Per capita alcohol consumption in the United States has increased in the past couple of decades to reach 2.51 gallons of ethanol per capita in 2021. Beer has accounted for the largest share of the alcohol market in the United States over most of the last decade, but was overtaken by spirits for the first time in 2022. Health risks Constant and excessive alcohol use has been shown to cause many health complications and increase the risk of many diseases. For example, alcohol consumption increases the risk of various types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and liver disease. The cost of such health complications from alcohol is substantial. As of 2020, it was estimated that the health care costs alone from the abuse of alcohol in the United States were around 27 billion dollars a year. Liver cirrhosis A common health complication from the abuse of alcohol is liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver from repeated injury. It can cause other health complications such as high blood pressure, bleeding, and infection, and can result in early death if left untreated. In 2019, there were over 24,000 alcohol-related liver cirrhosis deaths in the United States, almost double the number reported 15 years earlier.

The alcohol consumption per capita ranking is led by Romania with ***** liters, while Georgia is following with ***** liters. In contrast, Bangladesh is at the bottom of the ranking with **** liters, showing a difference of ***** liters to Romania. Depicted is the estimated alcohol consumption in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to *** countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

New Hampshire is currently the state with the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the United States. Per capita alcohol consumption has increased since the mid-1990s, with beer as the most commonly consumed alcoholic beverage. The beer market in the U.S. was estimated to amount to over *** billion dollars by 2029. Binge drinking Although New Hampshire consumes the highest amount of alcohol per capita, it reports lower rates of binge drinking than other states. The states with the highest binge drinking rates include North Dakota, Iowa, and South Dakota. Binge drinking is typically defined as the consumption of 5 or more drinks within 2 hours for men and 4 or more drinks within 2 hours for women. Binge drinking is the most common form of excessive alcohol use and is associated with serious risks. Binge drinking risks Health risks associated with binge drinking include cancer, chronic diseases such as liver disease and heart disease, alcohol dependence, and unintentional injury such as from car crashes. Although the dangers of drinking and driving are clear, it remains a problem across the United States. In 2023, around 7** percent of those aged 21 to 25 reported driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in the preceding year.

The alcohol consumption per capita in Mexico was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.2 liters (+3.38 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the per capita consumption is estimated to reach 6.12 liters and therefore a new peak in 2029. Depicted is the estimated alcohol consumption in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the alcohol consumption per capita in countries like Canada and United States.

In 2022, among the Nordic countries, Norway had the lowest alcohol consumption of *** liters per capita. That same year, the per capita consumption volume of alcohol amounted to *** liters in Sweden. In Finland, the corresponding volume was even higher. By comparison, Denmark had the highest per capita alcohol consumption of *** liters. In general, all Nordic countries except Denmark have strong restrictions on the sales of alcohol. This applies to all beverages with higher alcohol content; low alcohol drinks are thus available in regular supermarkets and convenience stores.  Norway and Sweden In Norway, beverages with an alcohol content higher than 4.75 percent are only allowed to be sold by Vinmonopolet, the government-owned alcoholic beverage retailer. In Sweden, even beverages with an alcohol content higher than 3.5 percent are only allowed to be sold by Systembolaget, which is the country’s government-owned chain of liquor stores.    Comparison: Denmark  Danish supermarkets, kiosks and other shops are allowed to sell all kinds of alcohol. The average annual sales volume of pure alcohol per person in the country declined overall since 2010 and amounted to *** liters sold in 2023.

The Nordic countries, except Denmark, have strong restrictions on the sales of alcoholic beverages. In Norway, the government-owned alcohol retailer Vinmonopolet is the only company that can sell beverages containing an alcohol content higher than 4.75 percent. In recent years, the consumption of alcohol in Norway increased, and in 2024, the per capita consumption of alcohol  amounted to a volume of about 83.7 liters.    Per capita consumption of beer Individuals aged 18 years and older are allowed to purchase beer in Norway. Though the consumption of alcohol decreased in the past years, the volume of beer consumed in the country remained stable from 2008 to 2020. By the end of this period, the amount of beer consumed per person was 56 liters. Retail beer (alcohol content of 3.7 to 4.7 percent) was most popular among Norwegians as the consumption volume reached a total of roughly 233 million liters in 2018.      Per capita consumption of spirits In selected years from 1950 to 2018, the average volume of spirits consumed per capita in Norway overall decreased. It was lowest from 2015 to 2018, when the consumption volume was 2.5 liters per person. The legal drinking and purchasing age for beverages with an alcohol content higher than 22 percent is 20 years and older.     

Significant fluctuations are estimated for all segments over the forecast period for the combined volume per capita. Only in the segment Cider, Perry & Rice Wine, a significant increase can be observed over the forecast period. In this segment, the combined volume per capita exhibits a difference of ****** litres between 2019 and 2029. Find other insights concerning similar markets and segments, such as a comparison of average revenue per user (ARPU) in Australia and a comparison of revenue share by device type in the United Kingdom.The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.

In 2023, per capita consumption of alcohol in Finland was *** liters per capita, measured in liters of pure alcohol. Compared to 2020, alcohol consumption declined by *** liters per person. Alcohol consumption peaked in 2005 but dropped again below *** liters in 2012 and has steadily decreased since then. In 1970, per capita consumption of alcohol in Finland was measured at *** liters. Changing drinking habits Finnish alcohol consumption reached its record levels by 2005 but has decreased by roughly ******* since then. While total alcohol consumption has seen a steady declining trend, drinking habits among Finns remain polarized. Compared to other European countries, Finnish people still drink large quantities of alcohol in one go, although binge drinking has somewhat decreased. In general, interest in milder alcoholic beverages is increasing and young people are drinking less than previous generations. While strong alcoholic beverage consumption has decreased over the past decades, wine consumption has increased. Even so, beer is still the most popular alcoholic beverage among Finns. It accounted for nearly half of the total consumption of different alcoholic beverages in 2023. Alko In all the Nordic countries, except for Denmark, sales of alcoholic beverages are strictly controlled by the state retailing monopolies. Alko is the only chain of stores in Finland selling beer containing over *** percent alcohol by volume, wine, and spirits. The company is fully owned by the Finnish government and controlled by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Alko was founded in 1932 and ever since, the company has retained its alcohol sales monopoly based social and health policy objectives. In 2023, Alko generated roughly *** billion euros in revenue. That year, the company operated *** stores and *** pick-up points across the country.

In 2022, Saint Lucia had the highest level of alcohol consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean among its population aged 15 years and older, with around ** liters of pure alcohol per capita consumed yearly. Barbados was the second country with the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the region, with an estimated *** liters of alcohol per person, followed by Antigua and Barbuda, and Brazil. Worldwide deaths related to alcohol use Alcohol use beyond certain limits is commonly associated with chronic conditions such as liver disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and mental health conditions. As of 2022, the estimated number of deaths due to alcohol use worldwide amounted to *************, representing around **** percent of all deaths globally during that year. While Saint Lucia and Barbados led the ranking of alcohol consumption in Latin America in 2022, Romania was the country that reported the highest consumption per capita of alcohol worldwide that same year, with an average of more than ** liters per person annually. Heavy episodic drinking in the region According to a survey carried out in 2024, around ** percent of respondents from selected nations indicated alcohol abuse was among the biggest health challenges faced by people in their countries. From a regional perspective, it was estimated that around one in every four women and four in every ten men experienced heavy episodic drinking during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease in comparison to 2019 figures and impacted by contention measures carried out during the beginning of the outbreak. *********** of the people who did experience heavy episodic drinking did not seek any help.

Alcohol consumption varies significantly across countries, with Romania leading the way at **** l per capita in 2022. This high level of consumption highlights the global prevalence of alcohol use, despite its well-documented health risks. While some nations consume more than others, alcohol remains one of the most widely used drugs worldwide, contributing to millions of deaths annually. Global alcohol consumption trends In 2023, the world consumed almost ***** billion l of alcoholic beverages. That year, the ************* consumed the most wine in the world in million hectoliters, even more than traditional wine drinking countries such as France and Italy. The United States is also one of the biggest consumers of beer; however, ***** consumes the most beer in kiloliters by far, likely due to its large population size. Health impacts and public awareness Alcohol abuse is a significant health concern globally. The health consequences are severe, with alcohol contributing to about ***** million deaths worldwide annually, or **** percent of all deaths. These fatalities stem from various causes, including alcohol poisoning, liver damage, heart failure, cancer, and car accidents. Despite these risks, alcohol consumption remains prevalent, highlighting the need for continued public health efforts and awareness campaigns.

The per capita alcohol consumption of beer in the United States has gradually decreased since the 1980s. In 2021, per capita alcohol consumption of beer was **** gallons of ethanol (pure alcohol). Binge drinking Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women within a two-hour period. The states with the highest prevalence of binge drinking are North Dakota, Iowa, and South Dakota. In 2023, around ** percent of adults in North Dakota binge drank in the past month. Utah had the lowest rates of binge drinking at that time. Alcohol and health Long-term health risks from excessive alcohol use include heart disease, stroke, liver disease, cancer, as well as mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Since the year 2000, the death rate from alcohol-related liver cirrhosis in the U.S. has increased. Liver cirrhosis results from long-term damage to the liver, perhaps from alcohol abuse, that results in normal tissue being replaced with scar tissue and therefore causing the liver to not function properly.

The alcohol consumption per capita in Russia was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.6 liters (-5.87 percent). After the eighth consecutive decreasing year, the per capita consumption is estimated to reach 9.62 liters and therefore a new minimum in 2029. Depicted is the estimated alcohol consumption in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

Nigerians consumed over ** liters of alcohol per capita in 2019, making it the leading country in terms of alcohol consumption per capita that year. The Kingdom of Eswatini and South Africa ranked second and third respectively, with just under *** liters per person. Per capita consumption worldwide In 2018, Russia was the leading country and region in terms of alcohol consumption per capita. The average Russian person drank almost twice as many alcoholic servings as the average African person that year. The most sold alcoholic beverages in the Russian Federation in 2018 were beer and malt beverages: over * billion liters of these alcoholic drinks were sold to the population. Illicit alcohol market in Africa The production and consumption of unrecorded alcoholic beverages can be dangerous and, in some instances, lethal. However, it is quite common in Sub Saharan Africa and Asia. Producing alcohol at home is a deeply rooted tradition in certain countries and these locally produced beverages tend to be cheaper than the commercial equivalents. Over ** percent of Uganda’s alcohol market was illicit in 2018, making it the country with the largest illicit alcohol market in Africa.

Alcohol consumption among the US public is at a relatively similar rate in the 21st century as it was in the nineteenth. The first drop in consumption appeared in the 1860s and 1870s, due to the American Civil War and the period of economic recovery that followed. After this, consumption rose again until the First World War, before it fell from 9.7 liters per person per year in 1915 to 7.4 in 1919. Following the war, the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution came into effect, which prohibited the importation, manufacturing and sale (but not consumption) of alcohol. From this point until Prohibition's end, there are no reliable figures regarding alcohol consumption in the US, however some sources suggest that consumption fell to thirty percent of its pre-prohibition levels in the first few years, but then grew to sixty or seventy percent by prohibition's end.

High spirits in the 70s and 80s

Total consumption then grew again in the 1930s and 40s, reaching 8.7 liters per person in 1946, before it plateaued at around 7.6 liters per person per year in the 1950s. Alcohol consumption then increased gradually to more than ten liters per person per year in the 1970s and 1980s, which was the highest rate of alcohol consumption in recorded US history. It then dropped to just over eight liters in the late 1990s, and gradually increased again to 8.9 liters per person in 2013, which is similar to figures recorded more than 160 years previously.

Beer moves a-head

The late 1800s also saw a major shift in the type of alcohol consumed. In 1850, 7.1 out of the eight liters consumed was through spirits, while beer and wine made up 0.5 and 0.3 liters respectively. However, by the turn of the twentieth century, alcohol was most commonly consumed through beer, and excluding a brief increase in spirits consumption in the 1960s, beer has been the most common source of alcohol since 1900. Alcohol from wine consumption has also gradually increased throughout US history, reaching its highest point in 2013, where the average US citizen consumed 1.6 liters of alcohol per year by drinking wine.

The alcohol consumption per capita in India was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total *** liters (+**** percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the per capita consumption is estimated to reach **** liters and therefore a new peak in 2029. Depicted is the estimated alcohol consumption in the country or region at hand. The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to *** countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the alcohol consumption per capita in countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The alcohol consumption per capita in Australia was forecast to remain on a similar level in 2029 as compared to 2024 with 10.33 liters. According to this forecast, the per capita consumption will stay nearly the same over the forecast period. Depicted is the estimated alcohol consumption in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the alcohol consumption per capita in countries like New Zealand and Fiji.

The alcohol consumption per capita in Belgium was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.2 liters (-1.99 percent). After the ninth consecutive decreasing year, the per capita consumption is estimated to reach 9.79 liters and therefore a new minimum in 2029. Depicted is the estimated alcohol consumption in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the alcohol consumption per capita in countries like France and Netherlands.

Germans are drinking less beer. Can that be true? Figures confirm that it is. As of 2023, per capita consumption in a year amounted to around ** liters. Ten years ago, one person consumed an average of ***** liters.   Cheers? Varying consumption levels of alcoholic beverages may occur for several reasons. Consumers may be guided by health considerations, due to the known risks increased drinking poses, or by prices, tastes, personal preferences at a given time, interests, and information available about a certain beverage. The graph at hand shows that, while beer consumption levels *******, wine, sparkling wine and spirits saw mostly the same levels during the timeline shown. Meanwhile, consumption of non-alcoholic beer in Germany has been **********.   What about the wine? Soft drinks, being cheaper, actually ******** alcoholic beverages in terms of revenue. But among alcoholic products, white wine and rosé were more popular than red wine. Germany is well-known for its white wine culture. Riesling is widely hailed as the most famous grape in the country, though Grauburgunder and Weissburgunder may also be familiar to fans. 

In 2022, the total alcohol consumption per capita in the Midwest region of the U.S. was 2.47 gallons of ethanol (pure alcohol). The Health People program initiated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services established a nationwide objective of no more than 2.1 gallons of alcohol per capita. This statistic displays the alcohol consumption per capita from all beverages in the United States Midwest region between 1977 and 2022.

This statistic compares the per capita consumption of alcohol worldwide in 2013, broken down by country. In that year, the United States ranked fifth with an alcohol consumption of 94.6 liters per person annually.