Cyprus ranks seventh out of top 10 civilian gun-owning countries with 34 per 100 residents estimated to have a firearm in their possession, according to a BBC report this week.
The calculations were carried out by the Small Arms Survey – a Swiss-based leading research project.
However, Cyprus differs from other countries since it was invaded in 1974 by Turkey which still maintains troops on the divided island – something that justifies reservists having their personal firearm at home for defense purposes.
But there is a high number of registered hunting rifles as well with police spokesman Christos Andreou telling Philenews this totals 169,989 today.
As for the overall number of licensed persons possessing a hunting rifle, this is 112,932. However, there are also a lot of unlicensed and unregistered firearms- the number of which remains unknown.
Andreou also said that some individuals possess two or more hunting rifles. And that pre-conditions before obtaining the relevant license for such a possession provide several safeguards. Hunting rifle possession comes strict legislation, he added.
Shocking is the US ratio of 120.5 firearms per 100 residents in 2018 – up from 88 per 100 in 2011. This far surpasses that of other countries around the world.