Find Gun Policy Facts

Armed violence prevention, gun control laws and the small arms trade:

Research supported by

Go To...

Bosnia & Herzegovina — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

expand all collapse all

StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

Compare
Number of Privately Owned Firearms

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Bosnia & Herzegovina is 675,0001

Compare
Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Bosnia & Herzegovina is 17.32 to 42.823 firearms per 100 people

Compare
Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Bosnia & Herzegovina ranked at No. 681

Compare
Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 179 countries, Bosnia & Herzegovina ranked at No. 342

Compare
Number of Registered Firearms

The number of registered guns in Bosnia & Herzegovina is reported to be 353,0001

Compare
Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered firearms per 100 people in Bosnia & Herzegovina is 7.974

Compare
Estimated Number of Illicit Firearms

Unlawfully held guns cannot be counted, but in Bosnia & Herzegovina there are estimated to be 140,3975

Compare
Estimated Rate of Illicit Firearms per 100 Population

Unlawfully held guns cannot be counted, but in Bosnia & Herzegovina there are estimated to be 3.234 illicit firearms per 100 people

Government Guns

Compare
Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Bosnia & Herzegovina are reported to have 76,0006 7 firearms

ImpactsGun Death and Injury

Compare
Number of Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Bosnia & Herzegovina, annual homicides by any means total

2006: 738
2005: 70

Compare
Rate of Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)

ChartIn Bosnia & Herzegovina, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2008: 1.809
2007: 1.70
2006: 1.868
2005: 1.79

Compare
Number of Gun Homicides

ChartIn Bosnia & Herzegovina, annual firearm homicides total

2006: 188
2005: 18

Compare
Rate of Gun Homicide per 100,000 People

ChartIn Bosnia & Herzegovina, the annual rate of firearm homicide per 100,000 population is

2006: 0.468
2005: 0.46

Compare
Number of Suicides (any method)

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, annual suicides by any means total

1991: 53110

Compare
Rate of Suicide per 100,000 People (any method)

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, the annual rate of suicide by any means per 100,000 population is

1991: 12.7610

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Export Control

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law 11 12

Compare
Small Arms Exports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Bosnia & Herzegovina is reported to be US$10,089,90613 (2009)

Compare
Small Arms Exports - World Ranking

In a comparison of the world's major/mid-level/minor/unknown small arms exporters, Bosnia & Herzegovina is categorized as 'unknown' (Bosnia)14

Import Control

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law 12

Compare
Small Arms Imports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Bosnia & Herzegovina is reported to be US$1,682,04313 (2009)

Compare
Smuggling Guns and Ammunition

Reports suggest that the level of firearm and ammunition smuggling in Bosnia & Herzegovina is moderate15

Compare
Market Cost of an AK-47 Assault Rifle (US$)

The asking price for an AK-47 pattern assault weapon in Bosnia & Herzegovina is reported to be US$50016

Compare
Regulation of Arms Brokers

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, the activities of arms brokers and transfer intermediaries are specifically regulated by law12 17

Compare
Transparency of Small Arms Transfers

In the most recent survey of state transparency when declaring firearm and ammunition exports, Bosnia & Herzegovina was ranked number 34 among 49 major small arms exporting nations in 2011, with a score of 9.00 points of a possible total of 2518

MeasuresGun Regulation

Firearm Registration

Compare
Civilian Gun Registration

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, the law does not require19 that a record of the acquisition, possession and transfer of each privately held firearm be retained in an official register

Compare
Gun Manufacturer Record Keeping

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, licensed gun makers are required20 to keep a record of each firearm produced, for inspection by a regulating authority

Compare
State-Owned Firearm Records

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, State agencies are required19 to maintain records of the storage and movement of all firearms and ammunition under their control

Marking and Tracing Guns and Ammunition

Compare
Firearm Marking

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, a unique identifying mark on each firearm is required by law21

Compare
Firearm Tracing

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, state authorities do not carry out22 recognised arms tracing and tracking procedures

Compare
Collection, Amnesty and Destruction Programmes

Authorities in Bosnia & Herzegovina are known to have23 implemented voluntary firearm surrender schemes, and/or weapon seizure programmes in order to reduce the number of illicit firearms in circulation

Compare
Surrendered in Gun Amnesty

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, the number of firearms and/or rounds of ammunition voluntarily surrendered for destruction in recent arms amnesty and collection programmes is reported to be 15,15123 (2003-06)

Compare
Small Arms Destroyed

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, the total number of firearms destroyed following recent amnesty, collection and seizure programmes is reported to be 15,15123 (2003-2006)

Compare
Destruction and Disposal Policy

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, it is not state policy11 to destroy surplus, collected and seized firearms rather than return them to the secondary arms market

MeasuresInternational Controls

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, Bosnia & Herzegovina voted to begin24 negotiations towards a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty. In this vote, 151 UN Member States supported talks on an ATT, with 1 voting against, 20 abstentions, and 20 non-votes

Compare
United Nations Firearms Protocol

The United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition has been signed and ratified25 by Bosnia & Herzegovina

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Bosnia & Herzegovina committed to a consensus decision of the United Nations to adopt, support and implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects26

Compare
UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Bosnia & Herzegovina has submitted one or more national reports27 17 on its implementation of the UNPoA

Compare
UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated28 17

Compare
UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated28 17

Compare
UNPoA Civil Society Involvement and Support

In National Reports of Bosnia & Herzegovina submitted to the UN, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities is apparent17

Compare
UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated17 by Bosnia & Herzegovina to other UN Member States

Compare
UNPoA International Assistance – Recipient

Funds for UNPoA implementation have been provided17 to Bosnia & Herzegovina by other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Bosnia & Herzegovina has declared29 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Bosnia & Herzegovina has been a Member State of the United Nations since 199230

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list31 Bosnia & Herzegovina as a Participating State
Last Updated on 24 January 2012

Short References

1.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q4)Full Citation

2.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q5)Full Citation

3.

SEESAC.2006.‘South Eastern Europe: Weapons Possession Per 100 Inhabitants.’ South Eastern Europe: Estimates of Weapons Possession (Edition 2).Belgrade:South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC),12 January. (Q3915)Full Citation

4.

GunPolicy.org.2011.‘Calculated Rates – Bosnia and Herzegovina.’ Historical Population Data – USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,17 March. (Q4209)Full Citation

5.

Gounev, Philip, Marko Hajdinjak and Janosch Witte.2006.‘Gun Ownership Levels.’ The Rifle Has the Devil Inside: Study on Gun Culture in South Eastern Europe.Belgrade:South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) / Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD),22 June. (Q3918)Full Citation

6.

Gobinet, Pierre.2011.‘Military Firearm Stocks and Surpluses - Bosnia & Herzegovina.’ Significant Surpluses: Weapons and Ammunition Stockpiles in South-east Europe.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, and the Regional Approach to Stockpile Reduction / RASR,1 December. (Q6063)Full Citation

7.

Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q6)Full Citation

8.

UNODC.2008.‘Recorded Intentional Homicide, Completed.’ Tenth United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2005-2006).Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,10 December. (Q10)Full Citation

9.

Petrini, Benjamin.2011.‘Europe and Central Asia, 1995-2008, Total Recorded Intentional Homicide, Completed, Rate per 100,000 Population.’ World Bank Homicide Rate Dataset 1995-2008.Washington DC:Social Development Department, World Bank,10 February. (Q3816)Full Citation

10.

Jackson, Thomas.2005.‘Global Gun Deaths.’ NISAT Firearm Mortality Database 2005.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,1 January. (Q12)Full Citation

11.

Gobinet, Pierre and Claudio Gramizzi.2011.‘Eastern Europe: A Reservoir of Surplus Ordnance.’ Scraping the Barrel: The Trade in Surplus Ammunition.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,1 April. (Q5466)Full Citation

12.

IANSA.2006.‘Reviewing Action on Small Arms 2006: Assessing the first five years of the UN Programme of Action.’ Biting the Bullet 'Red Book' 2006.New York:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q82)Full Citation

13.

Marsh, Nicholas.2011.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,1 June. (Q16)Full Citation

14.

Small Arms Survey.2001.‘60 Known Legal Small Arms Exporting Countries, 2001.’ Small Arms Survey 2001: Profiling the Problem.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q867)Full Citation

15.

Oxfam.2006.‘AK-47: World's Favourite Killing Machine.’ Control Arms Briefing Note.Oxford:Oxfam International,26 June. (Q3914)Full Citation

16.

World Bank.2007.‘Available Kalashnikov Prices for Specific Countries and Periods.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q3)Full Citation

17.

UNODA.2009.‘PoA-ISS Country Profiles.’ UN small arms Programme of Action (UNPoA) – Implementation Support System.New York:United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs,29 October. (Q1309)Full Citation

18.

Lazarevic, Jasna.2011.‘Small Arms Trade Transparency Barometer 2011, covering major exporters.’ Small Arms Survey 2011: States of Security.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,6 July. (Q5354)Full Citation

19.

Bosnia and Herzegovina.2008.‘Record-Keeping – State-Owned Firearm Records and Civilian Gun Registration.’ National Report of Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4541)Full Citation

20.

Bosnia and Herzegovina.2010.‘Information on Instruments for Arms Monitoring and/or Recording Details for SALW.’ National Report of Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4540)Full Citation

21.

Bosnia and Herzegovina.2010.‘SALW Marking.’ National Report of Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4539)Full Citation

22.

Bosnia and Herzegovina.2008.‘Measures to Implement the International Tracing Instrument and Challenges.’ National Report of Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4542)Full Citation

23.

Hvidemose, Dorte, Astrit Istrefi, Mia Marzouk and Maija Paasiaro.2009.‘Weapons Collection Initiatives in South Eastern Europe.’ Ready or Not? Exploring the Prospects for Collecting Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in Kosovo.London:Saferworld,1 July. (Q3916)Full Citation

24.

UNGA.2009.‘Towards an Arms Trade Treaty: Establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.’ UN Resolution A/RES/64/48.New York:United Nations General Assembly,2 June. (Q1886)Full Citation

25.

UNGA.2001.‘United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition.’ UN General Assembly Resolution 55/255.New York:UN General Assembly,31 May. (Q17)Full Citation

26.

UNGA.2001.‘Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.’ United Nations General Assembly.New York:UN General Assembly,20 July. (Q18)Full Citation

27.

Cattaneo, Silvia and Sarah Parker.2008.‘Reporting, NPCs and NCAs, 2002 to 2008.’ Implementing the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons: Analysis of the National Reports submitted by States from 2002 to 2008.Geneva:United Nations Development Programme,1 November. (Q20)Full Citation

28.

IANSA.2006.‘Reviewing Action on Small Arms 2006: Assessing the first five years of the UN Programme of Action.’ Biting the Bullet 'Red Book' 2006.New York:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q166)Full Citation

29.

UNODA.2011.‘National Reports on Small Arms Exports.’ United Nations Register of Conventional Arms - The Global Reported Arms Trade.New York:United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,21 October. (Q14)Full Citation

30.

UN.2009.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York:United Nations General Assembly,11 May. (Q290)Full Citation

31.

Wassenaar Arrangement.1996.‘Introduction: Participating States.’ Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.Vienna:Wassenaar Secretariat,12 July. (Q19)Full Citation