Countries Where Guns Are Illegal 2025

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Gun Legality

Illegal

Very restricted

Gun Legality

18
16
Country
Gun Legality
Additional Details
MyanmarIllegalPermitted for hunting only in Chin state.
North KoreaIllegal
MaliIllegal
SomaliaIllegal
CambodiaIllegal
EritreaIllegal
Guinea BissauIllegal
Timor LesteIllegal
FijiIllegal
ComorosIllegal
Solomon IslandsIllegal
MaldivesIllegal
BruneiIllegal
SeychellesIllegal
Marshall IslandsIllegal
PalauIllegal
NauruIllegal
Vatican CityIllegal
ChinaVery restrictedFew licenses are issued only. Civilian ownership of guns is restricted to authorized, non-individual entities.
IndonesiaVery restrictedLicenses are only issued to civilians employed in a profession that involves using firearms, with an exception made for politicians and businessmen.
JapanVery restrictedFew licenses are issued only.
VietnamVery restrictedFirearms are restricted to the military and law enforcement agencies.
VenezuelaVery restrictedNo new licenses since 2013.
Burkina FasoVery restrictedNo new licenses since 2020.
SenegalVery restrictedGun ownership is very rare. In 2017, 7000 licenses were issued (0.04 per 100 people).
Papua New GuineaVery restrictedNo new licneses since 2017.
Hong KongVery restrictedPossession is restricted to law enforcement, military, and private security firms.
NorwayVery restrictedFirearms licences are only issued for hunting and sporting (or other speciality purposes not generally applicable to ordinary civilians).
Central African RepublicVery restrictedOnly members of parlament may obtain a licence.
GambiaVery restrictedCurrent law states that firearm licenses are a privilege in Gambia and authorities have full discretion in issuing them.
BotswanaVery restrictedThe acceptance rate for firearms licences is less than 1%.
DjiboutiVery restrictedGenerally prohibited except when special permits are granted in exceptional circumstances by the Head of State.
KiribatiVery restrictedProhibited in practice.
Cook IslandsVery restrictedNo new licenses since 1992.
  • In countries marked as ‘very restricted’, guns are either prohibited with exceptions or prohibited in practice. Furthermore, only people meeting narrow conditions are allowed to own firearms, and few licenses are issued.