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Kosovo — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

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StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms

ChartThe estimated total number of guns (both licit and illicit) held by civilians in Kosovo is

2017: 436,0001
2007: 415,0002

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The estimated rate of private gun ownership (both licit and illicit) per 100 people in Kosovo is

2017: 23.801

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a 2007 comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Kosovo ranked at No. 883

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a 2007 comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 178 countries, Kosovo ranked at No. 302

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Proportion of Households with Handguns

In Kosovo, the percentage of households with one or more handguns is reported to be

2012: 2.9%4

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Number of Registered Firearms

ChartThe number of registered guns in Kosovo is reported to be

2017: 43,2061
2006: 34,0005

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Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered guns per 100 people in Kosovo is

2006: 1.916

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Estimated Number of Unregistered and Illicit Firearms

ChartUnregistered and unlawfully held guns cannot be counted,7 but in Kosovo there are estimated to be

2017: 392,7941
2010: 300,0005
2006: 264,4608

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Estimated Rate of Unregistered and Illicit Firearms per 100 Population

Unregistered and unlawfully held guns cannot be counted,7 but in Kosovo the rate of such firearms per 100 people is estimated to be 15.05 to 16.896

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Number of Households with Firearms

In Kosovo, the number of households containing one or more guns is reported to be

2012: 36,2719

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Kosovo are reported to have 9,50010 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Kosovo are reported to have 21,00011 firearms

ImpactsDeath and Injury

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Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Kosovo, annual homicides by any means total

2016: 2912
2015: 30
2014: 41
2013: 41
2012: 90
2011: 62
2010: 106
2009: 73
2008: 113

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

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

2016: 1.5412
2015: 1.60
2014: 2.21
2013: 2.22
2012: 4.90
2011: 3.40
2010: 5.84
2009: 4.04
2008: 6.30

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Male Homicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Kosovo, annual male homicides by any means total

2016: 2513
2015: 25
2014: 35
2013: 37
2012: 79
2011: 53
2010: 86
2009: 62
2008: 87.32

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

ChartIn Kosovo, the annual rate of male homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2016: 2.7313
2015: 2.76
2014: 3.81
2013: 4.03
2012: 8.69
2011: 5.88
2010: 9.62
2009: 6.99
2008: 9.92

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Female Homicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Kosovo, annual female homicides by any means total

2016: 413
2015: 5
2014: 6
2013: 4
2012: 11
2011: 9
2010: 20
2009: 11
2008: 26

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

ChartIn Kosovo, the annual rate of female homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2016: 0.4413
2015: 0.56
2014: 0.66
2013: 0.44
2012: 1.23
2011: 1.01
2010: 2.27
2009: 1.26
2008: 2.96

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

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Firearm Exports

In Kosovo, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law14

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Firearm Imports

In Kosovo, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law14

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Small Arms Imports (US$) - Customs

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Kosovo is reported by Customs to be US$1,314,95015 (2010)

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Smuggling Guns and Ammunition

Reports suggest that the level of firearm and ammunition smuggling in Kosovo is high5

MeasuresGun Regulation

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Right to Possess Firearms

In Kosovo, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by law16 17

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Penalty for Illicit Firearm Possession

In Kosovo, the maximum penalty for unlawful possession of a firearm18 is ten years in prison and a fine5

MeasuresInternational Controls

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Kosovo, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has not been designated19

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Kosovo, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated19

UNPoA International Assistance – Recipient

Funds for UNPoA implementation have been provided20 to Kosovo by other UN Member States

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Kosovo is not a Member State of the United Nations21

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list22 Kosovo as a Participating State

BackgroundSustainable Development Goal Profile

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About SDG 16

The 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 16,23 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.

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Conflict Deaths

For a profile of conflict in Kosovo, select the Link icon to open an external web page from the UCDP Conflict Encyclopedia at Uppsala University

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Disarmament

Authorities in Kosovo are known to have24 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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Small Arms Destroyed

ChartIn Kosovo, the number of firearms destroyed following amnesty, collection and seizure programmes is reported to be

2016: 2,38225
2003: 15524
2001: 665

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Global Peace Index

To see where Kosovo ranks, select the Link icon to open an external web page at the Global Peace Index

Short References

1.

Karp, Aaron.2018.‘Civilian Firearms Holdings, 2017.’ Estimating Global Civilian-Held Firearms Numbers.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,18 June. (Q13434)Full Citation

2.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms - Annexe online.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q5)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. (Q4)Full Citation

4.

Carapic, Jovana.2014.‘Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership.’ Handgun Ownership and Armed Violence in the Western Balkans.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,1 September. (Q11595)Full Citation

5.

Grillot, Suzette R..2010.‘The Spread and Control of Small Arms in Kosovo.’ Guns in the Balkans: Controlling Small Arms and Light Weapons in Seven Western Balkan Countries.London:Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, Taylor & Francis,1 June. (Q11611)Full Citation

6.

GunPolicy.org.2016.‘Calculated Rates - Kosovo.’ Historical Population Data - USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,4 March. (Q4305)Full Citation

7.

GunPolicy.org. 2019. ‘Estimated Number of Illicit Firearms.’ Definition and Selection Criteria.
Sydney School of Public Health, 24 January. (G14) Full Citation

8.

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

9.

Carapic, Jovana.2014.‘Estimates of Household Firearms Possession Across the Western Balkans.’ Handgun Ownership and Armed Violence in the Western Balkans.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,1 September. (Q11598)Full Citation

10.

Karp, Aaron.2018.‘Military Firearms Holdings, 2017.’ Estimating Global Military-Owned Firearms Numbers.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,18 June. (Q13436)Full Citation

11.

Karp, Aaron.2018.‘Law Enforcement Firearms Holdings, 2017.’ Estimating Global Law Enforcement Firearms Numbers.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,18 June. (Q13435)Full Citation

12.

UNODC.2020.‘Intentional Homicide Victims.’ Crime and Drugs Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,1 January. (Q13355)Full Citation

13.

UNODC.2017.‘Intentional Homicide Victims by Sex.’ Crime and Drugs Data.Vienna:UNODC,19 May. (Q13356)Full Citation

14.

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, NY:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q82)Full Citation

15.

Marsh, Nicholas.2014.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,22 December. (Q16)Full Citation

16.

Sherman, Amy and Tom Ginsburg.2014.‘Gun Rights in National Constitutions.’ Marco Rubio Says Second Amendment Is Unique in Speech to NRA.Miami, FL:Miami Herald (PolitiFact Florida),29 April. (Q8507)Full Citation

17.

Zachary Elkins, Tom Ginsburg and James Melton. 2013. ‘U.S. Gun Rights Truly Are American Exceptionalism.’ Bloomberg (USA). 7 March. (N422) Full Citation

18.

GunPolicy.org. 2015. ‘Penalty for Unlawful Firearm Possession.’ Definition and Selection Criteria.
Sydney School of Public Health, 22 January. (G93) Full Citation

19.

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, NY:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q166)Full Citation

20.

UNODA.2018.‘PoA-ISS Country Profiles.’ UN small arms Programme of Action (UNPoA) - Implementation Support System.New York, NY:United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs,23 July. (Q1309)Full Citation

21.

UN.2013.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York, NY:United Nations General Assembly,7 April. (Q290)Full Citation

22.

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

23.

United Nations.2017.‘Relevant Targets & Indicators.’ Sustainable Development Goal 16.New York NY:United Nations Statistics Division,6 July. (Q14093)Full Citation

24.

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

25.

SEESAC (Belgrade). 2016. ‘BiH Destroys 1008 SALW to Mark International Gun Destruction Day.’ 9 July. (N667) Full Citation