US police shot more people dead last month than British officers did in 95 years

A total of 1,063 people were killed by US police this year

Police shootings in the US are a stark contrast to Europe (AP)

A man has been shot dead in a police operation in North London, a relatively rare example of such deaths in the UK.

Figures show the number of fatal shootings by British officers pale in comparison with those committed by American police.

In 95 years in the UK, police have fatally shot 51 people in single shooting incidents, whereas in US police have fatally shot 78 people in November 2015 alone. In the same month in the UK, there were no gun-related fatalities as a result of police shootings.

Europe has tighter gun control than the US. In 2013, only six bullets were fired in total by police in Finland - while Iceland has one recorded fatal police shooting in the 71 years of the country’s existence.

The single shooting in Iceland was that of a 59-year-old man from Reykjavik, who began firing at police as they tried to enter his home.