U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people

[simon]

Well, I will do my part to make it a perfect score and buy some more guns!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[slimjim]

Take a look at todays AOL headline, and of course they ask the question, "Is Leading This List Good?"

I SAY YEAH!


GENEVA (Aug. 28) - The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said.

U.S. citizens own 270 million of the world's 875 million known firearms, according to the Small Arms Survey 2007 by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies.

About 4.5 million of the 8 million new guns manufactured worldwide each year are purchased in the United States, it said.

"There is roughly one firearm for every seven people worldwide. Without the United States, though, this drops to about one firearm per 10 people," it said.

India had the world's second-largest civilian gun arsenal, with an estimated 46 million firearms outside law enforcement and the military, though this represented just four guns per 100 people there. China, ranked third with 40 million privately held guns, had 3 firearms per 100 people.

Germany, France, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil and Russia were next in the ranking of country's overall civilian gun arsenals.

On a per-capita basis, Yemen had the second most heavily armed citizenry behind the United States, with 61 guns per 100 people, followed by Finland with 56, Switzerland with 46, Iraq with 39 and Serbia with 38.

France, Canada, Sweden, Austria and Germany were next, each with about 30 guns per 100 people, while many poorer countries often associated with violence ranked much lower. Nigeria, for instance, had just one gun per 100 people.

"Firearms are very unevenly distributed around the world. The image we have of certain regions such as Africa or Latin America being awash with weapons -- these images are certainly misleading," Small Arms Survey director Keith Krause said.

"Weapons ownership may be correlated with rising levels of wealth, and that means we need to think about future demand in parts of the world where economic growth is giving people larger disposable income," he told a Geneva news conference.

The report, which relied on government data, surveys and media reports to estimate the size of world arsenals, estimated there were 650 million civilian firearms worldwide, and 225 million held by law enforcement and military forces.

Five years ago, the Small Arms Survey had estimated there were a total of just 640 million firearms globally.

"Civilian holdings of weapons worldwide are much larger than we previously believed," Krause said, attributing the increase largely to better research and more data on weapon distribution networks.

Only about 12 percent of civilian weapons are thought to be registered with authorities.

[realtor]

We helped our ranking in Missouri yesterday when our ridiculous Permit To Acquire (PTA) was removed from our legislative books after 70 years! The gun stores were mobbed in celebration!

Just doing our part to make sure we stay #1.

[Joshua M. Smith]

When It Comes to Guns, We're No. 1
By Laura MacInnis,
Reuters
Posted: 2007-08-29 0706
Filed Under: World News

GENEVA (Aug. 28) - The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said.

U.S. citizens own 270 million of the world's 875 million known firearms, according to the Small Arms Survey 2007 by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies.

About 4.5 million of the 8 million new guns manufactured worldwide each year are purchased in the United States, it said.

"There is roughly one firearm for every seven people worldwide. Without the United States, though, this drops to about one firearm per 10 people," it said.

India had the world's second-largest civilian gun arsenal, with an estimated 46 million firearms outside law enforcement and the military, though this represented just four guns per 100 people there. China, ranked third with 40 million privately held guns, had 3 firearms per 100 people.

Germany, France, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil and Russia were next in the ranking of country's overall civilian gun arsenals.

On a per-capita basis, Yemen had the second most heavily armed citizenry behind the United States, with 61 guns per 100 people, followed by Finland with 56, Switzerland with 46, Iraq with 39 and Serbia with 38.

France, Canada, Sweden, Austria and Germany were next, each with about 30 guns per 100 people, while many poorer countries often associated with violence ranked much lower. Nigeria, for instance, had just one gun per 100 people.

"Firearms are very unevenly distributed around the world. The image we have of certain regions such as Africa or Latin America being awash with weapons -- these images are certainly misleading," Small Arms Survey director Keith Krause said.

"Weapons ownership may be correlated with rising levels of wealth, and that means we need to think about future demand in parts of the world where economic growth is giving people larger disposable income," he told a Geneva news conference.

The report, which relied on government data, surveys and media reports to estimate the size of world arsenals, estimated there were 650 million civilian firearms worldwide, and 225 million held by law enforcement and military forces.

Five years ago, the Small Arms Survey had estimated there were a total of just 640 million firearms globally.

"Civilian holdings of weapons worldwide are much larger than we previously believed," Krause said, attributing the increase largely to better research and more data on weapon distribution networks.

Only about 12 percent of civilian weapons are thought to be registered with authorities.

http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/when...00010000000001

[RobbW]

Sure, we're #1 now, but we cannot afford to get complacent or arrogant and get passed by someone else. Being first means we need to try harder. I know I'll do my part this coming year.

[albundy]

Usa Usa Usa!!!!

[RobbW]

[QUOTE=slimjim;467260
Only about 12 percent of civilian weapons are thought to be registered with authorities.[/QUOTE]


Only?? That number's much too high.

[ccw9mm]

U.S. citizens own 270 million of the world's 875 million known firearms ...

Only about 12 percent of civilian weapons are thought to be registered with authorities.

Hm. I must not be doin' it right, then.

[automan]

I'm surprised that China is so high. 3 of 10 guns in private hands? Must be owned by loyal party members.

[randytulsa2]

I agree that as No. 1, we must continue to strive. It's lonely at the top: everyone will be gunning for us!

(it was a sorry, and obvious, pun, but sometimes I just can't help myself...)

[ghost tracker]

After WWII a Japanese General was being interviewed. The question was asking "how real was the threat of a land invasion by Japan onto the U.S. Mainland?". The General responded that, according to their information gathered by Japanese spies in the U.S. at the time, 90% of American Households were armed. The Japanese Military Planners agreed that to try an maintain an attack against citizenry so well-armed was absolutely impossible. Grandpa's Winchester 94 & Uncle Ned's S&W .38 Spl. Triple Lock may have prevented the invasion of the U.S.!

[Tom G]

This figure seems to be flawed. I don't think there is any way to predict the number of guns. The only way is to make a wild guess.

[P7fanatic]

I believe Chavez got as license and permission to manufacture AK-47's from the Russians recently. He wanted to aem his people in case the country was invaded by the US. You think he maybe put those plans on hold while he socializes all of the country, posessions, land, businesses, etc? Probably worried about an overthrow.

[rabywk]

I'm doing my part to keep the U.S. in 1st place.

I agree..... Remember second place is the first loser!

[ghost tracker]

Why doesn't Chavez simply relax or remove Gun Ownership Restrictions from the population of his country & let them arm themselves? It's worked here for over 200 years.

Oh wait, that would prevent tyrannical rule wouldn't it?...Oh, uh, well, um - that's much different....Never mind.