• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer
Geographical

Geographical

  • Geographical Magazine home
  • Science & Environment
  • Climate
  • Wildlife
  • Culture
  • Geopolitics
  • Podcasts
  • Study Geography
    • University directory
    • Course guides
      • Climate change
      • Environmental science
      • Human geography
      • Physical geography
    • Top universities
    • Geography careers
      • Charity/non-profit
      • Education & research
      • Environment
      • Finance & consulting
      • Government
    • Applications and advice

The countries that consume the most alcohol

22 December 2021
3 minutes

Eastern Europe has some of the world's heaviest drinkers

A World Health Organization report has revealed the world’s highest consumers of alcohol


By Chris Fitch

It may not be a surprise that countries such as Belarus (17.5 litres per adult per year), Moldova (16.8 litres), and Lithuania (15.4 litres) top the global table of alcohol consumption when measuring entire populations, but there are some interesting results to be found when you dig into the data a little deeper.

Russia and Romania complete the top five, while the UK and the US rank 25th and 49th respectively, behind many other European countries such as Ukraine (13.9 litres), Andorra (13.8 litres), and Finland (12.3 litres).

alcohol consumption data

The following map, from the WHO report, shows how the world’s highest consumers of alcohol are largely gathered together in Eastern Europe and across the former Soviet Union, while Islamic countries such as Indonesia and those across the Middle East have, understandably, some of the world’s lowest alcohol consumption:

Map of per capita alcohol consumption
Per capita total consumption of alcohol. Image: WHO

However, the picture changes dramatically when abstainers, those adults who never drink alcohol, are removed from the data. When measuring alcohol consumption just amongst those people who actually drink the stuff, an entirely new set of countries climb to the top: Chad, the UAE, The Gambia, Tajikistan and Mali.

These five countries – whose average alcohol consumption when including non-drinkers is only 4.4 litres, 4.3 litres, 3.4 litres, 2.8 litres and 1.1 litres respectively – illustrate the impact religion has on national data such as this. All five are predominantly Islamic states, and the majority of their populations never drink alcohol. Therefore those few individuals who do drink alcohol, disproportionally affect the data.

alcohol consumption data - drinkers

Chad also has an exceptionally high proportion – 91 per cent – of its alcohol consumption officially listed as ‘unrecorded’, a figure beaten globally only by Nepal’s 92 per cent. The WHO defines unrecorded alcohol as ‘alcohol that is not taxed in the country where it is consumed because it is usually produced, distributed and sold outside the formal channels under government control’. The report estimates unrecorded alcohol to make up nearly a quarter (24.8 per cent) of total worldwide alcohol consumption.

The report also draws attention to the interestingly varying worldwide definitions for what constitutes an alcoholic drink. Fifty-four countries, including Australia, Ireland, and the USA, define alcoholic beverages as anything containing more than between zero and one per cent alcohol by volume, while for 28 other countries – including France, Germany and New Zealand – it is anything up to two per cent and over. Interestingly, the two countries top of the above global rankings also have the highest required alcohol by volume definitions; over 5.2 per cent for Chad, and over 7 per cent in Belarus. The UK, meanwhile, has no legal definition.

Stay connected with the Geographical newsletter!

In these turbulent times, we’re committed to telling expansive stories from across the globe, highlighting the everyday lives of normal but extraordinary people. Stay informed and engaged with Geographical.

Get Geographical’s latest news delivered straight to your inbox every Friday!


Keep reading…

  • Geo explainer: Six key takeaways from the latest IPCC report
  • The false promise of snake wine in Southeast Asia
  • The food revolution necessary for a sustainable future
  • Review: Africa is Not a Country by Dipo Faloyin
  • Legendary tales of life expectancy in Azerbaijan
Subscribe to our monthly print magazine!

Subscribe to Geographical today from just £3.40 per month. Our monthly print magazine is packed full of cutting-edge stories and stunning photography, perfect for anyone fascinated by the world, its landscapes, people and cultures. From climate change and the environment, to scientific developments and global health, we cover a huge range of topics that span the globe. Plus, every issue includes book recommendations, infographics, maps and more!

Filed Under: Culture

Related articles

Life in Bangladesh

Life in Bangladesh

Living in Everest’s shadow: the Sherpa people of Khumbu

Living in Everest’s shadow: the Sherpa people of Khumbu

A train ride through Kazakhstan

A train ride through Kazakhstan

Ten years on: London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Ten years on: London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

The global effort to improve the world’s slums

The global effort to improve the world’s slums

Dugout canoes in Estonia’s Soomaa National Park

Dugout canoes in Estonia’s Soomaa National Park

Subscribe to our monthly print magazine!

Subscribe to Geographical today from just £3.40 per month. Our monthly print magazine is packed full of cutting-edge stories and stunning photography, perfect for anyone fascinated by the world, its landscapes, people and cultures. From climate change and the environment, to scientific developments and global health, we cover a huge range of topics that span the globe. Plus, every issue includes book recommendations, infographics, maps and more!

Footer

Geographical print magazine cover

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Published in the UK since 1935, Geographical is the official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

Informative, authoritative and educational, this site’s content covers a wide range of subject areas, including geography, culture, wildlife and exploration, illustrated with superb photography.

Click Here for SUBSCRIPTION details

Want to access Geographical on your tablet or smartphone? Press the Apple, Android or PC/Mac image below to download the app for your device

Footer Apple Footer Android Footer Mac-PC

More from Geographical

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 · Site by Syon Media