Europe: Home of much natural beauty, old traditions and booze. Lots and lots of booze.
Yes, all but one of the World's 15 Heaviest-Drinking Countries are in Europe, a continent where cultural traditions — and tax policies on alcohol — die hard.
Our top 15 listing comes from a 2006 survey by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which tracks per capita alcohol consumption around the globe. Rankings are based on the number of liters of pure alcohol consumed per person per year, from beer, wine and spirits combined (the three have progressively higher percentages of alcohol content).
Luxembourg, where residents pound down 15.5 liters of alcohol in a year, on average, ranks first. Close behind are France (14.2 liters), Ireland (also 14.2 liters, a lot more of it from beer), Hungary (12 liters) and the Czech Republic (11.8 liters).
A 2006 study by the Weinberg Group, a consulting firm that reported findings of several published health officials on alcohol use in Europe, showed that Europe generally has greater tolerance and acceptance for drinking than the rest of the world does, with alcohol used more in social settings and at family meals.
"A number of social, political and cultural factors have been reported to influence drinking behavior," the report concluded. Among them: traditions that have young and old imbibing around the dinner table and at social events, and varying levels of alcohol taxes in different countries.
Luxembourg taxes beer at just .02 euros per pint, lower than any European country other than Cyprus and Latvia. It has no excise tax on wine. The European Union is generally very friendly to the continent's vintners, supporting minuscule taxes in order to support consumer purchases. According to reports, the E.U. deemed illegal a recent attempt by Sweden to impose a higher tax, asserting levies on wine cannot exceed those on beer, lest they hurt the domestic wine businesses while, in this case, benefiting Sweden's brewers.
But taxes are apparently just a small piece of the picture. When Denmark turned to higher alcohol taxes a decade ago, the result was only a limited drop in demand. The country still ranks seventh in per capita alcohol consumption worldwide, at 11.5 liters per year.
Meanwhile, a survey in the publication Alcohol Research & Health shows that 94 percent of 15-year-olds in the Czech Republic identify themselves as drinkers, with almost half saying they've drank beer at least three times over the past month. Drinking figures are similar elsewhere in Europe — 96 percent in Denmark, 89 percent in Ireland and 91 percent in the U.K.
The Czechs, who after all invented Pilsner, lead the world in annual beer consumption with over 150 liters per person. That's about twice the U.S. rate. A potential reason for the extra drinking on the east side of the Atlantic: No country making the list has a legal drinking age over 18; with some as low as 16 for beer. The minimum legal age in the U.S. is 21.
Not all surveys on drinking frequency over the years necessarily match each other's findings. A 2004 study commissioned by the World Health Organization, for example, had countries like Russia and Switzerland sneaking past some on the OECD list, like Belgium and Australia. But the results were mostly similar.
Worldwide, the W.H.O. asserts that some 2 billion people use alcohol at one time or another, with approximately 76 million deemed to have a problem. Its 2002 World Health Report blamed liquor for 1.8 million deaths, including about 200,000 in the European Union, along with 20% to 30% of all liver disease, auto accidents and epilepsy seizures.
Robert Malone and Tom Van Riper
FAQs
Luxembourg, where residents pound down 15.5 liters of alcohol in a year, on average, ranks first. Close behind are France (14.2 liters), Ireland (also 14.2 liters, a lot more of it from beer), Hungary (12 liters) and the Czech Republic (11.8 liters).
What country can handle the most alcohol? ›
Luxembourg, where residents pound down 15.5 liters of alcohol in a year, on average, ranks first. Close behind are France (14.2 liters), Ireland (also 14.2 liters, a lot more of it from beer), Hungary (12 liters) and the Czech Republic (11.8 liters).
Who has the highest alcohol tolerance? ›
Thus, men, being larger than women on average, will typically have a higher alcohol tolerance. The alcohol tolerance is also connected with activity of alcohol dehydrogenases (a group of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of alcohol) in the liver, and in the bloodstream.
What is the #1 country for alcoholism? ›
Russia and Australia have the highest prevalence of alcoholism dependence overall, with 2.61 per cent and 2.58 per cent, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.
What country has the most strict alcohol laws? ›
Saudi Arabia is not the only nation that bans alcohol sales: Kuwait has prohibited the sale and purchase of all liquor within its borders since 1965—a move that at the time caused the death or hospitalization of hundreds of citizens as they instead drank perfume and rubbing alcohol, Time reported—and the laws still ...
What is the most consumed alcohol in the world? ›
Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage worldwide. In fact, after water and tea, beer is the most commonly-consumed drink in the world.
Do heavy drinkers process alcohol faster? ›
Although heavy drinkers develop a biological tolerance for alcohol over time — meaning that their bodies can metabolize alcohol faster, and it moves out of their systems more quickly — this new study showed that heavy drinkers were just as impaired as lighter drinkers on a more complex task, said lead study author Ty ...
How many drinks can a 200 pound man have? ›
At 200 pounds, a man will have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 after two drinks. If he drinks them over one hour, he will have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.004, and after two hours, he will have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.00.
What is a strong alcohol tolerance? ›
Someone with high tolerance can drink more alcohol without feeling like they are intoxicated or under the influence. But high tolerance is a problem linked to harmful results. Tolerance is a symptom of alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders.
Who drinks most in Europe? ›
In 2021, Latvia consumed 12.2 liters of alcohol per capita, which was the highest among European countries. Lithuania had the second-highest alcohol consumption per capita, at 12.1 liters, with Turkey having the lowest at 1.4 liters.
The Czech Republic and France consumed an average of 39.3 handles of vodka each per person, and while Russia was among the top five countries for alcohol consumption, it consumed a little over 38 handles of vodka on average. The U.S., however, ranked No. 25, with an average of 29 handles of vodka consumed per person.
What is the drinking age in Russia? ›
The legal drinking age in Russia is 18 years of age. The sale of strong alcohol is prohibited after 10pm. Drinking is prohibited on public transport, streets and parks. Restaurants and cafes have specially designated smoking and no-smoking areas.
Where is alcohol banned in us? ›
Two states—Kansas and Tennessee—are entirely dry by default: counties specifically must authorize the sale of alcohol in order for it to be legal and subject to state liquor control laws.
What countries can't you drink on the street? ›
Such countries include:
- Algeria.
- Egypt.
- Morocco.
- Iran (for non-Muslim minorities only; alcohol illegal otherwise)
- Jordan.
- Sudan (for non-Muslims)
- Pakistan (for non-Muslims only; alcohol illegal otherwise)
- Turkmenistan (on buses, trains, planes and ships)
Egyptian laws towards alcohol are quite liberal compared with that of most Islamic countries, except for the month of Ramadan when alcohol is strictly forbidden and only holders of foreign passports are allowed to buy alcohol. The legal drinking age in Egypt is 21.
Who drinks more alcohol, the UK or the US? ›
UK's alcohol shame: How Britons get through an average 108 bottles of wine a year - more than most of the world - and baby boomers are fuelling the problem. Britons drink almost one litre more pure alcohol each year than Americans, who consume the average amount, a report revealed today.
What ethnicities drink the most? ›
According to past-30-day estimates of drinking provided by the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (SAMHSA 2008c), any alcohol use in adults (i.e., ages 18 or older) is most prevalent for Whites (59.8 percent), lowest for Asian Americans (38.0 percent), and similar for Native Americans (i.e., American ...
Does Korea drink the most alcohol? ›
Recent studies have shown that Koreans drink the largest amount of alcohol in the world. In the past, people drank on specific days like New Year's, but presently alcohol can be consumed regardless of the occasion. The goal of drinking parties is to promote good fellowship and opening one's heart to socializing.
