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El Salvador — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

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StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in El Salvador is 400,0001 2

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in El Salvador is 5.83 firearms per 100 people

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, El Salvador ranked at No. 891

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 179 countries, El Salvador ranked at No. 923

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Number of Registered Firearms

The number of registered guns in El Salvador is reported to be 149,7194 2

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Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered firearms per 100 people in El Salvador is 2.515

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of El Salvador are reported to have 84,7406 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in El Salvador are reported to have 16,8007 firearms

ImpactsGun Death and Injury

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Number of Homicides (any method)

ChartIn El Salvador, annual homicides by any means total

2010: 4,005
2009: 4,349
2008: 3,172
2007: 3,495
2006: 3,927
2005: 3,779
2002: 2,024
2001: 2,210
2000: 2,341

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

ChartIn El Salvador, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2010: 64.688
2009: 70.58
2008: 51.72
2007: 57.23
2006: 64.57
2005: 62.39
2004: 45.87
2003: 36.12
2002: 33.76
2001: 39.40
1999: 36.39

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Number of Gun Homicides

ChartIn El Salvador, annual firearm homicides total

2006: 3,07010
2005: 2,909
2002: 1,44111
2001: 1,640

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Rate of Gun Homicide per 100,000 People

ChartIn El Salvador, the annual rate of firearm homicide per 100,000 population is

2007: 50.368
2006: 50.48
2005: 48.03
2002: 22.4611
2001: 25.99

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Number of Suicides (any method)

ChartIn El Salvador, annual suicides by any means total

2006: 41112
1999: 82113

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

ChartIn El Salvador, the annual rate of suicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2006: 6.8012
2005: 6.90
1999: 7.9014

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Number of Gun Suicides

In El Salvador, annual firearm suicides total

1999: 1614

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Rate of Gun Suicide per 100,000 People

In El Salvador, the annual rate of firearm suicide per 100,000 population is

1999: 1.0613

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Number of Unintentional Gun Deaths

In El Salvador, annual unintentional shooting deaths total

1999: 1014

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Rate of Unintentional Gun Death per 100,000 People

In El Salvador, the annual rate of unintentional shooting death per 100,000 population is

1999: 0.1514

Number of Non-fatal Gun Injuries

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Rate of Non-fatal Gun Injury per 100,000 People

ChartIn El Salvador, the reported, or estimated annual rate or proportion of non-fatal firearm injury is

2001: 5715
2000: 65

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Export Control

In El Salvador, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law 16 17 18

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Small Arms Exports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from El Salvador is reported to be US$5,73719 (2009)

Import Control

In El Salvador, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law 16 18

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Small Arms Imports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to El Salvador is reported to be US$1,653,02119 (2009)

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

The asking price for an AK-47 pattern assault weapon in El Salvador is reported to be US$40020

MeasuresGun Regulation

Firearm Regulation Authority

Guns in El Salvador are regulated by the Ministry of National Defence and the National Civil Police17 18

Prohibited Firearms and Ammunition

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Regulation of Automatic Assault Weapons

In El Salvador, private possession of fully automatic weapons is permitted under a licence17

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Gun Owner Licensing

In El Salvador, only licensed gun owners21 18 may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition

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Gun Owner Background Checks

An applicant for a firearm licence in El Salvador must pass background checks which consider mental17 records

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Gun Owner Licensing Period

In El Salvador gun owners must re-apply and re-qualify for their firearm licence every six years for possession, three years for a licence to carry21

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Licensing Records

In El Salvador, authorities maintain a record22 21 18 2 of individual civilians licensed to acquire, possess, sell or transfer a firearm or ammunition

Firearm Registration

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Civilian Gun Registration

In El Salvador, the law requires22 21 2 that a record of the acquisition, possession and transfer of each privately held firearm be retained in an official register

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State-Owned Firearm Records

In El Salvador, State agencies are required23 to maintain records of the storage and movement of all firearms and ammunition under their control

Marking and Tracing Guns and Ammunition

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Firearm Marking

In El Salvador, a unique identifying mark on each firearm is not required by law24

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Firearm Tracing

In El Salvador, state authorities carry out24 recognised arms tracing and tracking procedures

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Ballistic Marking of Firearms and Ammunition

In El Salvador, state authorities employ21 18 ballistic fingerprinting technology to trace guns and ammunition

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Collection, Amnesty and Destruction Programmes

Authorities in El Salvador are known to have25 26 implemented voluntary firearm surrender schemes, and/or weapon seizure programmes in order to reduce the number of illicit firearms in circulation

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Surrendered in Gun Amnesty

In El Salvador, the number of firearms and/or rounds of ammunition voluntarily surrendered for destruction in recent arms amnesty and collection programmes is reported to be 10,20027 (1991-96)

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Small Arms Destroyed

In El Salvador, the total number of firearms destroyed following recent amnesty, collection and seizure programmes is reported to be 28,03625 (2006-2008)

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

Central American Integration System

As a member of the Central American Integration System (SICA), El Salvador is party to the 2007 Central American Programme on Small Arms Control and the Code of Conduct of Central American States on the Transfer of Arms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Material28

Organization of American States

On 14 November 1997, as a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS), El Salvador adopted the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA), a legally binding multilateral treaty of which the OAS is depository. The CIFTA Convention has since been signed and ratified29 30 by El Salvador

United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

At the resumption of the most recent session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (UNCCPCJ), a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council mandated to promote action to prevent national and transnational crime, El Salvador was listed as an elected member for a three-year term of office31

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, El Salvador voted to begin32 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

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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 ratified33 by El Salvador

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, El Salvador 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 Aspects34

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, El Salvador has submitted one or more national reports35 36 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In El Salvador, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated37 36

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In El Salvador, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has not been designated37 36

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UNPoA Civil Society Involvement and Support

In National Reports of El Salvador submitted to the UN, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities is apparent37

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UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated36 by El Salvador to other UN Member States

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UNPoA International Assistance – Recipient

Funds for UNPoA implementation have been provided36 to El Salvador by other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, El Salvador has not declared1 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, El Salvador has been a Member State of the United Nations since 194538

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list39 El Salvador as a Participating State
Last Updated on 25 January 2012

Short References

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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.

Graham, Ronan.2011.‘El Salvador Police Count 120,000 Unregistered Firearms.’ InSight - Research, Analysis and Investigation on Organized Crime in Latin America and the Caribbean.Bogota:InSight Crime,25 November. (Q5998)Full Citation

3.

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

4.

OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Civilian Firearms Legally Registered.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5679)Full Citation

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GunPolicy.org.2011.‘Calculated Rates – El Salvador.’ Historical Population Data – USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,17 March. (Q4226)Full Citation

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

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Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q7)Full Citation

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OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Intentional Homicide.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5678)Full Citation

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Godnick, William and Helena Vasquez.2003.‘El Salvador: Other Government Entities.’ Small Arms Control in Central America: Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Control Projects (MISAC).London:International Alert, Security and Peacebuilding Programme,1 June. (Q5573)Full Citation

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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

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UNODC.2005.‘Recorded Homicide and Firearm Homicide in 53 Countries, Completed or Attempted.’ Eighth United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2001-2002).Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,15 April. (Q1077)Full Citation

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OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Suicide.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5680)Full Citation

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Godnick, William, Robert Muggah and Camilla Waszink.2002.‘El Salvador: Firearm-related Homicides.’ Stray Bullets: the Impact of Small Arms Misuse in Central America.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,1 October. (Q5677)Full Citation

14.

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

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Godnick, William and Helena Vasquez.2003.‘El Salvador.’ Small Arms Control in Central America: Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Control Projects (MISAC).London:International Alert, Security and Peacebuilding Programme,1 June. (Q5568)Full Citation

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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

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Godnick, William and Helena Vasquez.2003.‘El Salvador: Small Arms Control.’ Small Arms Control in Central America: Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Control Projects (MISAC).London:International Alert, Security and Peacebuilding Programme,1 June. (Q5569)Full Citation

18.

Godnick, William and Helena Vasquez.2003.‘El Salvador: Import and Export.’ Small Arms Control in Central America: Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Control Projects (MISAC).London:International Alert, Security and Peacebuilding Programme,1 June. (Q5575)Full Citation

19.

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

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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

21.

Godnick, William and Helena Vasquez.2003.‘El Salvador: Domestic Arms Control Laws.’ Small Arms Control in Central America: Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Control Projects (MISAC).London:International Alert, Security and Peacebuilding Programme,1 June. (Q5574)Full Citation

22.

El Salvador.2003.‘Report on the Programme of Action.’ National Report of El Salvador 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 El Salvador to the United Nations,30 April. (Q4747)Full Citation

23.

El Salvador.2005.‘Report on the Programme of Action (Informe sobre el Programa de Acción).’ National Report of El Salvador 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 El Salvador to the United Nations,1 July. (Q4748)Full Citation

24.

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. (Q323)Full Citation

25.

Espinoza, Ana Yancy.2010.‘Seized and Destroyed Arms (Armas Decomisadas y Destruidas).’ IX Seminar: Control of Arms Transfers and Trafficking – Compilation (IX Seminario: Control del Tráfico y Transferencia de Armas de Fuego – Sistematización).Santa Marta:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime / UNODC,25 February. (Q5508)Full Citation

26.

REDCEPAZ.2006.‘Seized Firearms (Decomiso de Armas).’ The Problem of Illegal Arms in Central America (El problema de las Armas Ilegales en Centroamérica).Guatemala City:REDCEPAZ (Red Centroamericana para la Construcción de la Paz y la Seguridad Humana),1 March. (Q5509)Full Citation

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Karp, Aaron.2009.‘Summary of Disarmament Outcomes in 45 DDR Programmes.’ Small Arms Survey 2009: Shadows of War.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,9 July. (Q2941)Full Citation

28.

UNODA.2007.‘Central American Programme on Small Arms Control.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations.New York:Central American Integration System / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,1 January. (Q3221)Full Citation

29.

OAS / UNODA.1997.‘Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials / CIFTA.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations.New York:Organization of American States / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,14 November. (Q3244)Full Citation

30.

OAS.1997.‘Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA): Signatures and Ratifications.’ Organization of American States, Department of International Law.Washington DC:Organization of American States,14 November. (Q3262)Full Citation

31.

UNCCPCJ / UNODC.1991.‘Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.’ United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.Vienna:United Nations Economic and Social Council / United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,1 January. (Q3222)Full Citation

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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

33.

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

34.

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

35.

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

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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

37.

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

39.

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