Source: Arturo Rosenow / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 21.1 per 100,000 people (total: 10,848)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 58.3%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 10.1 per 100 people (total: 4,971,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $6,624
Population, 2022: 51,874,024
Region: South America

5. Mexico

Source: vichinterlang / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 22.4 per 100,000 people (total: 28,342)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 68.4%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 12.9 per 100 people (total: 16,809,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $11,497
Population, 2022: 127,504,125
Region: Central America

4. Venezuela

Source: M M from Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 29.3 per 100,000 people (total: 8,255)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 78.5%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 18.5 per 100 people (total: 5,895,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: N/A
Population, 2022: 28,301,696
Region: South America

3. Yemen

Source: Kilinson / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 30.5 per 100,000 people (total: 10,056)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 49.9%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 52.8 per 100 people (total: 14,859,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $650
Population, 2022: 33,696,614
Region: Western Asia

2. Honduras

Source: Judd Irish Bradley / iStock via Getty Images

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 32.7 per 100,000 people (total: 3,356)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 73.6%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 14.1 per 100 people (total: 1,171,000)
GDP per capita, 2022: $3,040
Population, 2022: 10,432,860
Region: Central America

1. Afghanistan

Source: ipostcross / Flickr

Violent deaths by firearm, 2021: 56.8 per 100,000 people (total: 22,776)
Firearm deaths as a share of all violent deaths, 2021: 50.6%
Civilian-owned firearms: Approx. 12.5 per 100 people (total: 4,270,000)
GDP per capita, 2021: $356
Population, 2022: 41,128,771
Region: Southern Asia

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Read more: Special Report, countries ranked by gun deaths, countries with the most gun deaths, countries with the most gun violence, gun deaths by country, how gun deaths in the US compares to the world, most dangerous countries, small arms survey, world bank, Crime

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