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Palau — 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 Palau is

2017: 1001
2002: 02

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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 Palau is

2017: 0.501

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 206 countries, Palau ranked at No. 2053

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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, Palau ranked at No.1833

Government Guns

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Routine Arming of Police

In Palau, police officers on routine patrol carry one or more firearms4

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Palau are reported to have 305 firearms

ImpactsDeath and Injury

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Homicides (any method)

ChartIn Palau, annual homicides by any means total

2018: 26
2017: 0
2016: 0
2015: 3
2012: 0.65
2008: 07

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

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

2018: 11.176
2017: 0.00
2016: 0.00
2015: 16.98
2012: 3.076
2008: 0.07
2004: 0.908
2002: 1.00

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

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Firearm Exports

In Palau, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law9

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Firearm Imports

In Palau, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law10

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Small Arms Imports (US$) - Customs

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Palau is reported by Customs to be US$6,43811 (2011)

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Regulation of Arms Brokers

In Palau, the activities of arms brokers and transfer intermediaries are not specifically regulated by law10

MeasuresGun Regulation

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Firearm Regulation - Guiding Policy

The regulation of guns in Palau is categorised as restrictive12

Firearm Law

Guiding gun control legislation in Palau includes the Constitution of the Republic of Palau, 1979, Section 1213

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Right to Possess Firearms

In Palau, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by law14 15

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Restricted Firearms and Ammunition

In Palau, civilians are not allowed to possess any firearms13

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Gun Ownership and Possession

In Palau, no civilian13 may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition

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Penalty for Illicit Firearm Possession

In Palau, the maximum penalty for unlawful possession of a firearm16 is 15 years in prison13

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

Pacific Islands Forum

As a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, Palau adopted the March, 2000 Nadi Framework agreement, which aims to harmonise small arms-related legislation across Oceania. In August 2003, the Nadi Framework’s draft model Weapons Control Bill was unanimously accepted for consideration by all 16 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum17 18

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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 signed in 200819 by Palau.

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Arms Trade Treaty

The Arms Trade Treaty has been signed and ratified20 21 by Palau

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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 ratified22 by Palau

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Palau 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 Aspects23

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Palau has yet to submit a national report24 25 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Palau, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has not been designated25

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Palau, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has not been designated26 25

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UNPoA Civil Society Involvement and Support

In National Reports of Palau submitted to the UN from 2001 to 2010, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities was not apparent26 25

UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated25 by Palau to other UN Member States

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United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Palau has not declared27 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Palau has been a Member State of the United Nations since 199428

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list29 Palau 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 16,30 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 Palau, annual homicides by any means total

2018: 26
2017: 0
2016: 0
2015: 3
2012: 0.65
2008: 07

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

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

2018: 11.176
2017: 0.00
2016: 0.00
2015: 16.98
2012: 3.076
2008: 0.07
2004: 0.908
2002: 1.00

Link
Conflict Deaths

For a profile of conflict in Palau, 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 Palau ranks, select the Link icon to open an external web page at the Global Peace Index, and then click on Palau on the map or in the "Select Country" menu on the right of the web page

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.

Alpers, Philip and Conor Twyford.2003.‘Pacific Small Arms Legislation: Domestic and regional issues.’ Small Arms in the Pacific.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,31 March. (Q291)Full Citation

3.

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

4.

Kintol, Keiden S.2019.‘In Palau, Do Police Officers on Routine Patrol Carry a Firearm?.’ E-mail Correspondence with Philip Alpers, GunPolicy.org.Ngerulmud:Republic of Palau,15 April. (Q13946)Full Citation

5.

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

6.

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

7.

UNODC.2013.‘Homicide in 207 Countries - Palau.’ Global Study on Homicide 2011: Trends, Context, Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,26 June. (Q6240)Full Citation

8.

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

9.

Alpers, Philip and Conor Twyford.2003.‘Pacific Small Arms Legislation: Import and export laws in Pacific states.’ Small Arms in the Pacific.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,31 March. (Q162)Full Citation

10.

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

11.

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

12.

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

13.

Palau.1979.‘Right to Bear Arms.’ Constitution of the Republic of Palau 1979.Koror:National Congress,2 April. (Q922)Full Citation

14.

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

15.

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

16.

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

17.

SPCPC/OCO.2000.‘Towards a Common Approach to Weapons Control: The 'Nadi Framework'.’ South Pacific Chiefs of Police Conference (SPCPC) and Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO).Nadi, Fiji:Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat,10 March. (Q576)Full Citation

18.

Baker, Jean.2000.‘Weapons Control Bill: Explanatory Notes.’ Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.Suva, Fiji:Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat,10 March. (Q577)Full Citation

19.

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

20.

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

21.

Arms Trade Treaty.2022.‘States Parties to the ATT.’ Table: States Parties to the ATT (in alphabetical order) as of 25 March 2022.New York NY:Arms Trade Treaty,25 March. (Q15848)Full Citation

22.

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

23.

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

24.

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

25.

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

26.

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

27.

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

28.

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

29.

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

30.

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