A global ranking of countries with the highest alcohol consumption per capita, based on the latest international data on drinking patterns and consumption levels.
Historically, alcohol has played an important role in many societies around the world. Social drinking and moderate alcohol consumption is a pleasurable pastime for many.
However, the countries that drink the most alcohol can suffer from more alcohol-related health and social issues.
Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including an increased risk of disease, accidents, and alcohol dependence. It also contributes to higher rates of crime and road incidents. Worldwide, alcohol use is estimated to cause around 2.6 million premature deaths each year.
Smallest and biggest drinkers
The lists below show the countries with the lowest and highest alcohol consumption levels.
In some countries, alcohol consumption is zero (presented as zero once rounding has taken place). At the other end of the scale, alcohol intake exceeds 14 liters of pure alcohol per person per year. This is roughly equivalent to drinking around three standard bottles of wine per person each week.
Smallest drinkers
- Yemen
- Somalia
- Bangladesh
- Sudan
- Mauritania
- Libya
- Afghanistan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Pakistan
- Kuwait
- Iran
- Indonesia
- Egypt
Biggest drinkers
- Romania
- Georgia
- Latvia
- Republic of Moldova
- Czechia
- Lithuania
- Namibia
- Poland
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- Belarus
- Seychelles
- Saint Lucia
Note: Thirteen countries are included at each end of the ranking because several countries share the same rounded consumption figure.
Regional variations
Alcohol consumption is particularly low across parts of North Africa and the Middle East, where religious and cultural norms discourage or prohibit drinking.
Europe records the highest levels of alcohol consumption per capita, with Central and Eastern European countries leading the rankings. Of the top 30 countries with the highest alcohol consumption, 22 of them are in Europe.
Some countries, however, buck the trend. Namibia, in seventh place, is the highest-ranked non-European nation, consuming 12 liters of alcohol per person a year.
Seychelles and Saint Lucia also record some of the world’s highest levels of per capita alcohol consumption, making them notable exceptions to the largely European trend.
Alcohol consumption by country – complete ranking
The table below ranks countries by their average annual recorded alcohol consumption per person aged 15 and older, measured in liters of pure alcohol (three-year average, 2022), the latest available international data as of 2026.
Because alcoholic drinks vary in strength, consumption is measured in liters of pure alcohol rather than liters of beer, wine, or spirits. For example, wine typically contains around 12% alcohol by volume, meaning 1 liter of wine contains approximately 0.12 liters of pure alcohol.
A person consuming 6 liters of pure alcohol per year would therefore drink the equivalent of roughly 50 liters of wine annually, or about 1 liter of wine per week.
Some countries may have been omitted due to insufficient data.
| Country | Liters of pure alcohol | Confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.1] |
| Albania | 5.0 | [3.6 - 6.3] |
| Algeria | 0.5 | [0.2 - 0.8] |
| Andorra | 11.1 | [9.4 - 12.8] |
| Angola | 4.0 | [3.0 - 5.1] |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 9.4 | [7.9 - 11.1] |
| Argentina | 8.8 | [7.4 - 10.4] |
| Armenia | 4.3 | [3.2 - 5.5] |
| Australia | 11.2 | [9.4 - 13.0] |
| Austria | 11.8 | [10.2 - 13.7] |
| Azerbaijan | 2.3 | [1.5 - 3.3] |
| Bahamas | 6.9 | [5.5 - 8.5] |
| Bahrain | 1.7 | [0.9 - 2.4] |
| Bangladesh | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.0] |
| Barbados | 9.5 | [7.9 - 11.3] |
| Belarus | 11.4 | [9.8 - 13.2] |
| Belgium | 8.7 | [7.2 - 10.3] |
| Belize | 5.1 | [3.9 - 6.4] |
| Benin | 7.0 | [5.3 - 8.7] |
| Bhutan | 4.4 | [3.1 - 5.8] |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 3.6 | [2.7 - 4.8] |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.3 | [4.9 - 7.8] |
| Botswana | 6.0 | [4.8 - 7.4] |
| Brazil | 9.4 | [7.8 - 11.1] |
| Brunei Darussalam | 0.7 | [0.4 - 1.2] |
| Bulgaria | 11.5 | [9.7 - 13.3] |
| Burkina Faso | 7.5 | [5.8 - 9.1] |
| Burundi | 4.5 | [3.4 - 5.8] |
| Cabo Verde | 3.8 | [2.7 - 4.9] |
| Cambodia | 5.4 | [4.2 - 6.7] |
| Cameroon | 8.0 | [6.0 - 9.8] |
| Canada | 10.0 | [8.2 - 12.0] |
| Central African Republic | 2.1 | [1.4 - 3.0] |
| Chad | 3.0 | [1.8 - 4.3] |
| Chile | 7.9 | [6.5 - 9.4] |
| China | 4.5 | [3.3 - 5.8] |
| Colombia | 4.3 | [3.2 - 5.5] |
| Comoros | 0.4 | [0.2 - 0.8] |
| Congo | 6.4 | [5.0 - 7.7] |
| Costa Rica | 3.8 | [2.8 - 4.8] |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 4.5 | [3.3 - 5.7] |
| Croatia | 10.8 | [9.1 - 12.8] |
| Cuba | 5.6 | [4.2 - 7.1] |
| Cyprus | 5.2 | [4.0 - 6.5] |
| Czechia | 13.7 | [11.8 - 15.6] |
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea | 4.8 | [3.7 - 6.0] |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2.0 | [1.1 - 2.8] |
| Denmark | 10.0 | [8.4 - 11.8] |
| Djibouti | 0.4 | [0.2 - 0.7] |
| Dominica | 7.0 | [5.6 - 8.5] |
| Dominican Republic | 5.2 | [3.9 - 6.5] |
| Ecuador | 2.7 | [1.9 - 3.6] |
| Egypt | 0.1 | [0.0 - 0.3] |
| El Salvador | 3.4 | [2.5 - 4.5] |
| Equatorial Guinea | 6.1 | [4.8 - 7.4] |
| Eritrea | 1.3 | [0.8 - 2.0] |
| Estonia | 10.5 | [8.2 - 12.9] |
| Eswatini | 7.2 | [5.7 - 8.7] |
| Ethiopia | 3.1 | [2.1 - 4.3] |
| Fiji | 3.5 | [2.4 - 4.6] |
| Finland | 9.5 | [7.8 - 11.2] |
| France | 11.2 | [9.5 - 13.1] |
| Gabon | 7.9 | [6.4 - 9.4] |
| Gambia | 0.6 | [0.3 - 1.1] |
| Georgia | 15.5 | [12.9 - 17.9] |
| Germany | 11.2 | [9.5 - 12.9] |
| Ghana | 4.4 | [3.0 - 5.8] |
| Greece | 7.0 | [5.5 - 8.4] |
| Grenada | 7.8 | [6.3 - 9.4] |
| Guatemala | 1.7 | [1.0 - 2.3] |
| Guinea | 0.5 | [0.3 - 1.0] |
| Guinea-Bissau | 3.2 | [2.2 - 4.3] |
| Guyana | 5.3 | [4.1 - 6.5] |
| Haiti | 3.3 | [2.3 - 4.3] |
| Honduras | 3.1 | [2.2 - 4.2] |
| Hungary | 11.3 | [9.6 - 13.0] |
| Iceland | 8.2 | [6.8 - 9.8] |
| India | 4.5 | [3.3 - 5.8] |
| Indonesia | 0.1 | [0.0 - 0.3] |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 0.1 | [0.0 - 0.3] |
| Iraq | 0.6 | [0.3 - 1.1] |
| Ireland | 10.5 | [8.7 - 12.2] |
| Israel | 3.1 | [2.3 - 4.2] |
| Italy | 8.3 | [6.9 - 9.9] |
| Jamaica | 3.9 | [2.9 - 5.2] |
| Japan | 6.3 | [5.0 - 7.6] |
| Jordan | 0.3 | [0.1 - 0.5] |
| Kazakhstan | 5.4 | [4.2 - 6.6] |
| Kenya | 2.5 | [1.7 - 3.4] |
| Kiribati | 1.0 | [0.5 - 1.7] |
| Kuwait | 0.1 | [0.0 - 0.3] |
| Kyrgyzstan | 3.9 | [2.9 - 5.0] |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 11.2 | [9.2 - 13.4] |
| Latvia | 14.7 | [12.6 - 17.3] |
| Lebanon | 1.6 | [1.0 - 2.3] |
| Lesotho | 3.8 | [2.7 - 5.0] |
| Liberia | 2.8 | [1.6 - 4.0] |
| Libya | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.1] |
| Lithuania | 12.2 | [10.5 - 14.0] |
| Luxembourg | 10.8 | [9.1 - 12.6] |
| Madagascar | 0.9 | [0.4 - 1.4] |
| Malawi | 1.7 | [1.0 - 2.5] |
| Malaysia | 0.8 | [0.4 - 1.3] |
| Maldives | 1.6 | [0.3 - 3.0] |
| Mali | 3.6 | [2.3 - 4.8] |
| Malta | 6.2 | [4.9 - 7.6] |
| Mauritania | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.1] |
| Mauritius | 7.7 | [6.1 - 9.1] |
| Mexico | 6.0 | [4.6 - 7.4] |
| Micronesia (Federated States of) | 2.0 | [1.3 - 2.8] |
| Mongolia | 7.7 | [6.2 - 9.3] |
| Montenegro | 8.0 | [6.5 - 9.6] |
| Morocco | 0.6 | [0.3 - 1.0] |
| Mozambique | 1.9 | [1.1 - 2.7] |
| Myanmar | 1.9 | [1.2 - 2.7] |
| Namibia | 12.0 | [10.2 - 13.9] |
| Nauru | 3.0 | [2.0 - 3.9] |
| Nepal | 3.7 | [2.5 - 4.9] |
| Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 8.7 | [7.2 - 10.2] |
| New Zealand | 9.2 | [7.7 - 10.9] |
| Nicaragua | 3.9 | [2.9 - 5.0] |
| Niger | 0.2 | [0.1 - 0.4] |
| Nigeria | 2.3 | [1.5 - 3.2] |
| Niue | 3.3 | [2.2 - 4.4] |
| North Macedonia | 5.8 | [4.4 - 7.1] |
| Norway | 7.5 | [6.1 - 9.0] |
| Oman | 0.7 | [0.3 - 1.3] |
| Pakistan | 0.1 | [0.0 - 0.3] |
| Panama | 6.3 | [5.0 - 7.6] |
| Papua New Guinea | 1.3 | [0.7 - 2.0] |
| Paraguay | 6.7 | [5.3 - 8.1] |
| Peru | 6.8 | [5.3 - 8.3] |
| Philippines | 5.7 | [4.4 - 7.1] |
| Poland | 11.9 | [10.1 - 13.9] |
| Portugal | 11.2 | [9.5 - 13.0] |
| Qatar | 1.3 | [0.7 - 2.0] |
| Republic of Korea | 8.4 | [6.9 - 9.9] |
| Republic of Moldova | 14.1 | [12.1 - 16.3] |
| Romania | 17.1 | [14.6 - 19.8] |
| Russian Federation | 10.5 | [8.6 - 12.5] |
| Rwanda | 6.5 | [4.7 - 8.2] |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 7.0 | [5.7 - 8.6] |
| Saint Lucia | 11.4 | [9.5 - 13.2] |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 6.8 | [5.6 - 8.2] |
| Samoa | 2.9 | [2.0 - 3.9] |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 5.7 | [4.3 - 7.0] |
| Senegal | 0.4 | [0.2 - 0.8] |
| Serbia | 9.0 | [7.4 - 10.8] |
| Seychelles | 11.4 | [9.6 - 13.2] |
| Sierra Leone | 0.3 | [0.1 - 0.7] |
| Singapore | 2.0 | [1.2 - 2.8] |
| Slovakia | 11.0 | [9.3 - 12.8] |
| Slovenia | 10.9 | [9.1 - 12.6] |
| Solomon Islands | 0.8 | [0.4 - 1.4] |
| Somalia | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.0] |
| South Africa | 7.8 | [6.4 - 9.3] |
| South Sudan | 0.8 | [0.4 - 1.3] |
| Spain | 11.0 | [9.2 - 12.7] |
| Sri Lanka | 2.7 | [1.9 - 3.6] |
| Sudan | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.1] |
| Suriname | 5.9 | [4.6 - 7.3] |
| Sweden | 9.6 | [7.8 - 11.4] |
| Switzerland | 9.2 | [7.7 - 10.9] |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 0.1 | [0.0 - 0.3] |
| Türkiye | 2.2 | [1.4 - 3.1] |
| Tajikistan | 0.7 | [0.3 - 1.2] |
| Thailand | 7.6 | [6.2 - 9.3] |
| Timor-Leste | 0.2 | [0.1 - 0.5] |
| Togo | 1.2 | [0.7 - 1.8] |
| Tonga | 0.3 | [0.1 - 0.6] |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 4.8 | [3.7 - 5.9] |
| Tunisia | 1.8 | [1.2 - 2.6] |
| Turkmenistan | 3.0 | [2.2 - 4.0] |
| Tuvalu | 0.3 | [0.1 - 0.7] |
| Uganda | 6.3 | [4.8 - 7.9] |
| Ukraine | 7.4 | [5.7 - 9.1] |
| United Arab Emirates | 0.8 | [0.1 - 1.6] |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 10.9 | [9.2 - 12.6] |
| United Republic of Tanzania | 5.6 | [4.0 - 7.1] |
| United States of America | 9.8 | [8.2 - 11.4] |
| Uruguay | 6.2 | [4.9 - 7.5] |
| Uzbekistan | 2.1 | [1.4 - 2.8] |
| Vanuatu | 1.9 | [1.1 - 2.7] |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 2.3 | [1.6 - 3.2] |
| Viet Nam | 10.7 | [8.3 - 12.9] |
| Yemen | 0.0 | [0.0 - 0.0] |
| Zambia | 3.6 | [2.7 - 4.8] |
| Zimbabwe | 5.4 | [4.0 - 6.8] |
Source: : World Health Organization (WHO). Alcohol, total per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol) (SDG Indicator 3.5.2), three-year average. Data retrieved in 2026 from the WHO Global Health Observatory.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.