International and Domestic Statistics Compared

Gun violence affects more than 100,000 people and their families, friends and communities each year in the United States. When compared with its industrialized counterparts, the US far exceeds its peers in firearm ownership and mortality. The following figures illustrate the difference between the United States and many of its industrialized counterparts -- all of the countries compared have more rigorous firearms laws than we do in the United States.

Firearm Homicide Compared (Data Sources: CDC, Small Arms Survey and Individual Country Agencies; All rates indicate the crude per capita firearm death rate per 100,000 people.)

Country Firearm Homicides in 2004
Firearm Homicide Rate in 2004
United States
11,935
4.07
Canada
184
0.57
England and Wales
73
0.12
Australia
56
0.28
Sweden
37
0.41

 

 

 

 

 

 

international-homicide-count

Additionally, according to Private Guns, Public Health by Harvard Professor David Hemenway, the United States has a homicide rate 5 times of that of the following countries:

  • Finland
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland
  • Belgium
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands
  • Singapore
  • Denmark
  • Norway
  • Israel
  • Fance
  • Austria
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Spain
  • Luxembourg