In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 drunkest countries in the world. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the global alcohol industry, the rise of alcohol-free culture, and the CSR initiative by an industry giant, head to 30 Drunkest Countries in the World.
10. Lithuania
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 11.79 liters
Lithuanians mostly prefer to drink beer, which makes 44% of the total consumed alcohol in the country, while wine accounts for 15%. In order to discourage people from consuming alcohol, the Lithuanian government has enacted a number of legal and administrative changes over the last decade. For example, in 2014 it became illegal to consume alcohol in public places, like streets and parks.
9. Bulgaria
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 11.92 liters
Bulgaria has one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption, roughly equivalent to 2.6 bottles of wine or 4.9 liters of beer per week per person aged 15 or older. Based on the current consumption patterns in the country, OECD simulations estimate that diseases and injuries caused by drinking lead to treatment costs equivalent to 1.8% of the national health expenditure.
8. Austria
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 11.97 liters
Austria has not only developed a culture for food, but also a drinking culture that is second to none. Although each region has its own preference, beer and wine are the most popular alcoholic drinks in the country.
Unlike in some European countries, purchasing alcohol in Austria is regulated at a regional level. Essentially, there are two different age requirements – either 16 or 18 years – and these depend on the region and the percentage of alcohol content.
Austria sits among the Top 10 Countries that Drink the Most Alcohol.
7. Seychelles
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 11.99 liters
Alcohol has an important social role in Seychelles and also plays a significant part in the country’s economy, generating substantial employment and tax revenue. The East African island nation also welcomes a large number of tourists every year, which contributes to the high alcohol use.
6. Uganda
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 12.21 liters
With a per capita consumption of 12.21 liters of pure alcohol, Uganda is the Drunkest Country in Africa. Excessive consumption of alcohol has been identified as one of the major causes of poverty in the East African country, as it leads to declined productivity, increased expenditure and loss of assets, impaired judgment, and vulnerability to disease, thereby being a driver and maintainer of chronic poverty.
5. Germany
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 12.22 liters
German history and culture is synonymous with beer, even though beer wasn’t technically invented in the country. In fact, beer has always been such an important part of the local culture that in 1516, the Bavaria Duke Wilhelm IV issued the ‘Reinheitsgebot’, a beer purity law that stipulates that only water, barley, and hops were allowed to be used as key ingredients for beer. The country exported $1.38 billion of the alcoholic beverage in 2021, putting it among the Top Beer Exporting Countries in the World.
According to a 2017 study, 12% of the individuals in Germany were daily drinkers, 76.5% were occasional drinkers, and 11.5% of the individuals never drank alcohol.
4. Latvia
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 13.09 liters
Latvia has one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption by any country in 2023. Over the last decade or so, alcohol consumption in the country has gradually increased from 9.8 liters per capita in 2010 and reached its peak in 2018 with 13.2 liters. Since grains grow better than grapes in the cold climate of the Baltic country, vodka is a popular drink in Latvia.
3. Czech Republic
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 13.29 liters
The Czech most popular drink is of course beer. Czech people are proud of their beer because after all, their country gave birth to the iconic Pilsner popular all around the globe.
Czech households spent a record high sum on alcohol in 2019 – around $4 billion – according to the European statistical office, Eurostat.
2. Georgia
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 14.33 liters
The wine-drinking culture sets Georgia apart from other post-Soviet countries, where people prefer to drink spirits. Wine is associated with cultural and religious traditions in the Caucasian country, while beer is secondary and holds no ritualistic connotations. In fact, Georgians only toast with wine or vodka, and beer is used to toast only if you wish someone bad luck.
Wine is one of the top export commodities for Georgia, accounting for 21% of the country’s total agricultural export value in 2021.
1. Romania
Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 16.99 liters
Men in Romania are the heaviest drinkers in the world, with a per capita consumption of 27.3 liters of pure alcohol in 2019, or an average of 8.2 drinks per day. The most consumed alcoholic beverage in the Eastern European nation is beer, preferred by one third of the consumers. However, the market for spirited drinks has exploded and reached around $800 million in the country.
Romania is not only the Drunkest Country in Europe but also the Country that Drinks the Most Alcohol in the World.
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