Gun Ownership in Spain: A Male-Dominated Landscape

Spain boasts a significant number of gun licenses, with over 1.4 million in circulation. However, the data reveals a stark gender disparity, with women holding only 4% of these licenses. This translates to just 58,818 women out of a total of 2,671,016 licensed gun owners. The most common type of firearm license is for shotguns, followed by rifles for big game hunting and pistols. While the majority of license holders are between 50 and 69 years old, younger generations are also represented, with significant numbers of licenses issued to individuals aged 18 to 39. Despite the high number of licenses, there is a noticeable trend towards gun destruction. In 2023, over 90,000 firearms were irreversibly destroyed, either due to owner choice, legal expiration, or court orders. This suggests a commitment to responsible gun ownership and control.