There isn't one single "drunkest" country, as it depends on how you measure: Australia often tops surveys for frequency of getting drunk (e.g., Global Drug Survey 2021), while countries like Romania, Georgia, and Latvia frequently rank highest for total per capita alcohol consumption (liters of pure alcohol) according to WHO data. This highlights different patterns: some nations drink more often, while others consume more volume per occasion or year.
List Of Countries That Drink The Most Alcohol
For reference, a standard drink is measured at 14 grams of pure ethanol alcohol in the United States. The data showed a four-way tie between Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, and Somalia as the countries that consumed the least amount of alcohol per capita.
#1. Andre the Giant
Romania tops the list of countries with the highest alcohol consumption per person, with Georgia, Czechia, Latvia, and Germany rounding out the top five.
Liters of alcohol consumed per capita in selected European countries 2022. In 2022, Latvia consumed 11.9 liters of alcohol per capita, which was the highest among European countries. Spain had the second-highest alcohol consumption per capita, at 11.8 liters, with Turkey having the lowest at 1.6 liters.
Water is the world's most consumed drink, however, 97% of water on Earth is non-drinkable salt water. Fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, wetlands, groundwater, and frozen glaciers.
The major causes of alcohol-related death are alcohol poisoning, cancer, car accidents, heart failure, liver damage, and violence.
Andre the Giant, the legendary professional wrestler, is widely reported to have drunk 106 beers in one night at the Downtowner in Charlotte, North Carolina, around 1975, a feat recounted by fellow wrestler Ric Flair and others, though some accounts claim even higher numbers like 117 or 156 beers in a single sitting.
Whites have greater odds than Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians for either a past-year or lifetime alcohol use disorder. Native Americans have greater odds than Whites for lifetime alcohol dependence but similar odds for lifetime alcohol abuse and past-year alcohol abuse and dependence.
Iran is strictly "dry" — absolutely no booze or beer in public.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
The regions with the highest consumption are the WHO European Region (9.2 litres) and the Region of the Americas (7.5 litres).
Today, alcohol drinking levels in the Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, are among the lowest in the European Union. Unsurprisingly, alcohol is treated in many of these countries as no ordinary commodity and is strictly regulated.
🥂 As Canadians, for many years, we have been told that the LCBO (the government run purchaser and distributer of alcohol beverages in Ontario) is the largest purchaser of alcohol in the entire world. It has even been repeated recently by Premier Ford publicly.
Just Across the Pond: The UK
With every pub corner echoing with laughter and cheer, they're savouring around 2.2 million pints of Guinness every day.
Alcohol can help you fall asleep, but it may disturb sleep later in the night. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep. Drinking alcohol can cause snoring and worsen sleep apnea. Protect your sleep quality by finishing any drinks 3 to 4 hours before bed.
Heavy drinking includes binge drinking and has been defined for women as 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more per week, and for men as 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week.
Blackout Wednesday, also called Drinksgiving, is the night before Thanksgiving, and it has become one of the most popular drinking nights of the year in the United States. It's a night when many people return to their hometowns, reconnect with friends and family, and often end up celebrating with heavy drinking.
Each time your liver filters alcohol, some of the liver cells die. The liver can develop new cells, but prolonged alcohol misuse (drinking too much) over many years can reduce its ability to regenerate. This can result in serious and permanent damage to your liver.
Many people appear to have a younger appearance if they are sober, as alcohol is ageing. A key reason for this is that the skin is better able to retain moisture, resulting in a more hydrated and radiant complexion. Reduced inflammation and improved circulation can also contribute to a brighter and more even skin tone.
Globally, Ischaemic Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease) remains the world's biggest killer, but regionally, Dementia (including Alzheimer's) has recently become the leading cause of death in countries like Australia, surpassing heart disease for females and overall, while heart disease leads for males. Other top causes globally include stroke, respiratory infections, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Non-alcoholic and low-ABV options: A defining trait of Gen Z drinking is openness to alcohol-free or low-alcohol alternatives. Over half of Gen Z drinkers report that they “often or sometimes” choose non-alcoholic beers, mocktails or low-ABV cocktails when socializing.
Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world. It's often served with scones.
Drinks to help you sleep