The recently released 2004 yearbook of the Small Arms Survey details the damaging effects of small arms on national security, finding that the collapse of the Iraqi government "precipitated what almost certainly was one of the largest and fastest transfers of small arms ever."

This edition also reveals that:

• States where serious human rights abuses are common do not tend to encounter major impediments in procuring small arms and light weapons.
• The most transparent state among the larger exporters of small arms and light weapons is Germany, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
• Worldwide, there are at least 200,000 annual non-war-related firearm deaths - the vast majority of which are homicides.
• A large number of countries are not adhering to international policing standards.

In addition, the 2004 Survey underlines the threat posed by man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS). At least 13 non-state groups, some of which have been identified as terrorist organisations, are known to possess MANPADS, with a further 14 groups reported to possess them.

Press releases and chapter summaries are available from the Survey website, click here for more information.