While alcohol has from the ages been largely and frequently consumed as a recreational substance, when its consumption is examined among countries, it shows that it is uneven. This is because the levels of consumption and the alcohol types vary from place to place given the different traditions and customs as well.
While some cultures find the consumption of alcohol pleasurable, others find intoxication to be a sin and taboo. In addition to that, the availability of the raw materials for producing alcoholic drinks which include a wide but specific range of fruits, grains and carbohydrates also determines the production and consumption levels of the country.
“There’s also the question of economics and availability. It’s strange, but in some regions of the world, industrially mass-produced alcohol can flood markets and become cheaper than other beverages, including water,” reports researcher Omri Wallach.
When mapped by capita and different types of alcohol, the local and cultural stories of alcohol consumption come to light.
The World Health Organization recorded the consumption data for 2019 in litres of pure alcohol and found that 8 of the top 10 countries with the top alcohol consumption per capita were in Europe; primarily Eastern and Central European countries including Latvia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Austria with the crown going to the Cook Islands.
At the bottom of the chart, not surprisingly, were Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Islamic countries were intoxication is religiously prohibited.
Africa’s top 10 as shared by Charles Onyango-Obbo on his twitter handle is as follows; 1. Seychelles, 2.Tanzania. 3.Eswatini, 4. Burkina Faso, 5. South Africa, 6. Uganda, 7. Gabon, 8. Rwanda, 9. Eq. Guinea, 10. Botswana.
Regions like Africa and Asia that struggle with the right conditions for grapes and hops highly consume other distilled drinks since alcohol can be produced from a vast variety of crops like rice, molasses, bananas, sugarcane, grains and other fruits. It is therefore natural that differences in types, amounts and even cultural importance of alcohol consumption would arise.
“But as one of the world’s most widely used recreational drugs, it’s played a storied role throughout history that is certain to continue evolving,” commented Omri.
