There is graphic in this weeks Newsweek magazine, that I unfortunately can't find on line, called "Guns: The Global Death Toll". In the wake of the Virgina Tech killings it is looking at firearms deaths around the world. Unsurprisingly amongst all the rich countries the US is highest, but I was amazed at the difference between Finland and the England and Wales.Deaths by firearms per 100,000 people:
In England and Wales 0.31, in Finland 4.51.
So in Finland population, around 5 million, there were in most recent year with full figures 235 deaths by firearms. In England and Wales, population about 55 million, there were 159 deaths. In Finland 32 people got murdered with guns compared to 23 in England and Wales. 200 Finns shot themselves to death, compared to only 115 in England and Wales; whilst 3 of the Finnish deaths were in the unintentional/undetermined category, 21 were in England and Wales.
Switzerland - where all men who do their military service take an assault rifle home with them after - had perhaps unsurprisingly higher figures than Finland at 6.4 deaths per 100,000; but more interestingly France - not a country particularly known for high gun ownership - also came in slightly higher at 4.93. In comparison the US figure is twice as high at 10.08 deaths per 100,000
Interesting, it seems like controlling the spread of guns is the way to go. I always used to think of Switzerland as an example of a high gun per capita nation with low gun deaths. That what you get for watching Michael Moore.
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