This map proves that Americans have easier access to guns than Frappuccinos

It is no secret that Americans love their guns — but exactly how much? According to a new mapping project by data company 1point21, it could be quite a lot: more, even, than Frappuccinos. Officially, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reports that there are 64,747 licensed gun dealers in the United States as of December 2015, with "gun dealers" defined as "gun shops, pawnbrokers, or individual sellers." But the number itself doesn't mean a whole lot until you add context.

"Looking at the Federal Firearms License data, the first question I asked myself was, 'Is that a lot — it sounds like a lot?' That's why we chose to compare it to something that everyone knows and has a reputation of being on every corner," one of the project's creators, Brian Beltz, told CityLab.

The result is a map of the United States that clearly shows the number of gun dealers side by side with Starbucks locations — and the result is rather startling. There are, however, some points to note: In St. Louis, there are 352 gun dealers and 61 Starbucks outposts — and five mass shootings. On the other hand, in Chicago it's easier to get a Starbucks coffee than a gun (101 gun dealers compared to 330 Starbucks locations) but there are more mass shootings: 13. In other words, comparing gun dealers to a single coffee retailer "isn't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison," Beltz told Citylab.

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While it might not be a perfect comparison, the map is still eyebrow-raising. Check out 1point21's map here, and read more about the project at Citylab.