Home

 › 

Health

 › 

The Countries Where People Drink the Most Alcohol

The Countries Where People Drink the Most Alcohol

The earliest evidence of people brewing alcohol is residue of a fermented rice and honey beverage dating from between 7000 and 6600 B.C., found in pottery jars discovered in Jiahu, a Neolithic village in northern China’s Yellow River Valley. 

Since then, alcohol has played an important part in many cultures and civilizations. It’s been the life of the party and the lubricant for countless debates, battles, and romances as well as the cause of family breakups, fatal accidents, and deadly disease. (In the United States, deaths from alcohol-related cirrhosis have gone up almost every year since 2000.)

The health impact of alcohol abuse is well known. It has been linked to stroke, high blood pressure, liver cirrhosis, and certain cancers, among other ailments. It’s been estimated that alcohol is a contributing factor to around 3 million deaths worldwide per year – or 5% of all fatalities. 

That doesn’t stop people from drinking, however. To compile a list of the 40 countries with the highest annual consumption of pure alcohol, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a report by the data site Statista, which analyzed data published in May 2022 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Data is for 2019 and for people 15 years and older. Population and gross domestic product per capita data comes from the World Bank and is for 2021. 

On a per capita basis, the overwhelming majority of the biggest consumers of alcohol on our list – including 17 out of the top 20 – are in Europe, with Czechia in the lead, accounting for 14.3 liters (about three and three-quarters gallons) per capita in 2019. (Here are some other surprising things countries are No. 1 at.)

Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News via Getty Images

40. Niue
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 9.9 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $5,800 — N/A
> Population: 1,620

Source: snoopaya / iStock via Getty Images

39. United States
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.0 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $70,249 — #10 out of 218 countries
> Population: 331,893,745

Source: kanzilyou / iStock via Getty Images

38. Japan
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $39,313 — #34 out of 218 countries
> Population: 125,681,593

Source: fotoVoyager / iStock via Getty Images

37. Denmark
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $68,008 — #13 out of 218 countries
> Population: 5,856,733

Source: NoDerog / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

36. Barbados
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.4 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $17,225 — #66 out of 218 countries
> Population: 281,200

Source: jandrielombard / iStock via Getty Images

35. Australia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.4 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $60,443 — #16 out of 218 countries
> Population: 25,688,079

Source: yulenochekk / Getty Images

34. Russia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.5 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $12,195 — #77 out of 218 countries
> Population: 143,449,286

Source: abzee / E+ via Getty Images

33. Greece
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.5 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $20,193 — #57 out of 218 countries
> Population: 10,641,221

Source: chameleonseye / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

32. New Zealand
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.7 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $48,781 — #26 out of 218 countries
> Population: 5,122,600

Source: Marco_Piunti / Getty Images

31. Finland
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.7 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $53,655 — #19 out of 218 countries
> Population: 5,541,017

Source: franganillo / Flickr

30. Estonia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.8 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $27,944 — #46 out of 218 countries
> Population: 1,330,932

Source: tunart / E+ via Getty Images

29. Cyprus
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.8 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $31,552 — #41 out of 218 countries
> Population: 1,244,188

Source: franganillo / Flickr

28. Belgium
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.8 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $51,247 — #23 out of 218 countries
> Population: 11,592,952

Source: DarrenTierney / iStock via Getty Images

27. Cook Islands
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 10.9 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $13,152 — N/A
> Population: 17,459

Source: Gilles_Paire / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

26. Burkina Faso
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.0 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $893 — #186 out of 218 countries
> Population: 22,100,683

Source: bruev / Getty Images

25. Belarus
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.0 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $7,302 — #99 out of 218 countries
> Population: 9,340,314

Source: RossHelen / iStock via Getty Images

24. Slovakia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $21,392 — #54 out of 218 countries
> Population: 5,447,247

Source: PEDRE / iStock via Getty Images

23. Hungary
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $18,728 — #60 out of 218 countries
> Population: 9,709,891

Source: Julien Viry / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

22. Switzerland
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.2 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $91,992 — #6 out of 218 countries
> Population: 8,703,405

Source: Vladislav Zolotov / iStock via Getty Images

21. United Kingdom
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.4 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $46,510 — #27 out of 218 countries
> Population: 67,326,569

Source: Bim / E+ via Getty Images

20. Poland
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.9 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $18,000 — #62 out of 218 countries
> Population: 37,747,124

Source: Radiokukka / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

19. Austria
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 11.9 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $53,638 — #20 out of 218 countries
> Population: 8,955,797

Source: wilpunt / Getty Images

18. Tanzania
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.0 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $1,099 — #181 out of 218 countries
> Population: 63,588,334

Source: kasto80 / iStock via Getty Images

17. Slovenia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $29,291 — #45 out of 218 countries
> Population: 2,108,079

Source: RossHelen / Getty Images

16. Portugal
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $24,568 — #50 out of 218 countries
> Population: 10,325,147

Source: undefined undefined / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

15. Lao People’s Democratic Republic
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.1 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $2,536 — #153 out of 218 countries
> Population: 7,425,057

Source: alan64 / iStock via Getty Images

14. Montenegro
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.2 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $9,466 — #88 out of 218 countries
> Population: 619,211

Source: MarioGuti / E+ via Getty Images

13. France
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.2 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $43,659 — #31 out of 218 countries
> Population: 67,749,632

Source: frankpeters / iStock via Getty Images

12. Romania
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.3 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $14,858 — #71 out of 218 countries
> Population: 19,119,880

Source: Dawid Kalisinski Photography / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

11. Andorra
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.3 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $42,137 — #32 out of 218 countries
> Population: 79,034

Source: makasana / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

10. Luxembourg
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.4 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $133,590 — #3 out of 218 countries
> Population: 640,064

Source: mtcurado / Getty Images

9. Uganda
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.5 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $884 — #187 out of 218 countries
> Population: 45,853,778

Source: vasenka / Flickr

8. Bulgaria
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.5 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $12,221 — #76 out of 218 countries
> Population: 6,877,743

Source: BrasilNut1 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

7. Spain
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.7 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $30,104 — #43 out of 218 countries
> Population: 47,415,750

Source: rubenholthuijsen / Flickr

6. Ireland
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.7 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $100,172 — #5 out of 218 countries
> Population: 5,033,165

Source: Michele Ursi / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

5. Lithuania
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.8 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $23,723 — #52 out of 218 countries
> Population: 2,800,839

Source: Terroa / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

4. Germany
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.8 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $51,204 — #24 out of 218 countries
> Population: 83,196,078

Source: Calin Stan / iStock via Getty Images

3. Moldova
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 12.9 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $5,231 — #116 out of 218 countries
> Population: 2,615,199

Source: DusanBartolovic / iStock via Getty Images

2. Latvia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 13.2 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $21,148 — #55 out of 218 countries
> Population: 1,884,490

Source: Qju Creative / iStock via Getty Images

1. Czechia
> Alcohol consumption (2019): 14.3 liters per capita
> GDP per capita: $26,821 — #48 out of 218 countries
> Population: 10,505,772

To top