Brazil is experiencing a level of tension and divisions unprecedented in its recent history. Increased crime, civil unrest, allegations of police brutality and pandemic insecurity have propelled gun sales to record levels during the pandemic, with federal police conducting 17.5 million background checks through September 2022, a historic record.
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With the country so dangerously divided, the large number of guns in civilian hands added an extra level of uncertainty to the drama in the National Congress and the civil unrest that followed. So how many guns are in circulation in Brazil and how does that compare to other countries?
The best estimate comes from the Small Arms Survey, which found that the number of firearms owned by civilians worldwide exceeds 857 million. More than 133 million guns were in the hands of the military in 2017, and 22.7 million were controlled by law enforcement agencies.
Research on weapons in civilian hands
The Small Arms Survey found it difficult to accurately determine the number of firearms owned by civilians around the world and uses a variety of available data sources including officially published documents and research studies, official questionnaire responses, surveys, opinion polls and news reports and expert interviews.
The United States has more guns than people, and research estimates that there are more than 393,300,000 civilian firearms—120.5 for every 100 people. India has a population of 1.35 billion and ranks second in the league of gun owners with an estimated 71.1 million guns.
China, the world’s most populous country, is third at 49.7 million. Pakistan is fourth with 43.9 million civilian arms, while Russia rounds out the top five with 17.6 million. In sixth place comes Brazil with 17.5 million weapons.
Owning a firearm is a contentious issue that varies widely around the world. In some countries, like the United States, gun ownership is protected by the constitution and is considered a fundamental right. In other countries, such as Brazil, Japan and the United Kingdom, strict laws and regulations make it difficult for citizens to acquire firearms.