Colombia suffers one of the highest levels of armed violence in the world, although there has been a significant improvement since 2002, according to a joint report by the Conflict Analysis Resource Center and the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.

Between 1979 and 2005 more than 475,000 people were killed by the use of firearms through crime, organised and petty, and the ongoing conflict between the government and guerrilla groups. Most victims have been young men.