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Iceland — Gun Facts, Figures and the LawStockpilesGun NumbersCivilian GunsNumber of Privately Owned FirearmsRate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 PopulationNumber of Privately Owned Firearms - World RankingIn a 2007 comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Iceland ranked at No. 1413 Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World RankingIn a 2007 comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 178 countries, Iceland ranked at No. 152 Proportion of Households with FirearmsProportion of Households with HandgunsNumber of Registered FirearmsImpactsDeath and InjuryTotal Number of Gun DeathsChartIn Iceland, annual deaths resulting from firearms total 2016: 49 2015: 19 2014: 8 2013: 7 2012: 7 2011: 7 2010: 5 2009: 410 11 2008: 412 2007: 613 12 2006: 8 2005: 5 2004: 412 2003: 5 2002: 3 2001: 6 2000: 813 12 1999: 312 1998: 3 1997: 7 1996: 713 12 Rate of All Gun Deaths per 100,000 PeopleTotal Number of Male Gun DeathsRate of Male Gun Death per 100,000 PeopleTotal Number of Female Gun DeathsRate of Female Gun Death per 100,000 PeopleHomicides (any method)ChartIn Iceland, annual homicides by any means total 2016: 114 2015: 3 2014: 2 2013: 1 2012: 115 16 2011: 315 17 2010: 2 2009: 1 2008: 0 2007: 2 2006: 0 2005: 3 2004: 315 18 2003: 0 2002: 415 19 2001: 1 2000: 515 20 1999: 220 1998: 017 1997: 2 1996: 1 1995: 0 Rate of Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)ChartIn Iceland, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is 2016: 0.3014 2015: 0.90 2014: 0.61 2013: 0.31 2012: 0.31 2011: 0.94 2010: 0.63 2009: 0.31 2008: 0.32 2007: 0.64 2006: 0.0 2005: 1.0 2004: 1.015 18 2003: 0.0 2002: 1.415 19 2001: 0.4 2000: 1.815 20 1999: 0.7220 1998: 0.017 1997: 0.7 1996: 0.4 1995: 0.0 Male Homicide Victims (any method)Rate of Male Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)Female Homicide Victims (any method)Gun HomicidesChartIn Iceland, annual firearm homicides total 2016: 19 2015: 0 2014: 0 2013: 0 2012: 015 2011: 0 2010: 1 2009: 015 17 2008: 0 2007: 113 15 17 2006: 1 2005: 1 2004: 018 2003: 0 2000: 113 1996: 1 Rate of Gun Homicide per 100,000 PeopleProportion of Homicides Committed With a GunMale Gun Homicide VictimsRate of Male Gun Homicide per 100,000 PeopleFemale Gun Homicide VictimsSuicides (any method)ChartIn Iceland, annual suicides by any means total 2016: 409 2015: 409 2014: 44 2013: 49 2012: 37 2011: 27 2010: 46 2009: 36 2008: 38 2007: 37 Rate of Suicide per 100,000 People (any method)Male Suicide Victims (any method)Rate of Male Suicide per 100,000 People (any method)Female Suicide Victims (any method)Gun SuicidesChartIn Iceland, annual firearm suicides total 2016: 39 2015: 19 2014: 8 2013: 6 2012: 7 2011: 6 2010: 5 2009: 412 11 2008: 412 2007: 5 2006: 7 2005: 4 2004: 4 2003: 5 2002: 3 2001: 6 2000: 7 1999: 3 1998: 3 1997: 7 1996: 6 Rate of Gun Suicide per 100,000 PeopleMale Gun Suicide VictimsRate of Male Gun Suicide per 100,000 PeopleLong Gun SuicidesGun Suicides (Other)Unintentional Gun DeathsChartIn Iceland, annual unintentional shooting deaths total 2015: 09 2014: 0 2013: 0 2012: 0 2011: 1 2010: 0 Rate of Unintentional Gun Death per 100,000 PeopleUnintentional Male Gun DeathsRate of Unintentional Male Gun Death per 100,000 PeopleIn Iceland, the annual rate of unintentional male shooting death per 100,000 population is 2011: 0.629 Gun Deaths from Undetermined CauseLegal Intervention Gun HomicidesRate of Legal Intervention Gun Homicide per 100,000 PeopleIn Iceland, the annual rate of legal-intervention gun homicide per 100,000 population is 2013: 0.319 Male Legal Intervention Gun HomicidesRate of Male Legal Intervention Gun Homicide per 100,000 PeopleIn Iceland, the annual rate of male legal-intervention gun homicide per 100,000 population is 2013: 0.629 TransfersGun Trade and TraffickingFirearm ExportsSmall Arms Exports (US$) - CustomsThe annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Iceland is reported by Customs to be US$3,20723 (2011) Firearm ImportsSmall Arms Imports (US$) - CustomsThe annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Iceland is reported by Customs to be US$1,987,80023 (2011) MeasuresGun RegulationGun Ownership and PossessionIn Iceland, only licensed gun owners26 16 may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition Gun Owner Background ChecksAn applicant for a firearm licence in Iceland must pass a background check which considers undefined16 records Licensing RecordsIn Iceland, authorities maintain a record26 of individual civilians licensed to acquire, possess, sell or transfer a firearm or ammunition Firearm RegistrationCivilian Gun RegistrationIn Iceland, the law requires26 that a record of the acquisition, possession and transfer of each privately held firearm be retained in an official register Gun Dealer Record KeepingIn Iceland, licensed firearm dealers are required27 to keep a record of each firearm or ammunition purchase, sale or transfer on behalf of a regulating authority Gun Manufacturer Record KeepingIn Iceland, licensed gun makers are required27 to keep a record of each firearm produced, for inspection by a regulating authority State-Owned Firearm RecordsIn Iceland, State agencies are required28 to maintain records of the storage and movement of all firearms and ammunition under their control Carrying GunsLaw Regulates Firearms in PublicIn Iceland, carrying a gun in a public place is regulated by law16 MeasuresInternational ControlsGeneva Declaration on Armed Violence and DevelopmentThe Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, a diplomatic initiative aimed at addressing the interrelations between armed violence and development, was signed in 200729 by Iceland. Arms Trade TreatyThe Arms Trade Treaty has been signed and ratified30 by Iceland United Nations Firearms ProtocolThe United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition has been signed, but not yet ratified31 by Iceland United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoAUNPoA CommitmentOn 21 July 2001, Iceland 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 Aspects32 UNPoA Implementation Monitor ScoreUNPoA National ReportingUNPoA National Point of ContactUNPoA Civil Society Involvement and SupportIn National Reports of Iceland submitted to the UN from 2001 to 2010, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities was apparent38 UNPoA International Assistance – DonorFunds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated38 by Iceland to other UN Member States United Nations Small Arms RegisterAccording to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Iceland has declared40 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports. United Nations MembershipIn the UN List of Member States, Iceland has been a Member State of the United Nations since 194641 Wassenaar ArrangementThe Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list42 Iceland as a Participating State BackgroundSustainable Development Goal ProfileAbout SDG 16The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 goals set by the United Nations to be implemented by all member states by 2030. Adopted in 2015, they outline a vision of development in which peace and security are an integral part.
SDG 16,43 which seeks to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development,” includes targets and indicators focused on reducing violence (Target 16.1) and the proliferation of illicit arms (Target 16.4). The indicators – or measurement criteria – of these targets include the number of victims of intentional homicide (Indicator 16.1.1), the number of conflict-related deaths (Indicator 16.1.2), and the number of illicit firearms collected and traced (Indicator 16.4.2).
In light of these targets and indicators, GunPolicy.org provides granular national data pertaining to homicides, gun homicides, conflict deaths, disarmament efforts, and marking and tracing. Conflict DeathsFor a profile of conflict in Iceland, select the Link icon to open an external web page from the UCDP Conflict Encyclopedia at Uppsala University Global Peace IndexTo see where Iceland ranks, select the Link icon to open an external web page at the Global Peace Index |
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