Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita 2014

Average spirits consumption per capita highlights drinking habits in different countries, measured in liters annually.

Newer data is available: Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita by country 2022 →

Highest
Estonia
6.77 liters
Lowest
Yemen
0 liters
Median country
1.06 liters
Countries with data
186

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
Actions
1
Estonia flag
Estonia
6.77 liters
2
Mongolia flag
Mongolia
6.5 liters
3
Lithuania flag
Lithuania
5.76 liters
4
Kyrgyzstan flag
Kyrgyzstan
5.34 liters
5
Dominica flag
Dominica
5.299 liters
6
Saint Lucia flag
Saint Lucia
4.864 liters
7
Mauritius flag
Mauritius
4.839 liters
8
Belarus flag
Belarus
4.64 liters
9
Thailand flag
Thailand
4.63 liters
10
Barbados flag
Barbados
4.583 liters
11
Saint Kitts and Nevis flag
Saint Kitts and Nevis
4.513 liters
12
China flag
China
4.45 liters
13
Bulgaria flag
Bulgaria
4.24 liters
14
Ukraine flag
Ukraine
4.21 liters
15
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines flag
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
4.161 liters
16
Slovakia flag
Slovakia
4.13 liters
17
Hungary flag
Hungary
4.09 liters
18
Latvia flag
Latvia
4 liters
19
Russia flag
Russia
3.95 liters
20
Seychelles flag
Seychelles
3.872 liters
21
Poland flag
Poland
3.76 liters
22
Laos flag
Laos
3.736 liters
23
Philippines flag
Philippines
3.631 liters
24
Antigua and Barbuda flag
Antigua and Barbuda
3.59 liters
25
Republic of Moldova flag
Republic of Moldova
3.54 liters
26
Grenada flag
Grenada
3.499 liters
27
Armenia flag
Armenia
3.482 liters
28
Guyana flag
Guyana
3.383 liters
29
North Korea flag
North Korea
3.353 liters
30
Bahamas flag
Bahamas
3.298 liters
31
Georgia flag
Georgia
3.284 liters
32
Czech Republic flag
Czech Republic
3.16 liters
33
Brazil flag
Brazil
3.06 liters
34
United States flag
United States
3.03 liters
35
Suriname flag
Suriname
2.885 liters
36
India flag
India
2.788 liters
37
Zimbabwe flag
Zimbabwe
2.783 liters
38
Montenegro flag
Montenegro
2.659 liters
39
Trinidad and Tobago flag
Trinidad and Tobago
2.597 liters
40
Serbia flag
Serbia
2.596 liters
41
Cuba flag
Cuba
2.537 liters
42
Haiti flag
Haiti
2.525 liters
43
France flag
France
2.47 liters
44
Luxembourg flag
Luxembourg
2.465 liters
45
Germany flag
Germany
2.46 liters
46
Niue flag
Niue
2.329 liters
47
Liberia flag
Liberia
2.32 liters
48
Andorra flag
Andorra
2.315 liters
49
Chile flag
Chile
2.28 liters
50
Angola flag
Angola
2.265 liters
51
Uzbekistan flag
Uzbekistan
2.17 liters
52
Spain flag
Spain
2.16 liters
53
Peru flag
Peru
2.142 liters
54
Nicaragua flag
Nicaragua
2.124 liters
55
Canada flag
Canada
2.05 liters
56
United Kingdom flag
United Kingdom
2.03 liters
57
Sri Lanka flag
Sri Lanka
2.01 liters
58
Ireland flag
Ireland
1.99 liters
59
Malta flag
Malta
1.903 liters
60
Jamaica flag
Jamaica
1.853 liters
61
Paraguay flag
Paraguay
1.839 liters
62
Nauru flag
Nauru
1.814 liters
63
Austria flag
Austria
1.75 liters
64
Dominican Republic flag
Dominican Republic
1.75 liters
65
Albania flag
Albania
1.733 liters
66
Belize flag
Belize
1.676 liters
67
United Arab Emirates flag
United Arab Emirates
1.66 liters
68
Cyprus flag
Cyprus
1.643 liters
69
Denmark flag
Denmark
1.59 liters
70
Kazakhstan flag
Kazakhstan
1.54 liters
71
Greece flag
Greece
1.515 liters
72
New Zealand flag
New Zealand
1.49 liters
73
Botswana flag
Botswana
1.482 liters
74
Belgium flag
Belgium
1.47 liters
75
Romania flag
Romania
1.42 liters
76
Switzerland flag
Switzerland
1.41 liters
77
Portugal flag
Portugal
1.4 liters
78
Venezuela flag
Venezuela
1.376 liters
79
El Salvador flag
El Salvador
1.342 liters
80
Netherlands flag
Netherlands
1.32 liters
81
Panama flag
Panama
1.307 liters
82
Croatia flag
Croatia
1.305 liters
83
Uruguay flag
Uruguay
1.25 liters
84
Vanuatu flag
Vanuatu
1.246 liters
85
Honduras flag
Honduras
1.241 liters
86
Finland flag
Finland
1.24 liters
87
Turkmenistan flag
Turkmenistan
1.233 liters
88
Australia flag
Australia
1.23 liters
89
South Africa flag
South Africa
1.21 liters
90
Equatorial Guinea flag
Equatorial Guinea
1.122 liters
91
Iceland flag
Iceland
1.12 liters
92
Gabon flag
Gabon
1.11 liters
93
Israel flag
Israel
1.063 liters
94
Bahrain flag
Bahrain
1.06 liters
95
Norway flag
Norway
1.04 liters
96
Myanmar flag
Myanmar
1.033 liters
97
Sweden flag
Sweden
0.99 liters
98
Côte d'Ivoire flag
Côte d'Ivoire
0.984 liters
99
Cabo Verde flag
Cabo Verde
0.965 liters
100
Nigeria flag
Nigeria
0.933 liters
101
Italy flag
Italy
0.86 liters
102
North Macedonia flag
North Macedonia
0.823 liters
103
Slovenia flag
Slovenia
0.8 liters
104
Namibia flag
Namibia
0.755 liters
105
Ecuador flag
Ecuador
0.724 liters
106
Kenya flag
Kenya
0.716 liters
107
Qatar flag
Qatar
0.713 liters
108
Guatemala flag
Guatemala
0.706 liters
109
Fiji flag
Fiji
0.692 liters
110
Maldives flag
Maldives
0.649 liters
111
Japan flag
Japan
0.63 liters
112
Uganda flag
Uganda
0.602 liters
113
Bolivia flag
Bolivia
0.576 liters
114
Lebanon flag
Lebanon
0.576 liters
115
Argentina flag
Argentina
0.55 liters
116
Ghana flag
Ghana
0.542 liters
117
Bosnia and Herzegovina flag
Bosnia and Herzegovina
0.538 liters
118
Papua New Guinea flag
Papua New Guinea
0.529 liters
119
Guinea-Bissau flag
Guinea-Bissau
0.508 liters
120
Micronesia (Fed. States of) flag
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
0.49 liters
121
Nepal flag
Nepal
0.462 liters
122
Turkey flag
Turkey
0.46 liters
123
Tajikistan flag
Tajikistan
0.458 liters
124
Tanzania flag
Tanzania
0.43 liters
125
Colombia flag
Colombia
0.423 liters
126
Cambodia flag
Cambodia
0.398 liters
127
Mexico flag
Mexico
0.38 liters
128
Costa Rica flag
Costa Rica
0.37 liters
129
Lesotho flag
Lesotho
0.353 liters
130
Iraq flag
Iraq
0.347 liters
131
Congo flag
Congo
0.335 liters
132
South Korea flag
South Korea
0.33 liters
133
Sao Tome and Principe flag
Sao Tome and Principe
0.293 liters
134
Jordan flag
Jordan
0.291 liters
135
Bhutan flag
Bhutan
0.285 liters
136
Vietnam flag
Vietnam
0.237 liters
137
Oman flag
Oman
0.234 liters
138
Singapore flag
Singapore
0.23 liters
139
Tuvalu flag
Tuvalu
0.22 liters
140
Zambia flag
Zambia
0.213 liters
141
Madagascar flag
Madagascar
0.205 liters
142
Djibouti flag
Djibouti
0.204 liters
143
Togo flag
Togo
0.204 liters
144
Mozambique flag
Mozambique
0.195 liters
145
Benin flag
Benin
0.188 liters
146
Syrian Arab Republic flag
Syrian Arab Republic
0.174 liters
147
Burkina Faso flag
Burkina Faso
0.174 liters
148
Kiribati flag
Kiribati
0.156 liters
149
Malawi flag
Malawi
0.154 liters
150
Tunisia flag
Tunisia
0.134 liters
151
Rwanda flag
Rwanda
0.13 liters
152
Ethiopia flag
Ethiopia
0.126 liters
153
Eswatini flag
Eswatini
0.115 liters
154
Malaysia flag
Malaysia
0.113 liters
155
Gambia flag
Gambia
0.113 liters
156
Tonga flag
Tonga
0.11 liters
157
Samoa flag
Samoa
0.098 liters
158
Algeria flag
Algeria
0.076 liters
159
Morocco flag
Morocco
0.066 liters
160
Niger flag
Niger
0.066 liters
161
Kuwait flag
Kuwait
0.064 liters
162
Egypt flag
Egypt
0.064 liters
163
Timor-Leste flag
Timor-Leste
0.05 liters
164
Comoros flag
Comoros
0.049 liters
165
Brunei Darussalam flag
Brunei Darussalam
0.048 liters
166
Solomon Islands flag
Solomon Islands
0.034 liters
167
Pakistan flag
Pakistan
0.032 liters
168
Chad flag
Chad
0.032 liters
169
Sierra Leone flag
Sierra Leone
0.031 liters
170
Senegal flag
Senegal
0.025 liters
171
Congo, Democratic Republic of the flag
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
0.025 liters
172
Mali flag
Mali
0.016 liters
173
Central African Republic flag
Central African Republic
0.014 liters
174
Guinea flag
Guinea
0.014 liters
175
Indonesia flag
Indonesia
0.014 liters
176
Cameroon flag
Cameroon
0.012 liters
177
Burundi flag
Burundi
0.005 liters
178
Bangladesh flag
Bangladesh
0.003 liters
179
Afghanistan flag
Afghanistan
0 liters
180
Eritrea flag
Eritrea
0 liters
181
Iran flag
Iran
0 liters
182
Libya flag
Libya
0 liters
183
Mauritania flag
Mauritania
0 liters
184
Somalia flag
Somalia
0 liters
185
Sudan flag
Sudan
0 liters
186
Yemen flag
Yemen
0 liters

↑Top 10 Countries

  1. #1Estonia flagEstonia
  2. #2Mongolia flagMongolia
  3. #3Lithuania flagLithuania
  4. #4Kyrgyzstan flagKyrgyzstan
  5. #5Dominica flagDominica
  6. #6Saint Lucia flagSaint Lucia
  7. #7Mauritius flagMauritius
  8. #8Belarus flagBelarus
  9. #9Thailand flagThailand
  10. #10Barbados flagBarbados

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

  1. #186Yemen flagYemen
  2. #185Sudan flagSudan
  3. #184Somalia flagSomalia
  4. #183Mauritania flagMauritania
  5. #182Libya flagLibya
  6. #181Iran flagIran
  7. #180Eritrea flagEritrea
  8. #179Afghanistan flagAfghanistan
  9. #178Bangladesh flagBangladesh
  10. #177Burundi flagBurundi

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Insights by country

1

Zambia

Zambia ranked #140 globally in 2014 for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 0.21330085 liters. This figure is notably lower than the global average, indicating limited access or consumption of spirits compared to many countries. Contributing factors include Zambia's economic landscape, where a significant portion of the population lives in poverty, impacting discretionary spending on alcohol, and cultural attitudes towards drinking that may prioritize beer over spirits.

2

Syrian Arab Republic

In 2014, the Syrian Arab Republic ranked #146 globally in Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 0.17449395 liters. This figure is notably lower than many countries in the region, reflecting cultural and religious factors that influence alcohol consumption. Ongoing conflict and economic instability have also contributed to limited access to spirits, impacting both production and consumption patterns.

3

New Zealand

In 2014, New Zealand ranked #72 globally with an average spirits consumption per capita of 1.49 liters. This figure is notably lower than the global average, reflecting a cultural preference for beer and wine over spirits. Contributing factors include New Zealand's strong wine industry, particularly in regions like Marlborough, and government regulations that influence alcohol consumption patterns.

4

Somalia

In 2014, Somalia ranked #184 globally for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 0 liters. This figure places Somalia among the lowest consumers of spirits, significantly below the global average. The absence of spirits consumption can be attributed to the country's predominantly Muslim population, where Islamic law restricts alcohol consumption, alongside ongoing socio-economic challenges that limit access to such products.

5

Ukraine

In 2014, Ukraine ranked #14 globally for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 4.21 liters. This figure is notably higher than the global average, reflecting cultural practices and social norms around alcohol consumption in Eastern Europe. Economic challenges and a historical context of alcohol production have contributed to high consumption levels, as spirits are often more affordable than other beverages.

6

Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe ranked #133 globally in 2014 for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a consumption of 0.29256907 liters. This figure is notably lower than the global average, reflecting the country's smaller population and limited market for alcoholic beverages compared to larger nations. Economic factors, including a reliance on agriculture and tourism, alongside cultural attitudes towards alcohol consumption, contribute to this relatively low level of spirits consumption.

7

Turkey

In 2014, Turkey ranked #122 globally for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 0.46 liters. This figure is notably lower than many of its regional neighbors, reflecting a cultural preference for non-alcoholic beverages. Factors such as the predominance of Islamic practices, which discourage alcohol consumption, and government regulations on alcohol sales contribute to this low consumption rate.

8

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom ranked #56 globally in 2014 for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita at 2.03 liters. This figure is notably lower than the global average, reflecting a more moderate drinking culture compared to countries with higher consumption rates, such as Belarus. Contributing factors include stringent alcohol regulations, public health campaigns aimed at reducing binge drinking, and a growing trend towards lower alcohol consumption among younger demographics in the UK.

9

Thailand

In 2014, Thailand ranked #9 globally for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 4.63 liters. This consumption level is notably higher than many of its Southeast Asian neighbors, reflecting a strong cultural affinity for spirits, particularly in social and celebratory contexts. Factors such as tourism, which significantly boosts local consumption, and a vibrant nightlife scene in urban areas contribute to this high ranking.

10

Mauritania

Mauritania ranked #183 globally in 2014 for Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita, with a value of 0 liters. This figure is significantly lower than the global average, reflecting the country's cultural and religious practices that discourage alcohol consumption.

Islam is the predominant religion in Mauritania, where strict adherence to Islamic law limits the availability and social acceptance of alcoholic beverages. Additionally, economic factors and a lack of infrastructure for alcohol distribution contribute to this low consumption rate.

Analysis & Context

In 2014, Estonia led the world in Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita with a consumption of 6.77 liters annually, while the global range extended from 0.00 liters to this maximum value. The global average for spirits consumption was 1.51 liters, providing a benchmark to understand different countries' drinking habits. This data helps illuminate global patterns in alcohol consumption across 186 countries.

Top Consumers and Cultural Influences

The data reveals that Eastern European countries dominate the top of the list for spirits consumption, with Estonia and Lithuania consuming 6.77 and 5.76 liters per capita, respectively. These high levels of consumption can be attributed to cultural norms where spirits play a significant role in social and celebratory events. Similarly, in Mongolia, which ranks second with 6.5 liters, traditional and cultural practices involving spirits contribute to the high consumption levels. These countries' historical ties to spirits, particularly vodka, influence these statistics significantly.

Abstinent Nations and Policy Impacts

At the other end of the spectrum, several countries report a consumption of 0.00 liters, including Sudan, Libya, and Iran. These nations typically have strict regulations or prohibitions on alcohol consumption often rooted in religious beliefs, particularly in Islamic countries where alcohol is forbidden. The influence of religious doctrine and corresponding legislation results in minimal or no spirits consumption, as seen in Somalia and Afghanistan as well.

Economic Factors and Their Effects

Economic conditions also play a role in spirits consumption. In countries like Belarus (4.64 liters) and Kyrgyzstan (5.34 liters), lower spirits prices relative to income levels make alcohol more accessible. Conversely, in wealthier nations, higher taxes and prices may curb consumption despite higher disposable incomes. Additionally, Thailand and Barbados, with consumption of 4.63 and 4.58 liters respectively, reflect a balance between cultural affinity for spirits and economic accessibility.

Trends and Year-over-Year Changes

The year-over-year changes in spirits consumption highlight significant shifts. Botswana saw the largest increase, with a rise of 0.66 liters (80.1%), likely due to economic growth and changing social attitudes towards alcohol. Similarly, Nigeria experienced a dramatic increase of 0.60 liters (179.3%), potentially reflecting its rapidly expanding economy and urbanization. In contrast, Mongolia experienced a significant decrease of 2.49 liters (-27.7%), possibly due to government initiatives aimed at reducing alcohol consumption for public health reasons. Eswatini, with a decrease of 1.15 liters (-90.9%), may reflect similar policy interventions or shifts in public attitudes.

The analysis of Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita in 2014 reveals a complex interplay of cultural, economic, and policy factors that shape drinking habits across the globe. By examining these patterns, we gain insights into the diverse landscape of alcohol consumption and the various influences that drive it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita in 2014

Which country had the highest average spirits consumption per capita in 2014?

Estonia had the highest average spirits consumption per capita in 2014, with 6.77 liters.

What was the lowest average spirits consumption per capita recorded in 2014?

The lowest average spirits consumption per capita in 2014 was 0 liters, recorded in Sudan.

What was the average spirits consumption per capita across all countries in 2014?

The average spirits consumption per capita across all countries in 2014 was 1.51 liters.

What was the median spirits consumption per capita in 2014?

The median spirits consumption per capita in 2014 was 1.06 liters.

Which countries were in the top 3 for spirits consumption per capita in 2014?

The top 3 countries for spirits consumption per capita in 2014 were Estonia with 6.77 liters, Mongolia with 6.5 liters, and Lithuania with 5.76 liters.

How many countries were included in the dataset for average spirits consumption per capita in 2014?

The dataset for average spirits consumption per capita in 2014 included 186 countries.

Data Source

Spirits consumption per person | World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory via Our World in Data

Data produced by World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory, compiled and published by Our World in Data as "Spirits consumption per person".

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Cite this page

Geo Factbook. (n.d.). Average Spirits Consumption Per Capita by Country, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from https://geofactbook.com/fact/average-spirits-consumption-per-capita/2014

The figures on this page come from Spirits consumption per person | World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory via Our World in Data. For academic work, cite the original source as well.

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