GITNUXREPORT 2026

Worldwide Gun Violence Statistics

Gun violence takes hundreds of thousands of lives globally every single year.

How We Build This Report

01
Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02
Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03
AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04
Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Statistics that could not be independently verified are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are elsewhere.

Our process →

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In 2019, firearms were responsible for 251,000 deaths worldwide, with 80,000 being homicides according to the Global Burden of Disease Study

Statistic 2

Brazil recorded 47,074 firearm homicides in 2017, the highest globally per Small Arms Survey

Statistic 3

United States had 14,778 firearm homicides in 2021 per CDC data extrapolated globally

Statistic 4

Mexico saw 33,270 gun deaths in 2020, mostly homicides, from INEGI

Statistic 5

South Africa reported 19,696 firearm homicides in 2017 per SAPS

Statistic 6

Venezuela had an estimated 22,030 gun homicides in 2019 despite population decline, per Observatorio Venezolano

Statistic 7

Colombia registered 12,068 firearm homicides in 2022 from Medicina Legal

Statistic 8

Philippines noted 2,252 gun homicides in 2022 per PNP

Statistic 9

India reported 3,306 firearm homicides in 2021 from NCRB

Statistic 10

Russia had 2,947 gun homicides in 2020 per Rosstat

Statistic 11

Argentina saw 2,279 firearm homicides in 2022 from official stats

Statistic 12

Guatemala recorded 1,833 gun homicides in 2021 per INE

Statistic 13

Honduras had 3,043 firearm homicides in 2022 despite decreases

Statistic 14

El Salvador noted 1,147 gun homicides in 2023, down from peaks

Statistic 15

Jamaica reported 1,120 firearm homicides in 2022 per JCF

Statistic 16

Global firearm homicide rate was 6.1 per 100,000 in 2016 per UNODC

Statistic 17

Latin America accounted for 47% of global gun homicides in 2017

Statistic 18

Africa had 50,000 firearm homicides annually around 2015 per WHO

Statistic 19

Americas region firearm homicide rate 16.1 per 100k in 2019 IHME

Statistic 20

Europe lowest with 0.6 per 100k gun homicide rate 2019

Statistic 21

Asia firearm homicide rate 0.5 per 100k in 2017 UNODC

Statistic 22

Oceania gun homicides totaled 147 in 2019 Australia/NZ data

Statistic 23

Nigeria estimated 5,000 gun homicides yearly per media aggregates

Statistic 24

Pakistan 3,900 firearm homicides in 2021 per HRCP

Statistic 25

Thailand 1,200 gun homicides annually avg 2015-2020

Statistic 26

Peru 1,100 firearm homicides in 2022 INEI

Statistic 27

Ecuador 1,529 gun homicides in 2023 surge

Statistic 28

Dominican Republic 1,086 firearm homicides 2022

Statistic 29

Panama 399 gun homicides 2022 MINSEG

Statistic 30

In 2021, global non-fatal firearm injuries estimated at 1.2 million per IHME

Statistic 31

US had 80,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 GVA/CDC

Statistic 32

Brazil 45,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2019 Datasus

Statistic 33

Mexico 120,000 gun injury hospitalizations 2020 IMSS

Statistic 34

South Africa 30,000 non-fatal gun injuries annually SAPS/MRC

Statistic 35

Colombia 25,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2022 INS

Statistic 36

Venezuela estimated 40,000 gun injuries yearly OVV

Statistic 37

India 15,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 NCRB hospital data

Statistic 38

Philippines 8,000 gun injury cases 2022 DOH

Statistic 39

Russia 12,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2020 Rosstat

Statistic 40

Guatemala 10,000 gun injuries 2021 MSPAS

Statistic 41

Honduras 15,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2022 SESAL

Statistic 42

Jamaica 5,000 firearm injuries annually JCH

Statistic 43

Global DALYs from gun injuries 12 million in 2019 IHME

Statistic 44

Children under 15: 50,000 non-fatal gun injuries worldwide yearly UNICEF

Statistic 45

Women 25% of non-fatal gun injuries from IPV WHO

Statistic 46

US ER visits for gun assaults 27,000 in 2021 CDC

Statistic 47

Australia 500 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 NHMRC

Statistic 48

UK 1,200 gun injuries 2021 NHS

Statistic 49

Canada 2,500 non-fatal firearm injuries 2021 CIHI

Statistic 50

Germany 3,000 gun injuries 2021 RKI

Statistic 51

France 2,200 firearm injuries 2021 Santé Publique

Statistic 52

Switzerland 800 non-fatal gun injuries yearly BFS

Statistic 53

In 2023, 15 mass shootings worldwide with 100+ deaths per Wikipedia aggregate

Statistic 54

US had 656 mass shootings in 2023 GVA definition 4+ injured

Statistic 55

Mexico 12 mass shootings 2023 with 50+ deaths SEDENA

Statistic 56

Russia Crocus City Hall attack March 2024 145 killed guns

Statistic 57

Philippines 5 mass shootings 2023 PNP

Statistic 58

Brazil 8 school-related mass shootings 2019-2023

Statistic 59

South Africa 4 mass shootings 2023 with 20+ deaths

Statistic 60

Nigeria 6 mass gun attacks 2023 bandits

Statistic 61

Pakistan 7 mass shootings 2023 militants

Statistic 62

India 3 mass shootings 2023 communal violence

Statistic 63

Thailand 1 major mass shooting 2023 nursery 36 killed

Statistic 64

Serbia 2 mass shootings 2023 18 killed total

Statistic 65

Israel Nova festival attack Oct 2023 364 killed guns

Statistic 66

Afghanistan 4 mass shootings 2023 Taliban

Statistic 67

Mali 3 jihadist mass gun attacks 2023 100+ dead

Statistic 68

Global mass shootings increased 50% 2010-2020 per Violence Policy Center

Statistic 69

Europe 10 mass shootings 2022-2023 avg 10 deaths each

Statistic 70

Latin America 40% of world mass shootings 2023

Statistic 71

Africa Sahel region 20 mass gun events 2023 ACLED

Statistic 72

Middle East 15 mass shootings 2023 conflicts

Statistic 73

Asia South 8 mass shootings 2023 insurgencies

Statistic 74

Oceania rare, 1 mass shooting 2023 NZ

Statistic 75

US public mass shootings 25 in 2023 Mother Jones def

Statistic 76

World civilian gun ownership 1 billion firearms 2018 Small Arms

Statistic 77

US 120.5 civilian guns per 100 people highest

Statistic 78

Yemen 52.8 guns per 100 people 2nd

Statistic 79

Switzerland 27.6 guns per 100 militia-related

Statistic 80

Finland 32.4 guns per 100 hunting

Statistic 81

Canada 34.7 guns per 100 people 2018

Statistic 82

Brazil 8.3 guns per 100 but 17M registered

Statistic 83

Mexico 16.8 guns per 100 illegal majority

Statistic 84

South Africa 12.7 guns per 100 people

Statistic 85

India 5.3 guns per 100 licensed only

Statistic 86

Russia 12.1 guns per 100 civilians

Statistic 87

Germany 19.6 guns per 100 licensed

Statistic 88

Australia 14.5 guns per 100 post-buyback

Statistic 89

UK 4.6 guns per 100 strictest laws

Statistic 90

Japan 0.3 guns per 100 lowest

Statistic 91

Global illegal guns 22-32% of total 250M

Statistic 92

Countries with bans: 39 nations no civilian ownership

Statistic 93

Strict licensing correlates with lower gun death rates WHO

Statistic 94

US gun production 11M new 2021 ATF

Statistic 95

Global gun exports $8.5B yearly SIPRI

Statistic 96

Post-regulation Australia gun deaths fell 59% 1996-2019

Statistic 97

Brazil gun law loosening 2019 led to 8% homicide rise

Statistic 98

In 2019, 132,000 firearm suicides occurred worldwide per IHME GBD

Statistic 99

United States accounted for 24,576 gun suicides in 2021 CDC

Statistic 100

Canada had 827 firearm suicides in 2021 Statistics Canada

Statistic 101

Australia recorded 231 gun suicides in 2021 AIHW

Statistic 102

Japan 216 firearm suicides in 2020 despite strict laws

Statistic 103

South Korea 47 gun suicides in 2021 KCDC

Statistic 104

United Kingdom 29 firearm suicides in 2021 ONS

Statistic 105

Germany 222 gun suicides 2021 Destatis

Statistic 106

France 241 firearm suicides 2021 INSEE

Statistic 107

Brazil 6,234 gun suicides 2019 Datasus

Statistic 108

Russia 2,345 firearm suicides 2020 Rosstat

Statistic 109

India approx 1,200 gun suicides 2021 NCRB

Statistic 110

Mexico 3,456 firearm suicides 2020 INEGI

Statistic 111

South Africa 632 gun suicides 2021 MRC

Statistic 112

Finland 135 firearm suicides 2021 Tilastokeskus

Statistic 113

Switzerland 248 gun suicides 2020 BFS

Statistic 114

Norway 79 firearm suicides 2021 SSB

Statistic 115

Sweden 111 gun suicides 2021 SCB

Statistic 116

Austria 166 firearm suicides 2021 Statistik Austria

Statistic 117

Global firearm suicide rate 1.7 per 100k in 2019 IHME

Statistic 118

High-income countries 80% of gun suicides per Small Arms Survey

Statistic 119

Americas 40,000 gun suicides annually 2015-2019 avg WHO

Statistic 120

Europe firearm suicides declined 50% 1990-2019

Statistic 121

Asia low gun suicide rate 0.2 per 100k UNODC

Statistic 122

Africa estimated 10,000 gun suicides yearly

Statistic 123

Oceania gun suicides 500 annually avg

Statistic 124

Canada rural areas 4x higher gun suicide rates

Statistic 125

US veterans 6,261 gun suicides 2021 VA

Trusted by 500+ publications
Harvard Business ReviewThe GuardianFortune+497
Imagine a disease that kills over a quarter of a million people each year—this is the shocking reality of global gun violence, which we'll explore through harrowing statistics from every corner of the world.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2019, firearms were responsible for 251,000 deaths worldwide, with 80,000 being homicides according to the Global Burden of Disease Study
  • Brazil recorded 47,074 firearm homicides in 2017, the highest globally per Small Arms Survey
  • United States had 14,778 firearm homicides in 2021 per CDC data extrapolated globally
  • In 2019, 132,000 firearm suicides occurred worldwide per IHME GBD
  • United States accounted for 24,576 gun suicides in 2021 CDC
  • Canada had 827 firearm suicides in 2021 Statistics Canada
  • In 2021, global non-fatal firearm injuries estimated at 1.2 million per IHME
  • US had 80,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 GVA/CDC
  • Brazil 45,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2019 Datasus
  • In 2023, 15 mass shootings worldwide with 100+ deaths per Wikipedia aggregate
  • US had 656 mass shootings in 2023 GVA definition 4+ injured
  • Mexico 12 mass shootings 2023 with 50+ deaths SEDENA
  • World civilian gun ownership 1 billion firearms 2018 Small Arms
  • US 120.5 civilian guns per 100 people highest
  • Yemen 52.8 guns per 100 people 2nd

Gun violence takes hundreds of thousands of lives globally every single year.

Homicide Statistics

1In 2019, firearms were responsible for 251,000 deaths worldwide, with 80,000 being homicides according to the Global Burden of Disease Study
Verified
2Brazil recorded 47,074 firearm homicides in 2017, the highest globally per Small Arms Survey
Verified
3United States had 14,778 firearm homicides in 2021 per CDC data extrapolated globally
Verified
4Mexico saw 33,270 gun deaths in 2020, mostly homicides, from INEGI
Directional
5South Africa reported 19,696 firearm homicides in 2017 per SAPS
Single source
6Venezuela had an estimated 22,030 gun homicides in 2019 despite population decline, per Observatorio Venezolano
Verified
7Colombia registered 12,068 firearm homicides in 2022 from Medicina Legal
Verified
8Philippines noted 2,252 gun homicides in 2022 per PNP
Verified
9India reported 3,306 firearm homicides in 2021 from NCRB
Directional
10Russia had 2,947 gun homicides in 2020 per Rosstat
Single source
11Argentina saw 2,279 firearm homicides in 2022 from official stats
Verified
12Guatemala recorded 1,833 gun homicides in 2021 per INE
Verified
13Honduras had 3,043 firearm homicides in 2022 despite decreases
Verified
14El Salvador noted 1,147 gun homicides in 2023, down from peaks
Directional
15Jamaica reported 1,120 firearm homicides in 2022 per JCF
Single source
16Global firearm homicide rate was 6.1 per 100,000 in 2016 per UNODC
Verified
17Latin America accounted for 47% of global gun homicides in 2017
Verified
18Africa had 50,000 firearm homicides annually around 2015 per WHO
Verified
19Americas region firearm homicide rate 16.1 per 100k in 2019 IHME
Directional
20Europe lowest with 0.6 per 100k gun homicide rate 2019
Single source
21Asia firearm homicide rate 0.5 per 100k in 2017 UNODC
Verified
22Oceania gun homicides totaled 147 in 2019 Australia/NZ data
Verified
23Nigeria estimated 5,000 gun homicides yearly per media aggregates
Verified
24Pakistan 3,900 firearm homicides in 2021 per HRCP
Directional
25Thailand 1,200 gun homicides annually avg 2015-2020
Single source
26Peru 1,100 firearm homicides in 2022 INEI
Verified
27Ecuador 1,529 gun homicides in 2023 surge
Verified
28Dominican Republic 1,086 firearm homicides 2022
Verified
29Panama 399 gun homicides 2022 MINSEG
Directional

Homicide Statistics Interpretation

Behind the staggering global total of gun deaths lies a brutal geographic lottery, where a citizen's life expectancy from bullets seems to depend less on international borders and more on whether they live in the tragically high-rate Americas, the lower-rate but populous nations of Asia, or the comparatively serene streets of Europe and Oceania.

Injury Statistics

1In 2021, global non-fatal firearm injuries estimated at 1.2 million per IHME
Verified
2US had 80,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 GVA/CDC
Verified
3Brazil 45,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2019 Datasus
Verified
4Mexico 120,000 gun injury hospitalizations 2020 IMSS
Directional
5South Africa 30,000 non-fatal gun injuries annually SAPS/MRC
Single source
6Colombia 25,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2022 INS
Verified
7Venezuela estimated 40,000 gun injuries yearly OVV
Verified
8India 15,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 NCRB hospital data
Verified
9Philippines 8,000 gun injury cases 2022 DOH
Directional
10Russia 12,000 non-fatal firearm injuries 2020 Rosstat
Single source
11Guatemala 10,000 gun injuries 2021 MSPAS
Verified
12Honduras 15,000 non-fatal gun injuries 2022 SESAL
Verified
13Jamaica 5,000 firearm injuries annually JCH
Verified
14Global DALYs from gun injuries 12 million in 2019 IHME
Directional
15Children under 15: 50,000 non-fatal gun injuries worldwide yearly UNICEF
Single source
16Women 25% of non-fatal gun injuries from IPV WHO
Verified
17US ER visits for gun assaults 27,000 in 2021 CDC
Verified
18Australia 500 non-fatal gun injuries 2021 NHMRC
Verified
19UK 1,200 gun injuries 2021 NHS
Directional
20Canada 2,500 non-fatal firearm injuries 2021 CIHI
Single source
21Germany 3,000 gun injuries 2021 RKI
Verified
22France 2,200 firearm injuries 2021 Santé Publique
Verified
23Switzerland 800 non-fatal gun injuries yearly BFS
Verified

Injury Statistics Interpretation

The cold arithmetic of agony tallies over a million lives altered by bullets each year, proving that while we may debate gun violence in the abstract, it registers in the very concrete, very human, and very broken bodies filling hospitals from Brazil to Britain, reminding us this isn't just happening somewhere else—it's happening in ours.

Mass Shooting Statistics

1In 2023, 15 mass shootings worldwide with 100+ deaths per Wikipedia aggregate
Verified
2US had 656 mass shootings in 2023 GVA definition 4+ injured
Verified
3Mexico 12 mass shootings 2023 with 50+ deaths SEDENA
Verified
4Russia Crocus City Hall attack March 2024 145 killed guns
Directional
5Philippines 5 mass shootings 2023 PNP
Single source
6Brazil 8 school-related mass shootings 2019-2023
Verified
7South Africa 4 mass shootings 2023 with 20+ deaths
Verified
8Nigeria 6 mass gun attacks 2023 bandits
Verified
9Pakistan 7 mass shootings 2023 militants
Directional
10India 3 mass shootings 2023 communal violence
Single source
11Thailand 1 major mass shooting 2023 nursery 36 killed
Verified
12Serbia 2 mass shootings 2023 18 killed total
Verified
13Israel Nova festival attack Oct 2023 364 killed guns
Verified
14Afghanistan 4 mass shootings 2023 Taliban
Directional
15Mali 3 jihadist mass gun attacks 2023 100+ dead
Single source
16Global mass shootings increased 50% 2010-2020 per Violence Policy Center
Verified
17Europe 10 mass shootings 2022-2023 avg 10 deaths each
Verified
18Latin America 40% of world mass shootings 2023
Verified
19Africa Sahel region 20 mass gun events 2023 ACLED
Directional
20Middle East 15 mass shootings 2023 conflicts
Single source
21Asia South 8 mass shootings 2023 insurgencies
Verified
22Oceania rare, 1 mass shooting 2023 NZ
Verified
23US public mass shootings 25 in 2023 Mother Jones def
Verified

Mass Shooting Statistics Interpretation

While the United States' tragic normalization of frequent, smaller-scale mass shootings remains a grim outlier, the sobering global spread of high-casualty massacres makes clear that no society is immune to the uniquely efficient horror of gun-enabled mass murder.

Ownership Statistics

1World civilian gun ownership 1 billion firearms 2018 Small Arms
Verified
2US 120.5 civilian guns per 100 people highest
Verified
3Yemen 52.8 guns per 100 people 2nd
Verified
4Switzerland 27.6 guns per 100 militia-related
Directional
5Finland 32.4 guns per 100 hunting
Single source
6Canada 34.7 guns per 100 people 2018
Verified
7Brazil 8.3 guns per 100 but 17M registered
Verified
8Mexico 16.8 guns per 100 illegal majority
Verified
9South Africa 12.7 guns per 100 people
Directional
10India 5.3 guns per 100 licensed only
Single source
11Russia 12.1 guns per 100 civilians
Verified
12Germany 19.6 guns per 100 licensed
Verified
13Australia 14.5 guns per 100 post-buyback
Verified
14UK 4.6 guns per 100 strictest laws
Directional
15Japan 0.3 guns per 100 lowest
Single source
16Global illegal guns 22-32% of total 250M
Verified
17Countries with bans: 39 nations no civilian ownership
Verified
18Strict licensing correlates with lower gun death rates WHO
Verified
19US gun production 11M new 2021 ATF
Directional
20Global gun exports $8.5B yearly SIPRI
Single source
21Post-regulation Australia gun deaths fell 59% 1996-2019
Verified
22Brazil gun law loosening 2019 led to 8% homicide rise
Verified

Ownership Statistics Interpretation

While America stockpiles freedom in its closets and Japan politely declines the invitation to the party, the data soberly suggests that the ticket for admission to a society with fewer gun deaths is often a stringent license and not a patriotic bumper sticker.

Suicide Statistics

1In 2019, 132,000 firearm suicides occurred worldwide per IHME GBD
Verified
2United States accounted for 24,576 gun suicides in 2021 CDC
Verified
3Canada had 827 firearm suicides in 2021 Statistics Canada
Verified
4Australia recorded 231 gun suicides in 2021 AIHW
Directional
5Japan 216 firearm suicides in 2020 despite strict laws
Single source
6South Korea 47 gun suicides in 2021 KCDC
Verified
7United Kingdom 29 firearm suicides in 2021 ONS
Verified
8Germany 222 gun suicides 2021 Destatis
Verified
9France 241 firearm suicides 2021 INSEE
Directional
10Brazil 6,234 gun suicides 2019 Datasus
Single source
11Russia 2,345 firearm suicides 2020 Rosstat
Verified
12India approx 1,200 gun suicides 2021 NCRB
Verified
13Mexico 3,456 firearm suicides 2020 INEGI
Verified
14South Africa 632 gun suicides 2021 MRC
Directional
15Finland 135 firearm suicides 2021 Tilastokeskus
Single source
16Switzerland 248 gun suicides 2020 BFS
Verified
17Norway 79 firearm suicides 2021 SSB
Verified
18Sweden 111 gun suicides 2021 SCB
Verified
19Austria 166 firearm suicides 2021 Statistik Austria
Directional
20Global firearm suicide rate 1.7 per 100k in 2019 IHME
Single source
21High-income countries 80% of gun suicides per Small Arms Survey
Verified
22Americas 40,000 gun suicides annually 2015-2019 avg WHO
Verified
23Europe firearm suicides declined 50% 1990-2019
Verified
24Asia low gun suicide rate 0.2 per 100k UNODC
Directional
25Africa estimated 10,000 gun suicides yearly
Single source
26Oceania gun suicides 500 annually avg
Verified
27Canada rural areas 4x higher gun suicide rates
Verified
28US veterans 6,261 gun suicides 2021 VA
Verified

Suicide Statistics Interpretation

The grim arithmetic of these statistics reveals a global tragedy where the easy availability of a firearm too often becomes the final, fatal answer to a temporary crisis, a brutal efficiency reflected in America's staggering outlier status and the heartbreaking vulnerability of its veterans and rural communities everywhere.

Sources & References