A small number of countries completely prohibit private firearm ownership for ordinary civilians, or restrict it strictly to military, police, and specialized government-authorized personnel. [1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation)
Countries with Complete or Near-Complete Bans on Private Gun Ownership
• North Korea: Civilian possession of firearms, ammunition, or weapons is strictly banned, carrying severe or fatal penalties under the Firearms Control Act.
• Vatican City: Private gun possession is prohibited for citizens and visitors, with security restricted strictly to the Swiss Guard and official police forces.
• Palau: Civilian firearm and ammunition possession is completely outlawed, categorized as a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. [1] (https://www.uua.org/global/news/gun-control-or-self-control-comparison-countries-gun-control-laws)
• Eritrea: Private ownership of firearms is entirely banned by national law.
• Cambodia: Civilian firearm ownership is strictly prohibited, restricted exclusively to active military, police, and authorized security forces.
• Singapore: Ordinary citizens cannot own any firearms. Strict licensing is rare, restricted strictly to approved club memberships where weapons must remain on-site.
• Solomon Islands: Civilian possession of firearms is generally prohibited outside of official security forces.
Countries with De Facto Bans or Extreme Restrictions
• China: Private gun ownership is generally illegal for the general public. Rare exceptions exist on a strict "may-issue" basis for specific rural hunting or wildlife management roles, and weapons must usually be stored at designated ranges rather than homes. [1] (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/02/world/international-gun-laws.html)
• Japan: Private handgun ownership is prohibited, and only specific shotguns or air guns are permitted for hunting or sports after extensive training, psychological evaluations, and background checks.
• Vietnam: Civilian firearm ownership is illegal, and citizens are routinely mandated to surrender any discovered weapons to authorities.
For detailed breakdowns of global legislative categories, see the World Population Review Gun Laws Ranking and the Wikipedia Overview of Gun Laws by Nation. [1] (https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-where-guns-are-illegal), [2] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation)