Bosnia and Herzegovina is estimated to have more than one million illegal weapons, while the number of legally registered firearms exceeds 370,000, according to reports citing official data and expert assessments. The combination of a large legal arsenal and an even larger illegal one has led experts to warn that the population is effectively “armed to the teeth.”
The reports note that earlier research placed the number of illegal weapons between 750,000 and 800,000, while some newer analyses indicate that the figure has already risen above 800,000 and, in broader estimates cited in the coverage, surpasses one million pieces.
Legal ownership has also increased significantly
At the same time, the number of legally registered weapons in Bosnia and Herzegovina has risen noticeably over the past five years. According to the data cited in the reports, there were 372,143 legally registered weapons in 2025, compared with 280,819 in 2020. That increase is presented as further evidence of the wide availability of firearms in the country.
The breakdown for 2025 shows 236,844 legal weapons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 130,380 in Republika Srpska, and 4,919 in Brčko District. For comparison, in 2020 the figures stood at 182,338 in the Federation, 94,653 in Republika Srpska, and 3,828 in Brčko.
Men account for the overwhelming majority of registered firearms
The same statistics show a strong gender imbalance in legal firearm ownership. Of the total number of registered weapons, 365,679 are registered to men, while 6,464 are registered to women.
Experts warn of a higher risk of deadly violence
Security expert Safet Mušić, as cited in the reports, said the combination of large quantities of legal and illegal weapons points to an extremely high availability of firearms. He warned that such figures are alarming because they increase the likelihood that everyday conflicts could escalate into violence with deadly consequences. According to the reports, he linked this risk to several forms of crime, including clashes among criminal groups, armed robberies, smuggling, and domestic violence. Mušić said that controlling and reducing illegal weapons must become a strategic priority.
Post-conflict legacy and calls for tougher regulation
Sociologist Vladimir Vasić, also cited in the coverage, said Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a post-conflict society, has failed to build a systematic approach to this issue. He argued that, given the rising number of criminal acts committed with firearms, the time has come to tighten legal regulations.
The reports additionally note that Bosnia and Herzegovina currently applies 12 different laws in this field, while the country’s Coordination Board for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons spent 2025 collecting statistical data on registered legal weapons. That legal fragmentation is presented as part of the broader challenge of regulating and controlling firearms effectively across the country.
A picture of widespread weapon availability
Taken together, the reports present Bosnia and Herzegovina as a country where both legal and illegal firearms remain deeply widespread. With more than 372,000 registered weapons, estimates of over one million illegal pieces, and warnings from security and social experts about the consequences, the issue is being framed not only as a policing problem but also as a broader public-safety and post-conflict legacy challenge.
