South Africa’s alcohol consumption rate has climbed, with the country now ranked as one of the top 20 biggest drinking nations in the world.<\/p>\n
This is according to a statistical update from the World Health Organization, tracking alcohol consumption per capita, across 194 countries.<\/p>\n
The data shows that in 2015, pure alcohol consumption (per litre) in South Africa is at 11.5 litre per capita per year – up from 11.0 litres in 2014.<\/p>\n
This pushes South Africa up to the third biggest drinking nation in Africa, and the 19th biggest drinking nation in the world, tied with Poland.<\/p>\n
Among the drinking population (excluding abstainers), South Africans consume in the region of 27 litres of pure alcohol per capita per year, one of the highest rates in the world.<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s average alcohol consumption is almost double the WHO African region average of 6 litres, and\u00a0is expected to increase to 12.1 in 2025.<\/p>\n
More than a quarter of the drinking population in South Africa are considered binge drinkers, consuming at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol in one session within a 30-day period.<\/p>\n
The world’s biggest drinking nations (litres per capita, 2015)<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the WHO, alcohol use disorders constitute a significant disease burden in most regions in the world, with the exception of the Eastern Mediterranean region where alcohol consumption is limited.<\/p>\n Worldwide alcohol consumption in 2015 was\u00a0projected to be 6.3 litres of pure alcohol per\u00a0person aged 15 or older.<\/p>\n In 2010, 38% of the\u00a0world population aged 15 or older had drunk\u00a0alcohol in the past 12 months, with 16% of\u00a0them engaged in ‘heavy episodic drinking’.<\/p>\n In 2012, about 3.3 million deaths \u2013 or 5.9% of all global deaths \u2013 were attributable to alcohol consumption; 7.6% of deaths among males, and 4.0% of deaths among females.<\/p>\n South Africa has been highlighted as the worst country in the world for drunk driving<\/a><\/strong>, where\u00a0as much as 58% of deaths on SA roads can be attributed to alcohol consumption.<\/p>\n Govt pushing ahead with tighter alcohol laws<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n South African road deaths vs the world<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n How much booze is \u201ctoo much\u201d booze?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\n #<\/th>\n Country<\/th>\n Alcohol consumptions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/td>\n Maldova<\/td>\n 17.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 2<\/td>\n Belarus<\/td>\n 17.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 3<\/td>\n Lithuania<\/td>\n 16.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 4<\/td>\n Russia<\/td>\n 14.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 5<\/td>\n Czech Republic<\/td>\n 14.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 6<\/td>\n Serbia<\/td>\n 12.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 6<\/td>\n Romania<\/td>\n 12.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 8<\/td>\n Australia<\/td>\n 12.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 9<\/td>\n Slovakia<\/td>\n 12.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 9<\/td>\n Portugal<\/td>\n 12.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 11<\/td>\n Hungary<\/td>\n 12.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 12<\/td>\n UK<\/td>\n 12.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 13<\/td>\n Finland<\/td>\n 11.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 14<\/td>\n Ukraine<\/td>\n 11.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 14<\/td>\n Namibia<\/td>\n 11.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 14<\/td>\n Gabon<\/td>\n 11.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 17<\/td>\n Croatia<\/td>\n 11.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 18<\/td>\n France<\/td>\n 11.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 19<\/td>\n Poland<\/td>\n 11.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 19<\/td>\n South Africa<\/td>\n 11.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Alcohol problems<\/h3>\n
More on alcohol in SA<\/h3>\n