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Laos — 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 Laos is

2017: 215,0001
2005: 71,0002

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

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

2017: 2.983
2005: 1.18

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 206 countries, Laos ranked at No. 1174

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of privately owned guns in 206 countries, Laos ranked at No.1364

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Laos are reported to have 224,6905 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Laos are reported to have 21,0006 firearms

ImpactsDeath and Injury

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Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual homicides by any means total

2015: 4677
2012: 3928
2010: 502
2008: 2799

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

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

2015: 6.767
2012: 5.98
2010: 7.89
2008: 4.6
2004: 5.4010
2002: 5.70

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Male Homicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual male homicides by any means total

2015: 36011
2010: 39911

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

In Laos, the annual rate of male homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2015: 10.8411

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Female Homicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual female homicides by any means total

2015: 10711
2010: 103

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

In Laos, the annual rate of female homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2015: 3.2011

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Suicides (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual suicides by any means total

2016: 57912
2015: 567
2010: 556
2000: 540

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

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

2016: 8.2512
2015: 8.20
2010: 8.73
2004: 5.4010
2002: 5.70
2000: 10

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Male Suicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual male suicides by any means total

2016: 38512
2015: 376
2010: 364
2000: 354

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

ChartIn Laos, the annual rate of male suicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2016: 11.0512
2015: 10.96
2010: 11.52
2000: 13.23

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Female Suicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual female suicides by any means total

2016: 19412
2015: 191
2010: 192
2000: 186

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

ChartIn Laos, the annual rate of female suicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2016: 5.4912
2015: 5.49
2010: 5.98
2000: 6.83

ProductionGun Industry

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Regulation of Firearm Makers

In Laos, the manufacture of small arms, ammunition and/or their components is permitted only if the maker holds a valid licence, but is not conducted in practice13

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Home-made Guns

In Laos, the prevalence of illicit craft, or 'home-made' firearm manufacture is reported to be moderate14

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

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Firearm Exports

In Laos, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law15

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Small Arms Exports (US$) - Customs

ChartThe annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Laos is reported by Customs to be US$

2015: 252,91016
2008: 18317

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Firearm Imports

In Laos, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law15

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Small Arms Imports (US$) - Customs

ChartThe annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Laos is reported by Customs to be US$

2016: 338,48616
2015: 854,614
2014: 4,800
2013: 488,000
2012: 312,950
2011: 71,47517

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Smuggling Guns and Ammunition

Reports suggest that the level of firearm and ammunition smuggling in Laos is high18

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Regulation of Arms Brokers

In Laos, the activities of arms brokers and transfer intermediaries are not specifically regulated by law15

MeasuresGun Regulation

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Firearm Regulation - Guiding Policy

The regulation of guns in Laos is categorised as restrictive19

Firearm Law

Guiding gun control legislation in Laos includes the

Laos, 1990, No. 29/SPS: Criminal Law20

Firearm Regulation Authority

Guns in Laos are regulated by the Ministry of Public Security21

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Right to Possess Firearms

In Laos, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by law22 23

Restricted Firearms and Ammunition

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Law Regulates Automatic Weapons

In Laos, civilian possession of automatic weapons is regulated by law24

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Law Regulates Handguns

In Laos, civilian possession of handguns is regulated by law24

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Law Regulates Long Guns

In Laos, civilian possession of rifles and shotguns is regulated by law24

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Gun Ownership and Possession

In Laos, only licensed gun owners (for those of high social standing only)25 24 may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition

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Genuine Reason Required for Firearm Possession

Applicants for a gun owner’s licence in Laos are required to establish a genuine reason to possess a firearm, for example hunting26 27

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Gun Owner Background Checks

An applicant for a firearm licence in Laos must pass a background check which considers criminal, mental health, medical and domestic violence28 24 records

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Domestic Violence and Firearms

Where a past history, or apprehended likelihood of family violence exists, the law in Laos stipulates28 that a gun licence should be denied or revoked

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Firearm Safety Training

In Laos, an understanding of firearm safety and the law, tested in a theoretical and/or practical training course is required28 for a firearm licence

Storage and Transport of Guns and Ammunition

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Firearm and Ammunition Storage Regulations - Private

Firearm regulations in Laos include28 written specifications for the lawful safe storage of private firearms and ammunition by licensed gun owners

Carrying Guns

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Law Regulates Firearms in Public

In Laos, carrying a gun in a public place is regulated by law24

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Penalty for Illicit Firearm Possession

In Laos, the maximum penalty for unlawful possession of a firearm29 is six months to 10 years in prison30

MeasuresInternational Controls

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Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development

The Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, a diplomatic initiative aimed at addressing the interrelations between armed violence and development, was not signed31 by Laos.

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Arms Trade Treaty

The Arms Trade Treaty has not been signed32 by Laos

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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 acceded to33 by Laos

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Laos 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, Laos has submitted one or more national reports35 36 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Laos, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated36

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Laos, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated37 36

UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

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

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United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Laos has not declared38 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Laos has been a Member State of the United Nations since 195539

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list40 Laos as a Participating State

BackgroundSustainable Development Goal Profile

Link
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 16,41 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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Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual homicides by any means total

2015: 4677
2012: 3928
2010: 502
2008: 2799

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

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

2015: 6.767
2012: 5.98
2010: 7.89
2008: 4.6
2004: 5.4010
2002: 5.70

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Male Homicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual male homicides by any means total

2015: 36011
2010: 39911

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

In Laos, the annual rate of male homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2015: 10.8411

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Female Homicide Victims (any method)

ChartIn Laos, annual female homicides by any means total

2015: 10711
2010: 103

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

In Laos, the annual rate of female homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2015: 3.2011

Link
Conflict Deaths

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

Link
Global Peace Index

To see where Laos ranks, select the Link icon to open an external web page at the Global Peace Index, and then click on Laos on the map or in the "Select Country" menu on the right of the web page

Short References

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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.

GunPolicy.org.2016.‘Calculated Rates - Laos.’ Historical Population Data - USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,3 August. (Q16275)Full Citation

4.

GunPolicy.org.2022.‘Calculated Ranking.’ Estimating global civilian-held firearm numbers..Geneva:GunPolicy.org,30 June. (Q15876)Full Citation

5.

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

6.

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

7.

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

8.

UNODC.2014.‘Homicides in Laos.’ Global Study on Homicide 2013: Trends, Context, Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),10 April. (Q10265)Full Citation

9.

UNODC.2013.‘Homicide in 207 Countries - Laos.’ Global Study on Homicide 2011: Trends, Context, Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,26 June. (Q6307)Full Citation

10.

Petrini, Benjamin.2011.‘East Asia and the Pacific, 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. (Q3814)Full Citation

11.

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

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WHO.2018.‘Violent Death Estimates by Country.’ Disease Burden and Mortality Estimates: Cause-Specific Mortality, 2000–2016.Geneva:World Health Organization,1 January. (Q14136)Full Citation

13.

Capie, David.2002.‘ASEAN country studies: Lao People's Democratic Republic.’ Small Arms Production and Transfers in South East Asia.Canberra:Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University,1 January. (Q1032)Full Citation

14.

Small Arms Survey.2001.‘Illicit Production - South East Asia.’ Small Arms Survey 2001: Profiling the Problem.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q1062)Full Citation

15.

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

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United Nations.2018.‘National Customs Data on Small Arms Exports and Imports - Laos.’ UN Comtrade International Trade Statistics Database.New York NY:United Nations Statistics Division,1 January. (Q13437)Full Citation

17.

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

18.

Anthony Davis. 2020. ‘China's Loose Arms Still Fuel Myanmar's Civil Wars.’ Asia Times. 28 January. (N746) Full Citation

19.

Newton, George D and Franklin E Zimring.1969.‘Firearm Licensing: Permissive v Restrictive.’ Firearms & Violence in American Life: A staff report submitted to the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence.Washington, DC:US Government Printing Office,1 January. (Q22)Full Citation

20.

Kramer, Katherine.2001.‘Guiding Policy - Laos.’ Legal Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Asia.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and Nonviolence International South East Asia,1 July. (Q1504)Full Citation

21.

Roseanne Gerin. 2015. ‘Lao Authorities Require Gun Re-registrations to Reduce Illegal Firearms.’ Radio Free Asia. 3 March. (N724) Full Citation

22.

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

23.

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

24.

Butchart, Alexander, Christopher Mikton and Etienne Krug.2014.‘Country Profile: Laos.’ Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014.Geneva:World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),10 December. (Q9617)Full Citation

25.

Kramer, Katherine.2001.‘Firearm Licensing.’ Legal Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Asia.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and Nonviolence International South East Asia,1 July. (Q1024)Full Citation

26.

Kramer, Katherine.2001.‘General Preconditions for Licence Applications.’ Legal Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Asia.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and Nonviolence International South East Asia,1 July. (Q75)Full Citation

27.

Kramer, Katherine.2001.‘Categories of Arms Licensed for Private Possession.’ Legal Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Asia.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and Nonviolence International South East Asia,1 July. (Q1025)Full Citation

28.

Kramer, Katherine.2001.‘Licensing Criteria.’ Legal Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Asia.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and Nonviolence International South East Asia,1 July. (Q1932)Full Citation

29.

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

30.

Kramer, Katherine.2001.‘Penalty Comparison.’ Legal Controls on Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Asia.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and Nonviolence International South East Asia,1 July. (Q83)Full Citation

31.

GDAV.2006.‘Geneva Declaration.’ Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.Geneva:Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development Secretariat,7 June. (Q7162)Full Citation

32.

UNODA.2013.‘Towards Entry Into Force.’ Arms Trade Treaty.New York, NY:United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,2 April. (Q7226)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, NY: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, NY: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

36.

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

37.

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

38.

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

39.

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

40.

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

41.

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