How strict are gun laws around the world?
How civilian gun ownership (also searched as firearm laws) is treated in 202 countries, from sources last checked September 2026. Choose a country for its classification, the source, and how its neighbours compare.
- Permissive 26 countries (13%), including Pakistan, Argentina, Iraq and Ghana.
- Licensed / moderate 37 countries (18%), including Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Germany.
- Restrictive 87 countries (43%), including India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Russia.
- Highly restrictive / banned 51 countries (25%), including China, Nigeria, Japan and Vietnam.
- Varies by region 1 country (0%): United States.
Permissive 26
Licensed / moderate 37
- Albania
- Belgium
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Greenland
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Peru
- Poland
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United States Virgin Islands
- Zimbabwe
Restrictive 87
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Cayman Islands
- Chad
- Chile
- Colombia
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Ireland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Niger
- Oman
- Philippines
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Zambia
Highly restrictive / banned 51
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Central African Republic
- China
- Comoros
- Cook Islands
- Cyprus
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Fiji
- Guinea-Bissau
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Liberia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Romania
- Samoa
- São Tomé and Principe
- Seychelles
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Korea
- Tajikistan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Vietnam
Varies by region 1
In the United States, state by state
- Alabama
- Permissive
- Alaska
- Permissive
- Arizona
- Permissive
- Arkansas
- Permissive
- California
- Highly restrictive / banned
- Colorado
- Restrictive
- Connecticut
- Restrictive
- Delaware
- Restrictive
- District of Columbia
- Highly restrictive / banned
- Florida
- Permissive
- Georgia
- Permissive
- Hawaii
- Highly restrictive / banned
- Idaho
- Permissive
- Illinois
- Highly restrictive / banned
- Indiana
- Permissive
- Iowa
- Permissive
- Kansas
- Permissive
- Kentucky
- Permissive
- Louisiana
- Permissive
- Maine
- Permissive
- Maryland
- Highly restrictive / banned
- Massachusetts
- Highly restrictive / banned
- Michigan
- Licensed / moderate
- Minnesota
- Licensed / moderate
- Mississippi
- Permissive
- Missouri
- Permissive
- Montana
- Permissive
- Nebraska
- Permissive
- Nevada
- Licensed / moderate
- New Hampshire
- Permissive
- New Jersey
- Highly restrictive / banned
- New Mexico
- Licensed / moderate
- New York
- Highly restrictive / banned
- North Carolina
- Permissive
- North Dakota
- Permissive
- Ohio
- Permissive
- Oklahoma
- Permissive
- Oregon
- Licensed / moderate
- Pennsylvania
- Permissive
- Rhode Island
- Highly restrictive / banned
- South Carolina
- Permissive
- South Dakota
- Permissive
- Tennessee
- Permissive
- Texas
- Permissive
- Utah
- Permissive
- Vermont
- Licensed / moderate
- Virginia
- Licensed / moderate
- Washington
- Restrictive
- West Virginia
- Permissive
- Wisconsin
- Permissive
- Wyoming
- Permissive
About this data
Compiled from Wikipedia: Overview of gun laws by nation; sources last checked 17 September 2026. The full dataset is available as JSON.
More on justice & weapons
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.