In this article, we are going to discuss the 5 countries with the highest rates of alcoholism. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the economic cost of alcohol consumption, the effect of taxes on alcohol abuse, various CSR initiatives to promote responsible drinking, and the use of ketamine to treat alcohol use disorder, head to 20 Countries with Highest Rates of Alcoholism.
5. Slovenia
Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 13.9%
Slovenia ranks among the most alcoholic countries in 2023. The mortality rate attributed to alcohol-related causes of death in the country also exceeds the EU average.
Alcohol also poses a significant financial burden in Slovenia. The economic burden related to alcohol for the period between 2012 and 2016 was estimated to be at around $249 million per year. In 2019, the campaign ‘40 Days Dry’ was launched for the 14th consecutive year to urge Slovenians to abstain from alcohol for 40 days leading to Lent.
4. Latvia
Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 15.5%
Latvia is the third Baltic state in our list of countries with high rates of alcoholism, thus revealing a disturbing pattern in the region. Latvia had the highest recorded alcohol consumption among the OECD countries – 12.9 liters of pure alcohol per capita in 2019. Over the last decade, alcohol consumption in the country was gradually increasing from 9.8 liters in 2010 and reaching its peak in 2018 with 13.2 liters.
Since grains grow better than grapes in the cold climate of the Baltic country, vodka is a popular drink in Latvia. Latvia is among the top 10 countries that drink the most alcohol.
3. Belarus
Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 18.8%
Belarus has a serious drinking problem and nearly 20,000 people die in the country every year due to alcohol-related conditions. Despite the large number of government policy initiatives that authorities claimed were controlling the problem, alcohol consumption in Belarus grew rapidly up to 2010, when it reached the highest in the world.
The authorities in the capital city of Minsk have banned the sale of fortified sorts of fruit wine which are commonly known as ‘ink’. Belarus ranks among the most alcoholic countries in Europe.
2. Russia
Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 20.9%
Alcoholism has been a problem throughout the country’s history because drinking is a pervasive, socially acceptable behavior in the Russian society and a major source of revenue for the government. According to the WHO, Russians consume 10.42 liters of pure alcohol per capita – some of the highest levels in the world. Several Western alcohol companies are leaving the Russian market after the invasion of Ukraine last year.
1. Hungary
Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 21.2%
While Hungarians are not the heaviest drinkers in Europe, the number of people who drink regularly in the Central European country is increasing. According to Eurostat, Hungary has the cheapest prices of alcohol for any country in the European Union.
While the country is home to several large breweries, the national drink of Hungary is pálinka, a fruit brandy that, to put it frankly, could well topple a horse. Hungary has the highest rate of alcoholism in the world.
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