KEY TAKEAWAYS
Alcohol dependence by country statistics include*:
*Though all available data have been added to this article, please note that some countries are missing due to a lack of national data collection and/or sharing.
Why Are Alcoholism By Country Statistics Collated?
To Inform Policy Makers
Gathering statistics on the prevalence rates of AUD influences regional policy by determining the need for prevention programmes, teaching in schools to inform on the risks of drinking, and limiting the accessibility of alcohol.
Former prevalence rates of AUD from 2016 have been found in Hungary (21.2%), Russia (20.9%), Belarus (18.8%), Latvia (15.5%), and the United States (13.9%) [1].
Understanding prevalence rates by country enables policymakers to assess public health priorities and inform legislation (e.g., by enforcing a minimum price per unit of alcohol sold and limiting the legal drinking age).
Alcohol-related deaths are 12.1% higher in Scotland compared to England, and this has influenced policymaking through introducing time limits on the sale of alcohol (10 am to 10 pm compared to 24/7 licensing) [2].
In European countries, average costs per alcohol-dependent patient (€1591-€7702) are used to estimate the economic burden of AUD on gross domestic product (0.04-0.31% GDP) [3].
Determining the impact of alcohol on the overall health of a country's population helps to inform national policies regarding the advertising and marketing of alcohol, despite its legality.
Statistics on mortality rate and economic burden drive the use of questionnaires determining future effects of banning alcohol-related sports sponsorship, of whom 17% of Scots are in favour [4].
To Understand Alcohol's Effects Amongst Diverse Populations
Gathering AUD by country statistics is crucial as it reveals higher rates of alcohol-related mortality in socioeconomically deprived populations (2.23 increased rate compared to the least deprived decile) [5].
Statistics are collated to help governments track socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental disparities across countries and subregions, so that welfare spending is allocated where it is needed most.
The disparity in alcohol-related injuries requiring hospitalisation across differing levels of social privilege informs us that situational factors, such as low income and lack of opportunities, drive harmful drinking.
Analysing the effects of alcohol by country enables governments and policy informants to gauge the extent of cultural norms, traditions, religions, and national laws causing increases or decreases in alcohol-related injuries and harmful drinking.
20% of the most socially deprived areas have a 2.4-2.6 times increased rate of hospital admissions from alcohol-related injury compared to 20% of the least deprived areas [6].
By analyzing country statistics, officials pinpoint specific risk factors that drive AUD to adjust policies to align with the country's cultural norms and economic situation (e.g., minimum unit pricing for alcohol).
Providing an overview of AUD data per country permits analysis of racial factors driving alcohol-related injury (e.g., Hispanic populations have a 7% increased rate of developing chronic alcoholic liver disease compared to North African Americans) [7].
Understanding alcohol's effects amongst diverse populations enables research gaps to be filled to determine disparities between diverse populations.
Understanding Underlying Effects Of Drinking
Cultural acceptance of heavy drinking stems from alcohol becoming a part of weekly or daily life, thus forming habits surrounding alcohol regardless of health consequences.
The rising AUD rates across various countries reflect the unemployment rate and the cost-of-living crisis, as users use AUD as a means of mentally escaping hardship (e.g., 57% of UK adults report an increase in living costs as of January 2025) [8].
AUD rates currently reflect the aftermath of COVID-19, as lockdowns led to increased drinking due to social isolation, financial hardship, and disrupted routines, resulting in a 2% increase in AUD in the UK [9].
Alcohol Use Disorder By Country
Below is a table showing the prevalence of alcohol use disorder as a percentage of country population [1].
Country | % Of Total Population With Alcoholism |
|---|---|
Hungary | 36.9% |
Russia | 20.9% |
Belarus | 18.8% |
Latvia | 15.5% |
United States | 13.9% |
South Korea | 13.9% |
Slovenia | 13.9% |
Poland | 12.8% |
Slovakia | 12.2% |
Estonia | 12% |
Austria | 12% |
Sweden | 11% |
Lithuania | 10% |
Ivory Coast | 10% |
Togo | 9.5% |
Switzerland | 9.5% |
Finland | 9.1% |
Peru | 8.9% |
United Kingdom | 8.7% |
Lebanon | 8.7% |
Ireland | 8.5% |
Belgium | 8.1% |
Canada | 8% |
Mongolia | 7.8% |
Denmark | 7.5% |
Belize | 7.3% |
Seychelles | 7.3% |
Norway | 7.2% |
Guyana | 7.2% |
Uganda | 7.1% |
Botswana | 7.1% |
Eswatini | 7.1% |
France | 7% |
South Africa | 7% |
Colombia | 7% |
Cameroon | 7% |
Rwanda | 7% |
Paraguay | 7% |
Venezuela | 6.9% |
Haiti | 6.9% |
Bulgaria | 6.9% |
Costa Rica | 6.9% |
Gabon | 6.9% |
Cyprus | 6.9% |
Suriname | 6.9% |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 6.9% |
Germany | 6.8% |
Tanzania | 6.8% |
Argentina | 6.8% |
Burundi | 6.8% |
Dominican Republic | 6.8% |
Portugal | 6.8% |
Panama | 6.8% |
Equatorial Guinea | 6.8% |
Dominica | 6.8% |
Ecuador | 6.7% |
Bolivia | 6.7% |
Honduras | 6.7% |
Trinidad and Tobago | 6.7% |
Bahamas | 6.7% |
Barbados | 6.7% |
Cuba | 6.6% |
Nicaragua | 6.6% |
Luxembourg | 6.6% |
Grenada | 6.6% |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 6.6% |
Saint Lucia | 6.5% |
Antigua and Barbuda | 6.5% |
Guatemala | 6.4% |
Zimbabwe | 6.4% |
Benin | 6.4% |
Uruguay | 6.4% |
Sao Tome and Principe | 6.4% |
Namibia | 6.3% |
Cape Verde | 6.3% |
El Salvador | 6.2% |
Greece | 6.1% |
Angola | 6% |
Ukraine | 6% |
Kazakhstan | 6% |
Chile | 6% |
Czech Republic | 6% |
Azerbaijan | 6% |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6% |
Moldova | 6% |
North Macedonia | 6% |
Montenegro | 6% |
Uzbekistan | 6% |
Israel | 5.9% |
Turkmenistan | 5.9% |
Kyrgyzstan | 5.9% |
Serbia | 5.9% |
Albania | 5.9% |
Andorra | 5.9% |
Croatia | 5.8% |
Armenia | 5.7% |
Zambia | 5.5% |
Mauritius | 5.4% |
Vietnam | 5.4% |
Thailand | 5.4% |
Fiji | 5.4% |
Samoa | 5.4% |
Philippines | 5.3% |
Papua New Guinea | 5.3% |
Solomon Islands | 5.3% |
Micronesia | 5.3% |
Palau | 5.3% |
Cook Islands | 5.3% |
Nauru | 5.3% |
Tuvalu | 5.3% |
Niue | 5.3% |
Laos | 5.2% |
Liberia | 5.2% |
Jamaica | 5.2% |
Lesotho | 5.2% |
Vanuatu | 5.2% |
Kiribati | 5.2% |
Tonga | 5.2% |
Cambodia | 5.1% |
DR Congo | 5% |
India | 4.9% |
Turkey | 4.8% |
Georgia | 4.6% |
China | 4.4% |
Australia | 4.4% |
Iceland | 4.4% |
Brazil | 4.2% |
Ghana | 4.1% |
Kenya | 4% |
New Zealand | 4% |
Central African Republic | 3.8% |
Malta | 3.6% |
North Korea | 3.5% |
Malawi | 3.5% |
Sierra Leone | 3.5% |
Japan | 3.4% |
Mozambique | 3.2% |
Sri Lanka | 3.1% |
Malaysia | 3% |
Romania | 2.8% |
Madagascar | 2.6% |
Ethiopia | 2.5% |
Mexico | 2.3% |
Maldives | 2.3% |
Brunei | 2.3% |
Eritrea | 2.2% |
Republic of the Congo | 2.1% |
Bhutan | 2.1% |
Myanmar | 1.9% |
Nepal | 1.8% |
Burkina Faso | 1.8% |
Timor Leste | 1.8% |
Bahrain | 1.6% |
Spain | 1.5% |
Netherlands | 1.5% |
Egypt | 1.4% |
Italy | 1.3% |
Sudan | 1.3% |
Singapore | 1.1% |
Iran | 1% |
Gambia | 1% |
Guinea Bissau | 1% |
Tajikistan | 0.9% |
Indonesia | 0.8% |
Bangladesh | 0.8% |
Algeria | 0.8% |
Mali | 0.8% |
Djibouti | 0.8% |
Niger | 0.7% |
Chad | 0.7% |
Senegal | 0.7% |
Guinea | 0.7% |
United Arab Emirates | 0.7% |
Comoros | 0.7% |
Nigeria | 0.6% |
Syria | 0.6% |
Tunisia | 0.6% |
Pakistan | 0.4% |
Iraq | 0.4% |
Afghanistan | 0.4% |
Yemen | 0.4% |
Morocco | 0.4% |
Somalia | 0.4% |
Jordan | 0.4% |
Oman | 0.4% |
Mauritania | 0.4% |
Kuwait | 0.4% |
Saudi Arabia | 0.3% |
Libya | 0.3% |
Qatar | 0.3% |
Countries where religion permits abuse of alcohol (e.g., Qatar and Saudi Arabia) have, on average, lower percentages of the population with AUD,
The high prevalence rates in Eastern European countries (e.g., Hungary and Russia) reflect the strength of national drinks, making it easier for those drinking to become addicted, notably vodka and pálinka that have alcohol volumes of 40%+.
Countries with the highest prevalence rates (e.g., Russia) typically have lower alcohol taxes (4% compared to 20% in the UK), making alcohol more accessible to the general population regardless of income [11].
The data indicate that Middle Eastern countries (e.g., Jordan and Libya) have lower AUD prevalence rates, typically due to stricter regulations on alcohol compared to central Europe and Islamic teachings prohibiting the consumption of alcohol.
Predominantly Buddhist countries (e.g., Sri Lanka) exhibit lower prevalence rates of AUD due to one of the five Buddhist precepts being not to become intoxicated, though not all Buddhists conform.
Alcohol Use Disorder By Country And Gender
Data in the table below are presented as percentages (%) of alcohol use disorder in the total population of each gender by country [1].
Country | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
Hungary | 36.9% | 7.2% |
Russia | 36.9% | 7.4% |
Belarus | 33.9% | 6.2% |
Latvia | 28.8% | 4.6% |
United States | 17.6% | 10.4% |
South Korea | 21.2% | 6.8% |
Slovenia | 23.5% | 4.5% |
Poland | 22.7% | 3.7% |
Slovakia | 22.8% | 2.5% |
Estonia | 22.2% | 3.8% |
Austria | 18.1% | 6.1% |
Sweden | 14.7% | 7.3% |
Lithuania | 19.9% | 3.6% |
Ivory Coast | 15.6% | 4.1% |
Togo | 15.1% | 4% |
Switzerland | 16.1% | 3.2% |
Finland | 14.8% | 3.8% |
Peru | 14% | 3.8% |
United Kingdom | 13% | 4.7% |
Lebanon | 15.8% | 1.6% |
Ireland | 13% | 4.1% |
Belgium | 12.1% | 4.3% |
Canada | 12% | 4.1% |
Mongolia | 13.3% | 2.5% |
Denmark | 10.9% | 4.2% |
Belize | 12.4% | 2.4% |
Seychelles | 12.2% | 2.3% |
Norway | 10.6% | 3.8% |
Guyana | 10.5% | 3.8% |
Uganda | 12.4% | 1.9% |
Botswana | 12.4% | 1.9% |
Eswatini | 12% | 2.4% |
France | 11.1% | 3.1% |
South Africa | 12.4% | 1.8% |
Colombia | 10.4% | 3.8% |
Cameroon | 11.8% | 2.3% |
Rwanda | 12.2% | 2.5% |
Paraguay | 10.2% | 3.7% |
Venezuela | 10% | 3.8% |
Haiti | 10.3% | 3.8% |
Bulgaria | 12.2% | 1.9% |
Costa Rica | 10.4% | 3.4% |
Gabon | 11.5% | 2.1% |
Cyprus | 10.5% | 3.2% |
Suriname | 10% | 3.7% |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 10% | 3.7% |
Germany | 9.8% | 4% |
Tanzania | 11.5% | 2.2% |
Argentina | 10.8% | 3% |
Burundi | 11.6% | 2.3% |
Dominican Republic | 9.9% | 3.7% |
Portugal | 11% | 3.2% |
Panama | 9.9% | 3.7% |
Equatorial Guinea | 11.2% | 2% |
Dominica | 9.9% | 3.7% |
Ecuador | 9.7% | 3.7% |
Bolivia | 9.8% | 3.7% |
Honduras | 9.7% | 3.7% |
Trinidad and Tobago | 9.9% | 3.7% |
Bahamas | 9.9% | 3.7% |
Barbados | 10.1% | 3.7% |
Cuba | 9.6% | 3.6% |
Nacaragua | 9.7% | 3.7% |
Luxembourg | 10.5% | 2.7% |
Grenada | 9.6% | 3.6% |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 9.7% | 3.6% |
Saint Lucia | 9.5% | 3.6% |
Antigua and Barbuda | 9.8% | 3.7% |
Guatemala | 9.5% | 3.7% |
Zimbabwe | 11.1% | 2% |
Benin | 10.8% | 2.1% |
Uruguay | 9.6% | 3.4% |
Sao Tome and Principe | 10.9% | 1.9% |
Namibia | 10.9% | 2.1% |
Cape Verde | 10.7% | 2% |
El Salvador | 9.3% | 3.6% |
Greece | 9.4% | 2.9% |
Angola | 10.6% | 1.7% |
Ukraine | 11.5% | 1.4% |
Kazakhstan | 10.3% | 2.2% |
Chile | 10.3% | 1.9% |
Czech Republic | 10.6% | 1.7% |
Azerbaijan | 10% | 2.1% |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.8% | 2.2% |
Moldova | 10.3% | 2.2% |
North Macedonia | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Montenegro | 9.9% | 2.2% |
Uzbekistan | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Israel | 9.8% | 2.1% |
Turkmenistan | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Kyrgyzstan | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Serbia | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Albania | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Andorra | 9.8% | 2.1% |
Croatia | 9.8% | 2.1% |
Armenia | 9.9% | 2.1% |
Zambia | 9.8% | 1.2% |
Mauritius | 9.8% | 1.4% |
Vietnam | 9.8% | 1.2% |
Thailand | 10% | 0.9% |
Fiji | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Samoa | 8.8% | 1.8% |
Philippines | 8.8% | 1.8% |
Papua New Guinea | 8.8% | 1.8% |
Solomon Islands | 8.8% | 1.7% |
Micronesia | 8.6% | 1.8% |
Palau | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Cook Islands | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Nauru | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Tuvalu | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Niue | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Laos | 1.7% | 1.8% |
Liberia | 9.2% | 1.3% |
Jamaica | 8.2% | 2.3% |
Lesotho | 9.3% | 1.3% |
Vanuatu | 8.8% | 1.8% |
Kiribati | 8.9% | 1.8% |
Tonga | 8.8% | 1.8% |
Cambodia | 8.7% | 1.8% |
DR Congo | 9.1% | 1% |
India | 9.1% | 0.5% |
Turkey | 8.1% | 0.7% |
Georgia | 8.8% | 1% |
China | 8.4% | 0.2% |
Australia | 6.1% | 2.7% |
Iceland | 6.7% | 2% |
Brazil | 6.9% | 1.6% |
Ghana | 7.3% | 1% |
Kenya | 7.1% | 0.9% |
New Zealand | 5.6% | 2.5% |
Central African Republic | 6.8% | 0.9% |
Malta | 5.6% | 1.6% |
North Korea | 6.2% | 1% |
Malawi | 6.3% | 0.7% |
Sierra Leone | 6.3% | 0.7% |
Japan | 5.7% | 1.4% |
Mozambique | 5.9% | 0.7% |
Sri Lanka | 5.9% | 0.7% |
Malaysia | 5% | 1% |
Romania | 4.5% | 1.4% |
Madagascar | 4.7% | 0.5% |
Ethiopia | 4.5% | 0.5% |
Mexico | 4.3% | 0.4% |
Maldives | 3.9% | 0.8% |
Brunei | 3.8% | 0.7% |
Eritrea | 4.1% | 0.4% |
Republic of the Congo | 3.8% | 0.5% |
Bhutan | 3.3% | 0.6% |
Myanmar | 3.2% | 0.6% |
Nepal | 3.1% | 0.6% |
Burkina Faso | 3.4% | 0.3% |
Timor Leste | 3% | 0.6% |
Bahrain | 2.3% | 0.3% |
Spain | 2.7% | 0.5% |
Netherlands | 2% | 0.9% |
Egypt | 2.6% | 0.2% |
Italy | 1.7% | 0.1% |
Sudan | 2.3% | 0.3% |
Singapore | 1.7% | 0.5% |
Iran | 1.8% | 0.1% |
Gambia | 1.9% | 0.1% |
Guinea Bissau | 2% | 0.1% |
Tajikistan | 1.6% | 0.3% |
Indonesia | 1.4% | 0.3% |
Bangladesh | 1.4% | 0.3% |
Algeria | 1.5% | N/A |
Mali | 1.5% | N/A |
Djibouti | 1.4% | 0.2% |
Niger | 1.4% | N/A |
Chad | 1.4% | N/A |
Senegal | 1.4% | N/A |
Guinea | 1.4% | N/A |
United Arab Emirates | 0.8% | 0.2% |
Comoros | 1.4% | N/A |
Nigeria | 1.1% | 0.1% |
Syria | 1% | 0.1% |
Tunisia | 1.1% | 0.2% |
Pakistan | 0.6% | 0.1% |
Afghanistan | 0.6% | 0.1% |
Yemen | 0.6% | 0.1% |
Morocco | 0.8% | 0.1% |
Somalia | 0.8% | 0.1% |
Jordan | 0.7% | 0.1% |
Oman | 0.6% | 0.1% |
Mauritania | 0.7% | 0.1% |
Kuwait | 0.6% | 0.1% |
Saudi Arabia | 0.5% | 0.1% |
Libya | 0.5% | 0.1% |
Qatar | 0.4% | 0.1% |
Overall, the data show that males develop AUD at a slower rate than females globally, and no country records higher AUD rates in females than in males.
This data indicates that women develop alcohol dependency less in countries where females are not permitted to drink alcohol due to cultural and political differences (e.g., Sri Lanka at 0.7%).
Rural areas and the countryside of India stigmatise drinking in females, reflecting the low prevalence rate of AUD in females in this country (0.5%).
The lowest prevalences of AUD for both sexes are found in Islamic countries, such as Qatar, though males still drink 3 times as much as females, indicating that females incur stricter societal pressure to abstain from drinking.
Disease Burden Of Alcoholism
Country | Alcohol-Attributable Disability-Adjusted Life Years Lost Per 100,000 (AA DALY) |
|---|---|
Russian Federation | 5772.4 |
Ukraine | 5667.9 |
Belaurus | 5596.2 |
Republic of Moldova | 5256.5 |
Mongolia | 5236.3 |
Lesotho | 5060 |
Eswatini | 4923.6 |
Latvia | 4682 |
Lithuania | 4646.8 |
Cameroon | 3807.8 |
Gabon | 3704.3 |
Botswana | 3455 |
Central African Republic | 3446.8 |
Congo | 3411.7 |
Georgia | 3308.6 |
Estonia | 3306.5 |
South Africa | 3301.7 |
Uganda | 3300 |
Equatorial Guinea | 3209.2 |
Namibia | 3160.7 |
Cambodia | 3076.3 |
Guyana | 3054.1 |
Romania | 3033.3 |
Lao People’s Democratic Republic | 2931.4 |
United Republic of Tanzania | 2917.1 |
Guinea-Bassau | 2876.6 |
Zambia | 2849.2 |
Burkina Faso | 2700.9 |
Benin | 2687.6 |
Dominican Republic | 2665.8 |
Poland | 2628.6 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2621.7 |
Burundi | 2535.6 |
Seychelles | 2472.3 |
Ghana | 2371.1 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 2357.1 |
Saint Lucia | 2355.7 |
Belize | 2328.1 |
Slovakia | 2311.5 |
Guatemala | 2287 |
Vietnam | 2270.4 |
Kazakhstan | 2245.5 |
Cabo Verde | 2237.1 |
Zimbabwe | 2226.6 |
Haiti | 2219.8 |
Kyrgyzstan | 2211.6 |
Nigeria | 2183.6 |
Liberia | 2181.9 |
Hungary | 2172.1 |
Brazil | 2156.5 |
El Salvador | 2149.5 |
Czechia | 2096.5 |
Chad | 2067.8 |
Malawi | 2053.1 |
Thailand | 2048.6 |
Slovenia | 2047.7 |
Turkmenistan | 2003.8 |
Kenya | 1981.6 |
Bahamas | 1976.2 |
Rwanda | 1938.1 |
Bulgaria | 1909.2 |
Ethiopia | 1835.3 |
Suriname | 1815.7 |
Honduras | 1808.1 |
India | 1799.2 |
Montenegro | 1779.1 |
Croatia | 1768.9 |
Grenada | 1749.6 |
United States of America | 1735.9 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1733.3 |
Bolivia | 1730.1 |
Mozambique | 1720.5 |
Côte d’Ivoire | 1711.5 |
Micronesia | 1683.2 |
Paraguay | 1679.2 |
Finland | 1660.6 |
New Zealand | 1637.2 |
Azerbaijan | 1626.4 |
Vanuatu | 1604.6 |
Mexico | 1602.4 |
Uruguay | 1563 |
Armenia | 1558.5 |
Argentina | 1543.4 |
Venezuela | 1525.9 |
Eritrea | 1499.7 |
Philippines | 1490.4 |
Uzbekistan | 1485.8 |
Nicaragua | 1484.7 |
Chile | 1482.5 |
Peru | 1477.9 |
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | 1473.6 |
Solomon Islands | 1472.9 |
Austria | 1470.1 |
Republic of Korea | 1455.5 |
Serbia | 1414.7 |
Portugal | 1401.1 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1401 |
Germany | 1395.3 |
Belgium | 1391.7 |
Tajikistan | 1389.2 |
Luxembourg | 1383.7 |
France | 1377.4 |
Ireland | 1364.9 |
United Kingdom | 1354.9 |
Mali | 1348.6 |
Barbados | 1334.2 |
Denmark | 1330.4 |
Togo | 1329.8 |
Mauritius | 1323.3 |
Australia | 1317.1 |
Ecuador | 1311.5 |
Cuba | 1297.1 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 1270.3 |
Myanmar | 1268.4 |
Madagascar | 1227.1 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1224.3 |
Samoa | 1224.1 |
Colombia | 1202.2 |
Panama | 1187.5 |
Canada | 1153.7 |
Kiribati | 1145.3 |
Iceland | 1139.6 |
Papua New Guinea | 1100 |
Switzerland | 1088.2 |
Sweden | 1062.5 |
Costa Rica | 1043.4 |
Netherlands | 977.5 |
Albania | 974.7 |
Fiji | 964.3 |
Nepal | 959.6 |
Jamaica | 952.3 |
North Macedonia | 951.3 |
Spain | 950.2 |
Malta | 926.6 |
Gambia | 926.5 |
Greece | 918.5 |
Japan | 880.7 |
Norway | 871.9 |
China | 829.7 |
Tonga | 829.1 |
Bhutan | 792.1 |
Italy | 787.3 |
Guinea | 754.2 |
Cyprus | 710.6 |
Sierra Leone | 689.2 |
Sri Lanka | 684.3 |
Djibouti | 678.3 |
Timor-Leste | 562.5 |
Niger | 521.9 |
Senegal | 500.9 |
Egypt | 487.1 |
Pakistan | 484.3 |
Singapore | 476.4 |
Israel | 468.1 |
Brunei Darussalam | 456.2 |
Malaysia | 442.5 |
Bahrain | 385.6 |
United Arab Emirates | 380.9 |
Qatar | 380.5 |
Tunisia | 374.4 |
Comoros | 362.6 |
Oman | 358.3 |
Lebanon | 346.1 |
Indonesia | 346 |
Somalia | 339 |
Turkey | 323.7 |
Morocco | 288.7 |
Iraq | 287.1 |
Bangladesh | 278.8 |
Maldives | 266.4 |
Sudan | 251.2 |
Algeria | 235.3 |
Mauritania | 202.8 |
Afghanistan | 195.1 |
Jordan | 184.9 |
Saudi Arabia | 181.3 |
Syrian Arab Republic | 157.9 |
Yemen | 143.4 |
Iran | 138.2 |
Libya | 120.3 |
Kuwait | 85.6 |
South Sudan | N/A |
Dominica | N/A |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | N/A |
Andorra | N/A |
Monaco | N/A |
San Marino | N/A |
Cook Islands | N/A |
Marshall Islands | N/A |
Nauru | N/A |
Niue | N/A |
Palau | N/A |
Tuvalu | N/A |
Guatemala's alcohol-related disease burden is 90.2% higher than Colombia's, and this is partly caused by an 8.28% higher cost of living, making healthcare less affordable as most services are not free [13].
High rates of disease burden are found in Eastern European countries (e.g., Russia with a disease burden of 5772.4 per 100,000), where high alcohol volumes of alcoholic spirits (e.g., 40%+) are typically drunk.
In Russia, Mongolia, and Latvia, there are fewer restrictions regarding drinking alcohol (e.g., lack of minimum pricing per unit), which reflects in higher alcohol consumption and subsequent disease burden.
Guinea-Bissau has a disease burden of 2876.6, and this may be linked to the lack of alcohol restrictions in the country: for example, the legal alcohol limit for driving is 0.08%, almost double that of the UK.
Gabon accounts for some of the highest proportions of drinking and disease burden in Africa, caused by the popularity of home-brewed alcohol that may contain toxic substances (e.g., methanol) if not made properly.
Poorer countries with low socioeconomic status and low doctor-to-patient ratios are less likely to have help available for alcohol-related injuries, and rural communities may not be able to afford travel to nearby centres even when help is available.
Poor education surrounding the effects of alcohol in remote countries causes users not to acknowledge the signs of early liver disease, addiction, and cardiovascular problems, allowing the cycle of alcohol abuse to continue.
Deaths From Alcohol Use Disorder
The table below shows worldwide data on deaths per 100,000 in each country [14].
Country | Death Rate Per 100,000 (Age-Standardised) |
|---|---|
Belarus | 19.82 |
Mongolia | 18.07 |
Russia | 15.02 |
Guatemala | 13.98 |
Slovenia | 13.15 |
El Salvador | 10.91 |
Ukraine | 10.06 |
Poland | 9.80 |
Latvia | 8.83 |
Estonia | 7.73 |
Paraguay | 7.18 |
Kazakhstan | 6.90 |
Denmark | 6.10 |
Kyrgyzstan | 5.67 |
Lithuania | 5.40 |
Nicaragua | 5.38 |
Finland | 5.17 |
Haiti | 5.12 |
Grenada | 4.74 |
Bahamas | 4.67 |
Lesotho | 4.54 |
Honduras | 4.52 |
Moldova | 4.34 |
Saint Lucia | 4.33 |
Germany | 4.32 |
Bolivia | 4.05 |
Cuba | 3.85 |
United States | 3.50 |
Austria | 3.41 |
France | 3.29 |
Mauritius | 3.15 |
Iceland | 3.14 |
Belize | 3.08 |
Hungary | 3.06 |
Brazil | 3.02 |
Antigua | 2.95 |
Croatia | 2.92 |
Slovakia | 2.88 |
Czech Republic | 2.86 |
Suriname | 2.81 |
Luxembourg | 2.81 |
Mozambique | 2.80 |
Belgium | 2.78 |
Canada | 2.76 |
Turkmenistan | 2.64 |
Central Africa | 2.64 |
Serbia | 2.48 |
Swaziland | 2.46 |
Micronesia | 2.45 |
Mexico | 2.39 |
Norway | 2.35 |
Eritrea | 2.33 |
Azerbaijan | 2.28 |
Somalia | 2.22 |
Costa Rica | 2.21 |
Netherlands | 2.12 |
Uruguay | 2.09 |
Sweden | 2.09 |
Djibouti | 2.04 |
Rwanda | 1.99 |
South Africa | 1.93 |
Botswana | 1.92 |
Zambia | 1.90 |
Namibia | 1.87 |
Vanuatu | 1.85 |
Tajikistan | 1.82 |
Solomon Islands | 1.81 |
India | 1.81 |
United Kingdom | 1.76 |
Ecuador | 1.74 |
Côte d’Ivoire | 1.72 |
Burkina Faso | 1.72 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.68 |
Uganda | 1.67 |
Equatorial Guinea | 1.67 |
Burundi | 1.64 |
Cameroon | 1.58 |
Pakistan | 1.57 |
Angola | 1.56 |
Congo | 1.55 |
Switzerland | 1.53 |
Togo | 1.51 |
Democratic Republic of Congo | 1.51 |
Gabon | 1.49 |
Romania | 1.46 |
Malawi | 1.46 |
New Guinea | 1.41 |
Kenya | 1.41 |
Chad | 1.41 |
Samoa | 1.39 |
Guinea | 1.38 |
Ethiopia | 1.38 |
Ghana | 1.37 |
Benin | 1.37 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1.36 |
Guinea-Bissau | 1.35 |
South Korea | 1.34 |
Sierra Leone | 1.31 |
Comoros | 1.29 |
Saint Vincent | 1.28 |
Niger | 1.27 |
Sao Tome | 1.23 |
Gambia | 1.23 |
Madagascar | 1.20 |
Dominican Republic | 1.20 |
Nigeria | 1.16 |
Laos | 1.13 |
Montenegro | 1.10 |
Tanzania | 1.08 |
Australia | 1.07 |
China | 1.05 |
Ireland | 1.04 |
Georgia | 1.03 |
Mali | 1.02 |
Cambodia | 1.01 |
South Sudan | 1.00 |
North Korea | 1.00 |
Peru | 0.98 |
Liberia | 0.98 |
Cape Verde | 0.96 |
Senegal | 0.95 |
Tonga | 0.94 |
Bhutan | 0.92 |
Argentina | 0.89 |
Chile | 0.88 |
Barbados | 0.84 |
Vietnam | 0.82 |
New Zealand | 0.75 |
Nepal | 0.74 |
Panama | 0.72 |
Kiribati | 0.70 |
Mauritania | 0.69 |
Afghanistan | 0.68 |
Myanmar | 0.63 |
Zimbabwe | 0.62 |
Timor-Leste | 0.62 |
Thailand | 0.62 |
Portugal | 0.60 |
Malaysia | 0.58 |
Seychelles | 0.56 |
Arab Emirates | 0.54 |
Bahrain | 0.53 |
Albania | 0.48 |
Philippines | 0.45 |
Yemen | 0.44 |
North Macedonia | 0.44 |
Bulgaria | 0.43 |
Brunei | 0.43 |
Israel | 0.42 |
Spain | 0.41 |
Guyana | 0.41 |
Syria | 0.39 |
Malta | 0.37 |
Uzbekistan | 0.36 |
Saudi Arabia | 0.35 |
Oman | 0.34 |
Libya | 0.34 |
Sri Lanka | 0.33 |
Greece | 0.33 |
Cyprus | 0.33 |
Sudan | 0.31 |
Morocco | 0.31 |
Iran | 0.30 |
Lebanon | 0.27 |
Italy | 0.26 |
Tunisia | 0.25 |
Qatar | 0.25 |
Kuwait | 0.24 |
Japan | 0.24 |
Jamaica | 0.24 |
Indonesia | 0.23 |
Turkey | 0.21 |
Fiji | 0.21 |
Algeria | 0.20 |
Bangladesh | 0.19 |
Egypt | 0.17 |
Maldives | 0.16 |
Iraq | 0.16 |
Jordan | 0.15 |
Venezuela | 0.12 |
Singapore | 0.12 |
Armenia | 0.10 |
Colombia | 0.04 |
Finland's death rate attributable to alcohol is 283% lower than Belarus', and this reflects Finland's recent laws on the marketing ban of alcoholic beverages with over 22% absolute alcohol volume [15].
Death rates are typically lower in:
Colombia is an example of a country that has a high prevalence of AUD (7%) yet has one of the lowest mortality rates (0.04/100,000 people) - this could reflect the following:
Belarus, Mongolia, and Russia have the top three highest mortality rates from AUD, indicating the type and quantity of drinking is the most harmful - in Russia, 10% of all alcohol consumed is homemade, adding to the risk of methanol ingestion [17].
Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment By Country
Below is a table demonstrating the rate of seeking treatment where needed for alcohol use disorder by country, given available data [18]
Country | Treatment Rate (%) |
|---|---|
Netherlands | 13.8 |
Ukraine | 10.6 |
Italy | 10 |
Morocco | 7.1 |
Slovakia | 5.3 |
Iceland | 4.2 |
Czechia | 4 |
Grenada | 3.5 |
Mongolia | 3.2 |
Saudi Arabia | 3.2 |
Republic of Moldova | 3 |
Turkey | 1.4 |
Tajikistan | 1.3 |
Belgium | 1.2 |
Angola | 0.4 |
Barbados | 0.3 |
This data indicates that many countries do not report the number of individuals seeking treatment for AUD, and this causes issues such as underreporting of AUD prevalence and undetected disease burden (attributed to alcohol).
There is a global lack of data on service utilisation, as reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), resulting in potential underestimation of service capacity and support available.
In countries where there is a low rate of seeking treatment when alcohol use disorder is known (e.g., Barbados and Angola), this indicates that residents may not be seeking the needed treatment due to location, funding, or social stigma.
More than 40% of countries do not collect any data on service provision and utilisation, resulting in the inability for governments and public funding offices to adequately allocate money to where it is needed the most [19].
By only relying on 17 countries for data on treatment prevalence and attendance, policymakers potentially make misinformed measures on prevention and treatment of AUD due to skewed data.
49% of the data is 5+ years old, resulting in policymaking decisions based on potentially outdated statistics that do not represent the global capacity for AUD treatment and rehab [20].
Through promoting the collection of data, governments will be able to improve:
Global Consumption Of Alcohol By Alcohol Type
Beer
Below is a sortable table displaying beer consumption (kg) per capita [21].
Country | Beer Consumption Per Capita (Kg/Cap) |
|---|---|
Botswana | 150 |
Czech Republic | 140 |
Lithuania | 107 |
Austria | 106 |
Germany | 95.2 |
Spain | 88 |
Australia | 88 |
Poland | 87.8 |
Belgium | 84.3 |
Croatia | 84.2 |
Slovenia | 83.2 |
Romania | 81.4 |
Ireland | 80 |
Mexico | 79 |
Gabon | 78.3 |
Cambodia | 78.1 |
Panama | 77.7 |
Latvia | 77.4 |
Bulgaria | 76.9 |
Luxembourg | 76.5 |
Seychelles | 74.3 |
Slovakia | 73.4 |
Montenegro | 72.1 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 71.9 |
Paraguay | 70.5 |
United States of America | 70.2 |
Estonia | 69.3 |
Chile | 69.1 |
Hungary | 69 |
Finland | 68.9 |
Denmark | 67.8 |
Iceland | 66 |
Norway | 64.8 |
Brazil | 64.8 |
Serbia | 64.4 |
New Zealand | 63.5 |
Portugal | 61.4 |
United Kingdom | 61.2 |
Russia | 57.7 |
Dominican Republic | 57.5 |
Canada | 57 |
Belize | 56.3 |
Republic of the Congo | 55.9 |
South Africa | 55.3 |
Switzerland | 53.4 |
Belarus | 49.6 |
Colombia | 49.5 |
Sweden | 49.4 |
Netherlands | 47.9 |
French Polynesia | 46.1 |
Guyana | 46.1 |
Peru | 44.7 |
Saint Lucia | 44.6 |
New Caledonia | 43.9 |
Uruguay | 43.8 |
Dominica | 43 |
Malta | 42.8 |
Argentina | 42.2 |
France | 40 |
Ecuador | 39.4 |
Vietnam | 38.8 |
Mongolia | 38.5 |
Moldova | 37.6 |
Albania | 36.8 |
Italy | 36.6 |
Suriname | 36.4 |
Kazakhstan | 35.1 |
Namibia | 34.7 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 34.3 |
Costa Rica | 34.1 |
Medically led treatment? | No |
Greece | 34.1 |
Angola | 33.4 |
South Korea | 32.7 |
Bhutan | 32.6 |
Taiwan | 31.7 |
Bolivia | 31.6 |
Ukraine | 31.2 |
Cyprus | 31 |
Georgia | 30.8 |
Lesotho | 30.3 |
Eswatini | 29.9 |
Thailand | 29.8 |
Honduras | 28.3 |
Mauritius | 27.7 |
Barbados | 27.2 |
Israel | 27 |
Grenada | 26.5 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 25.6 |
North Macedonia | 24.5 |
China | 23.9 |
El Salvador | 22.3 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 20.6 |
Hong Kong | 20.5 |
Guatemala | 19.2 |
Bahrain | 18.4 |
Burundi | 18.2 |
Samoa | 17.9 |
Cape Verde | 17.2 |
Venezuela | 16.7 |
Rwanda | 16.5 |
Macau | 16.4 |
Tunisia | 16.3 |
Fiji | 15.7 |
Marshall Islands | 14.1 |
Philippines | 14.1 |
Zimbabwe | 13.6 |
Zambia | 13.6 |
Nicaragua | 12.9 |
Cuba | 12.9 |
Japan | 12.4 |
Ethiopia | 12.2 |
Mozambique | 11.9 |
Ivory Coast | 11.9 |
Armenia | 11.7 |
Uzbekistan | 11.4 |
Burkina Faso | 10.8 |
Micronesia | 10.5 |
Turkey | 10.4 |
Benin | 10.4 |
Togo | 10.2 |
Ghana | 9.51 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 9.39 |
Solomon Islands | 8.97 |
Guinea-Bissau | 8.95 |
Bahamas | 8.42 |
Nigeria | 8.3 |
Tanzania | 7.99 |
Kenya | 7.69 |
Laos | 7.36 |
Uganda | 7.3 |
Lebanon | 7.08 |
Papua New Guinea | 6.84 |
Kyrgyzstan | 6.56 |
Jamaica | 6.55 |
Maldives | 6.37 |
Qatar | 6.3 |
Nepal | 6.17 |
Central African Republic | 5.93 |
United Arab Emirates | 5.64 |
Sri Lanka | 5.36 |
Malawi | 5.26 |
Kiribati | 5.07 |
DR Congo | 5.05 |
Azerbaijan | 4.94 |
Madagascar | 4.91 |
Chad | 4.78 |
Timor-Leste | 4.17 |
Algeria | 3.87 |
Oman | 3.87 |
Tajikistan | 3.78 |
Liberia | 3.53 |
Morocco | 2.71 |
Myanmar | 2.68 |
Guinea | 2.46 |
Sierra-Leone | 2.17 |
Iraq | 2.08 |
Haiti | 2.07 |
South Sudan | 1.85 |
Senegal | 1.84 |
India | 1.78 |
Jordan | 1.31 |
Djibouti | 1.29 |
Indonesia | 1.17 |
Mali | 1.07 |
Iran | 1.02 |
Vanuatu | 0.89 |
Egypt | 0.79 |
Nauru | 0.79 |
Comoros | 0.69 |
Niger | 0.29 |
Turkmenistan | 0.25 |
Syria | 0.21 |
Gambia | 0.16 |
Sudan | 0.07 |
Cameroon | 0.06 |
Pakistan | 0.03 |
Somalia | 0.01 |
Libya | 0.01 |
Bangladesh | N/A |
The top three countries for beer consumption per capita are Botswana, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania.
In Botswana, beer is typically the drink of choice, as wine and spirits are less available, and many communities struggle to access clean, running drinking water, making beer safer to drink.
7.1% of Botswanans have AUD, even though the country has the highest beer consumption in the world—this suggests that many residents may drink beer in smaller quantities over time rather than binge-drink.
High beer consumption levels and low AUD rates in Botswana also imply that total beer consumption is spread among more people.
Countries where there is high beer consumption but low levels of AUD may be attributable to lower volumes of alcohol in beverages (e.g., 1-2%), meaning addiction is less likely to develop.
Many countries, including North Korea, are missing from this dataset; however, this country typically does not report health statistics to the WHO.
The data is incomplete because countries with stricter rules on alcohol, such as Brunei, restrict the consumption and importation of alcohol; however, illegal consumption and importation are unlikely to be reported.
Wine
This table reports wine consumption (in litres per capita) comparing countries worldwide [22].
Country | Wine Consumption Per Capita (L/Cap) |
|---|---|
Luxembourg | 67.2 |
Portugal | 52.3 |
France | 42.8 |
Italy | 39.2 |
Switzerland | 33.1 |
Australia | 29.9 |
Austria | 27.4 |
Romania | 25.3 |
Denmark | 24.9 |
Netherlands | 23.8 |
Belgium | 23.4 |
Seychelles | 23 |
Uruguay | 22.4 |
Spain | 19.6 |
Sweden | 19.6 |
United Kingdom | 19.4 |
Chile | 18.9 |
Argentina | 18.6 |
Moldova | 17.9 |
Hungary | 17.9 |
Ireland | 17.5 |
Germany | 17.3 |
Norway | 17 |
Estonia | 16.9 |
Greece | 15.9 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 15.2 |
Montenegro | 15.1 |
Namibia | 14.9 |
Latvia | 14.8 |
Croatia | 14.6 |
Saint Lucia | 13.8 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 13.7 |
Cyprus | 13.7 |
Iceland | 13.6 |
Malta | 12.9 |
Barbados | 12.6 |
Finland | 11.9 |
Lithuania | 11.5 |
Macau | 11.4 |
Czech Republic | 11.2 |
Bulgaria | 11 |
New Zealand | 10.7 |
New Caledonia | 10.7 |
Cape Verde | 9.43 |
United States | 9.27 |
Belarus | 9.01 |
North Macedonia | 8.63 |
Turkmenistan | 8.24 |
Dominica | 7.88 |
Slovenia | 7.67 |
Canada | 7.13 |
Russia | 6.54 |
Bahamas | 5.36 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 5.25 |
Serbia | 5.19 |
Poland | 5.04 |
Georgia | 4.84 |
Costa Rica | 3.91 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 3.84 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 3.82 |
Hong Kong | 3.67 |
Mauritius | 3.55 |
Paraguay | 3.39 |
Mongolia | 3.16 |
South Africa | 3.03 |
Botswana | 2.91 |
Belize | 2.84 |
Peru | 2.82 |
Maldives | 2.73 |
Japan | 2.61 |
Tunisia | 2.55 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.53 |
Albania | 2.5 |
Gabon | 2.26 |
Eswatini | 2.24 |
Fiji | 2.24 |
Panama | 2.23 |
Kazakhstan | 2.22 |
Tonga | 2.16 |
Brazil | 2.12 |
Slovakia | 2.12 |
Ukraine | 2.1 |
Ivory Coast | 2.07 |
Vanuatu | 2.01 |
United Arab Emirates | 1.87 |
Dominican Republic | 1.75 |
Armenia | 1.75 |
China | 1.51 |
Tuvalu | 1.42 |
South Korea | 1.36 |
Morocco | 1.33 |
Cuba | 1.33 |
Bahrain | 1.22 |
Angola | 1.21 |
Israel | 1.21 |
Lesotho | 1.19 |
Suriname | 0.97 |
Taiwan | 0.93 |
Turkey | 0.91 |
Qatar | 0.87 |
Malaysia | 0.85 |
Ecuador | 0.83 |
Bolivia | 0.82 |
Republic of the Congo | 0.77 |
Colombia | 0.72 |
Ghana | 0.71 |
Azerbaijan | 0.68 |
Burkina Faso | 0.67 |
Bhutan | 0.66 |
El Salvador | 0.63 |
Guyana | 0.60 |
Samoa | 0.55 |
Benin | 0.54 |
Kyrgyzstan | 0.49 |
Cameroon | 0.39 |
Guatemala | 0.39 |
Haiti | 0.38 |
Senegal | 0.34 |
Timore-Leste | 0.34 |
Uzbekistan | 0.33 |
Rwanda | 0.32 |
Vietnam | 0.29 |
Zimbabwe | 0.29 |
Venezuela | 0.29 |
Algeria | 0.27 |
Madagascar | 0.26 |
Papua New Guinea | 0.26 |
Oman | 0.26 |
Nicaragua | 0.25 |
Guinea | 0.22 |
Solomon Islands | 0.22 |
Honduras | 0.21 |
Djibouti | 0.19 |
Comoros | 0.19 |
Kenya | 0.17 |
Laos | 0.17 |
Liberia | 0.17 |
Philippines | 0.15 |
Mozambique | 0.14 |
Zambia | 0.14 |
Nigeria | 0.13 |
Mexico | 0.13 |
Micronesia | 0.13 |
Lebanon | 0.12 |
Kiribati | 0.12 |
Tanzania | 0.11 |
Sierra Leone | 0.1 |
Jordan | 0.09 |
DR Congo | 0.08 |
Cambodia | 0.08 |
Burundi | 0.08 |
Uganda | 0.07 |
Thailand | 0.06 |
Egypt | 0.05 |
Mali | 0.05 |
Sri Lanka | 0.05 |
Central African Republic | 0.05 |
Gambia | 0.05 |
Tajikistan | 0.04 |
Kuwait | 0.04 |
Myanmar | 0.03 |
Iraq | 0.02 |
Nepal | 0.02 |
Niger | 0.02 |
Jamaica | 0.02 |
Indonesia | 0.01 |
Ethiopia | 0.01 |
Malawi | 0.01 |
Chad | 0.01 |
India | N/A |
Countries with high overall wine consumption typically include those where wine is produced and sold, such as Luxembourg, France, and Italy.
Due to the low transport miles of wine in France, Italy, and other wine-producing countries, it tends to be cheaper to buy because there are no import fees.
Research estimates that wine is up to 60% cheaper in France than in the UK due to the lack of alcohol tax on sales, making wine the drink of choice for French residents [23].
Despite wine being cheaper in France, this country has 0.8% lower AUD rates than the UK, indicating lower levels of dangerous drinking [24]
Discrepancies in the data exist because countries such as Sudan and Brunei are missing - this is explained by the illegality of drinking alcohol due to Sharia Law, societal pressures to abstain, and lack of data collection despite potential illegal drinking taking place in these countries.
Spirits
Below is a table on spirit consumption, measured as a percentage of spirits out of all alcohol consumption by country [24].
Country | % Of Spirit Consumption Out Of All Alcohol Consumption By Country |
|---|---|
North Korea | 97.3 |
Haiti | 97.3 |
India | 92.4 |
Dominica | 88.9 |
Liberia | 88.2 |
Syria | 87.2 |
Kyrgyzstan | 86.2 |
Sri Lanka | 84.9 |
Armenia | 82.3 |
United Arab Emirates | 81.9 |
Jordan | 75.9 |
Nauru | 74.3 |
Philippines | 72 |
Thailand | 68.9 |
Myanmar | 67.7 |
China | 67.2 |
Qatar | 63.4 |
Kazakhstan | 62.9 |
Tajikistan | 60.9 |
Nicaragua | 59.5 |
Cuba | 57.4 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 57.2 |
Oman | 57 |
Uzbekistan | 56.9 |
Djibouti | 55 |
Mongolia | 54.5 |
Jamaica | 54.5 |
Cook Islands | 52.2 |
Honduras | 52.1 |
Ukraine | 51.5 |
Guyana | 50.8 |
El Salvador | 50.7 |
Estonia | 50.3 |
Barbados | 50 |
Saint Lucia | 50 |
Laos | 49.8 |
Bhutan | 49.6 |
Lebanon | 49.2 |
Belarus | 49 |
Suriname | 48.8 |
Grenada | 48.3 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 45.4 |
Bahrain | 45.3 |
Comoros | 44.8 |
Montenegro | 44.1 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 43.4 |
Bulgaria | 42.9 |
Cyprus | 41.9 |
Dominican Republic | 41.9 |
Slovakia | 41.9 |
Guatemala | 41.7 |
Niger | 41.4 |
Bahamas | 41.2 |
Japan | 40 |
Latvia | 40 |
Israel | 39.5 |
Russia | 38.6 |
Georgia | 38.5 |
Madagascar | 38 |
Turkmenistan | 38 |
Albania | 37.6 |
Lithuania | 37.1 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 37.1 |
Poland | 36.1 |
Vanuatu | 36.1 |
United States | 34.9 |
Brazil | 34.3 |
Turkey | 33.8 |
Egypt | 33.1 |
Micronesia | 32.8 |
Hungary | 32.3 |
Maldives | 31.9 |
Peru | 31.8 |
Chile | 30.8 |
Mauritius | 30.8 |
Niue | 30.6 |
Venezuela | 29.2 |
Fiji | 28.9 |
New Zealand | 28.9 |
Malta | 28.7 |
Costa Rica | 27.9 |
Tonga | 27.9 |
Spain | 27.8 |
Paraguay | 27.3 |
Colombia | 27.2 |
Belize | 26.7 |
Iraq | 25.7 |
Canada | 25.6 |
Czechia | 25.4 |
Serbia | 25.4 |
Moldova | 25.2 |
Andorra | 23.9 |
United Kingdom | 22.5 |
Greece | 21.8 |
Finland | 21.5 |
Kenya | 21.4 |
Bolivia | 21.3 |
Uruguay | 21.1 |
France | 20.7 |
Mexico | 20.4 |
Luxembourg | 20 |
Nepal | 20 |
Panama | 19.4 |
Germany | 18.9 |
Ireland | 18.8 |
Switzerland | 18.5 |
Algeria | 18.3 |
Togo | 18.2 |
Ecuador | 17.8 |
South Africa | 17.8 |
Malaysia | 17.4 |
North Macedonia | 17.4 |
Denmark | 17.1 |
Morocco | 17 |
Norway | 16.7 |
Netherlands | 16.4 |
Romania | 16.4 |
Iceland | 15.5 |
Austria | 14.9 |
Belgium | 14.2 |
Sweden | 14.1 |
Tuvalu | 14.1 |
Namibia | 13.9 |
Guinea-Bissau | 13.7 |
Gabon | 13.4 |
Singapore | 13.4 |
Benin | 13.1 |
Croatia | 13 |
Australia | 12.9 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 12.4 |
Mozambique | 12.4 |
Zimbabwe | 12 |
Angola | 11.3 |
Malawi | 11.3 |
Cambodia | 11.2 |
Lesotho | 10.5 |
Yemen | 10.5 |
Congo | 10.3 |
Italy | 9.8 |
Argentina | 9.6 |
Senegal | 8.5 |
Ethiopia | 8.3 |
Ghana | 8 |
Slovenia | 8 |
Portugal | 7.7 |
Vietnam | 7.7 |
South Korea | 7.1 |
Seychelles | 6.3 |
Chad | 5.3 |
Burkina Faso | 5 |
Indonesia | 4.6 |
Botswana | 4.4 |
Tunisia | 3.8 |
Solomon Islands | 3.3 |
Uganda | 3.1 |
Rwanda | 2.7 |
Papua New Guinea | 2.1 |
Tanzania | 1.6 |
Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.7 |
Nigeria | 0.6 |
Zambia | 0.4 |
Ivory Coast | 0.2 |
Eritrea | 0.2 |
Burundi | 0.1 |
Cameroon | 0.1 |
Azerbaijan | 0 |
Brunei | 0 |
Cape Verde | 0 |
Central African Republic | 0 |
Equatorial Guinea | 0 |
Eswatini | 0 |
Gambia | 0 |
Guinea | 0 |
Kiribati | 0 |
Mali | 0 |
Samoa | 0 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 0 |
Sierra Leone | 0 |
East Timor | 0 |
This data indicates that North Korea has the highest spirits consumption per total alcohol consumption due to a lack of imports for wine and beer, yet the wide availability of rice used in soju production, a classic spirit made from rice.
Sri Lanka and Syria also have higher total spirits consumption (84.9% and 87.2%) due to the local production of Arrack and Arak, strong alcohols used in minimal quantities, as Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu societies prohibit overconsumption.
Arrack and Arak made in Sri Lanka and Syria are cheaper and can be produced at home, making these options widely accessible to most families.
African countries, notably Mali, Gambia, and Samoa, have zero consumption of spirits due to import taxes and limited availability - inhabitants typically prefer home-brewed beer made from fruits and grains grown in the country.
