Alcohol Consumption by Country: Which Nations Drink the Most?

“It’s 5 o’clock somewhere !” We’ve probably all heard this phrase before. It’s used to justify drinking at any time of day, given that somewhere in the world, it’s 5:00 pm — the end of the work day for a traditional “nine-to-five” worker. 

But do other countries have this same ritual — unwinding with a glass of wine, cold beer, or cocktail at the end of a long day? Just how embedded is alcohol in different cultures worldwide?

In this blog post, we’ll explore the countries that consume the most alcohol, gaining insight into their drinking trends and behaviors. You might be surprised at which countries make the top of the list. Let’s dive in!

Top Ten Countries Consuming the Most Alcohol

Various factors influence which countries drink more, ranging from societal norms and weather to income and public health policies. According to the World Health Organization's Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, the highest levels of alcohol consumption remain prevalent in developed nations. 

Here’s a look at the countries that consume the most alcohol per capita:

1. Belarus

Belarus, a small landlocked country in Europe, consumed the greatest average number of liters of pure alcohol per capita. On average, its citizens consumed 14.4 liters each year — over 1.5 times more than Americans! 

Converting that to different terms, we learn that citizens in Belarus drank an average of 48 handles of vodka per person. While this sounds like a lot, it comes out to a little less than one shot a day, based on the average shot poured in the U.S (1.5 fluid ounces). 

But Belarus not only consumes the greatest amount of alcohol per capita: it’s also among the countries with the most years of life lost due to annual alcohol consumption. It’s also classified as having one of the riskiest patterns of drinking — such as days-long binge drinking — compared to other countries.

Drinking is so prevalent in Belarus that the Belarusian government has implemented national anti-alcohol programs in an attempt to decrease the level of alcohol consumption.

2. Lithuania 

Lithuania — which shares a border with Belarus to the East, Poland to the south, and Latvia to the north — is second on the list, consuming 12.9 liters of alcohol each year. In other words, residents in Lithuania consumed 43 handles of vodka per person on average. 

Similar to Belarus, Lithuanians also engage in risky drinking patterns and are known to regularly binge drink. Lithuanian men, who tend to drink the most, have a 10-year shorter life expectancy than women — one of the biggest gaps in the European Union. 

In this former Soviet country, alcohol consumption really increased after regaining independence from Russia in 1990. In 2007, the Lithuanian parliament declared 2008 “the year of sobriety.” Lawmakers increased excise taxes on alcohol and introduced limits on alcohol advertising and some availability restrictions on sales of alcohol at night. While these measures helped — mortality rates started to decline — Lithuania still struggles with high levels of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related deaths. 

3. Grenada 

Grenada — an island nation located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, about 100 miles north of Venezuela — is third on the list. People there annually consume 11.9 liters of alcohol — about 43 handles of vodka per person on average. Overall, they have the highest alcohol consumption per capita in the Caribbean.

Once governed by France and Britain, the island today stands as an independent Commonwealth of the UK, known for its laid-back attitude. Similar to Belarus and Lithuania, Grenada is also classified as having one of the riskiest patterns of drinking. In fact, about half of all drinkers report heavy drinking behavior. 

On average, Grenada’s daily intake of 40.4 grams of alcohol is higher than the world’s average daily intake of 33 grams. Interestingly, spirits are the most consumed alcoholic beverage on the island, accounting for 48% of the alcohol consumption in the country, followed by beer and wine.

4. Czech Republic and France

The Czech Republic and France tie for fourth place when it comes to alcohol consumption per capita. Let’s take a closer look at both of them:

The Czech Republic

The Czech Republic — a landlocked country in Central Europe, sharing borders with Germany, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia — consumes an average of 39.3 handles of vodka per person (11.8 liters of alcohol per year). 

The Czech Republic is also among the countries with the most years of life lost due to annual alcohol consumption. Furthermore, one study found that the Czech Republic has one of the worst records in Europe for underage drinking, with just over 40% of 15-year-olds admitting they drink alcohol on a regular basis. 

Recent studies show that almost one-tenth of adults in the Czech Republic — around 900,000 people — drink alcohol every day, and around 1.5 million drink hazardously. 

Czechs in particular are known for their beer consumption. In fact, the Czech Republic has long topped international rankings for beer consumption, guzzling down about 160 liters of it per capita annually. This beats other popular beer-drinking nations, such as Germany, Ireland, and Belgium.

France

France also consumes an average of 39.3 handles of vodka per person (11.8 liters of alcohol per year). Interestingly, France consumes more alcohol than any other top country by GDP and also has an above-average life expectancy. Even so, France is also among the countries with the most years of life lost to alcohol. 

Furthermore, a recent report found that a third of French adults have a drinking problem. A separate study noted that people in France drink alcohol on 132 days of the year, well above the global average of 101. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, France also drinks significantly more wine than any other country, and has one of the biggest wine regions in the world. They have the highest number of wine servings per capita — a whopping 370. 

But there’s good news for France. Reports indicate that alcohol use among French adolescents has dropped significantly over the last decade. 

5. Russia

Russia comes in fifth, drinking an average of 11.5 liters of alcohol each year (38.3 handles of vodka per person!). Long known for its heavy consumption of vodka, Putin has been cracking down on illegal alcohol consumption in light of numerous deaths. 

Interestingly, Russia is considered to have the riskiest patterns of drinking. Russians also consume more spirits on average than any of the other top GDP countries: an average of 326 servings per person each year. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Russia is also among the countries with the most years of life lost to alcohol.

6. Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovakia

Ireland, Luxembourg, and Slovakia tie for sixth place when it comes to alcohol consumption per capita. Let’s take a closer look:

Ireland

Ireland has one of the highest consumption rates of alcohol in Europe, consuming an average of 11.4 liters of alcohol per capita. Alcohol misuse has long been a problem in Ireland and binge drinking is considered the norm. In fact, Ireland has the second highest rate of binge drinking in the world, behind Austria. Reports indicate that over 58 percent of men regularly binge drink and over a third of all women. 

Furthermore, although it’s illegal in Ireland to drink alcohol under the age of 18, many Irish people start drinking in their early teens. In fact, 39% of Irish people aged 15 and over have engaged in binge drinking in the last month. 

Luxembourg 

Luxembourg also comes in 6th, consuming an average of 11.4 liters of alcohol per capita — the equivalent of roughly 500 bottles of beer. In 2020, the government interviewed almost 4,000 people in Luxembourg as part of an initiative to reduce alcohol misuse: they found that 9.6% of people drank alcohol every day and a further 4.2% it 5-6 times a week.

Furthermore, Luxembourg tops the list of countries in Europe where 15-19 year-old males drink in excess: they consume an average of 4.4 drinks per day, followed by Denmark at 3.8.

Slovakia

Slovakia — a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordering the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, and Austria — also comes in 6th, consuming an average of 11.4 liters of alcohol per capita. Similar to the Czech Republic, beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages of choice, followed by spirits. 

According to recent data, about 5.5% of Slovaks (mainly men) older than 14 have a form of alcohol dependency. People with some level of a drinking problem account for up to 10% of the population over 15 years of age. 

7. Germany and Hungary 

Germany and Hungary tie for 7th, consuming 11.3 liters of alcohol per capita. Let’s take a closer look at these countries:

Germany

Germany has one of the lowest drinking ages of any nation in the world. German citizens are allowed to consume alcohol as early as 16. Surveys have shown that approximately 90% of all young people between the ages of 14-16 have drunk alcohol at least once in their lives, and in 62% of all cases they’ve done so within the last 30 days. Public drinking and festivals — such as the world-renowned Oktoberfest — are common and popular in Germany, particularly among teens. 

Furthermore, according to one report, 7.9 million Germans consume alcohol in a manner that is “hazardous to health” — defined as drinking a daily amount of more than one and half units for women and three units for men (about two glasses of beer). 

Hungary

Hungary — another landlocked country bordering Slovakia, Austria, Ukraine, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia — has the highest prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the world, with nearly 25% of the total population afflicted. A significantly higher number of Hungarian men struggle with alcohol misuse than women. 

The number of people suffering from alcohol misuse in Hungary is around 800,000 — and some 30,000 die annually of alcohol-related illnesses. Binge drinking is particularly problematic, with 63% of teens between the ages of 15-19 engaging in this harmful behavior. Over half of all alcohol users over the age of 15 binge drink as well. 

8. Portugal

Portugal — located west of Spain, bordering the North Atlantic ocean — comes in at 8th, consuming 11.0 liters of alcohol per capita, roughly equivalent to 2 bottles of wine per week per person. Similar to Hungary, binge drinking is particularly prevalent, with nearly 27% of adults binge drinking at least once a month. One study estimates that over the next 30 years, Portugal’s average life expectancy will be reduced by one year due to illness and injuries caused by the daily consumption of alcohol.

9. Poland

Poland comes in 9th place, consuming 10.9 liters of alcohol per capita. Research indicates that alcohol use in Poland has been steadily on the rise over the past decade. In 2000, the average Pole consumed only 8 liters of alcohol, compared to nearly 11 liters today. 

Little liquor bottles containing flavored hard liquor — referred to as “monkeys” — are particularly popular in Poland. In fact, most of the sales of these small bottles happen in the morning. People consume them throughout the day, leading to all kinds of alcohol misuse and harm. 

Interestingly, Poland’s fertility rate has been below the Europen Union’s average, and in 2021, the country saw its steepest population drop since World War II. Some Polish leaders have attributed the nation’s low birth rate to young women drinking too much.  

10. Slovenia

In 10th place comes Slovenia, a small country in southeastern Europe south of Austria. They consume 10.6 liters of alcohol per capita — nearly 4 liters less than Belarus, which tops the list. 

Slovenia is known to have what’s referred to as a “wet culture,” which means that alcohol use is widely accepted. Similar to the U.S., alcoholic beverages serve as a social bond and are regularly consumed at celebrations and important life events. Alcohol consumption among young people remains high by international standards: 27% of 15-year-olds and 52% of 17-year-olds report having been drunk at least twice in their life. 

In general, Slovenia’s alcohol consumption is between 2 and 2.5 times higher than the world average. Sadly, alcohol is directly associated with two deaths a day in the country. And road accidents caused by drunk drivers claim an average of 75 lives every year. 

Where Is the United States on the List? 

So, what about the United States? Where does it fall on the list? The U.S. claims the 25th spot, drinking an average of 8.7 liters of alcohol per capita annually — or 29 handles of vodka consumed per person. 

Interestingly, even though the U.S. has one of the lowest alcohol use rates per capita of first-world countries, we have a higher rate of alcohol abuse than many other countries, including Belgium, Germany, and France. In fact, about 15 million people struggle with alcohol use disorder in the U.S. 

Why These Numbers Are So Concerning

Alcohol is part of the lifestyle and culture of many countries around the world. In many ways, it’s normalized and widely accepted; sometimes, it’s even encouraged. However, overindulging or regularly consuming alcohol can have serious, long-term consequences for our physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Drinking alcohol puts us at a greater risk for many serious health conditions, including liver disease, heart disease, cancer, and cognitive impairments like dementia and Alzheimer’s. Even small amounts of alcohol here and there can affect our mental health and well-being.

If you’re struggling to manage your alcohol consumption, consider trying Reframe. We’re a neuroscience-backed app that has helped millions of people cut back on their alcohol consumption and develop healthier lifestyles.