Riskiest Regions. Russia was the only country to be labeled the riskiest, in terms of patterns of drinking. Russians also consumed more spirits than any of the other top GDP countries: an average of 326 servings per person in a single year.
Key statistics
191.2 million litres of pure alcohol was available for consumption. This equates to 9.51 litres of pure alcohol available per person. 12.43 litres per person was consumed by the 77% of persons who consumed alcohol last year.
Alcoholism has been a problem throughout the country's history because drinking is a pervasive, socially acceptable behaviour in Russian society and alcohol has also been a major source of government revenue for centuries. It has repeatedly been targeted as a major national problem, with mixed results.
Laws that apply anywhere in Australia
Legal drinking age – you must be 18 or older to buy alcohol or to drink alcohol in a licensed venue. Selling alcohol – it's illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 18 or to someone who is already drunk.
Additionally, the prevalence of heavy drinking among Russian men decreased from 75% in 2004 to 48% in 2016, a significant achievement in a country where researchers once projected that one out of every two working-age men would die prematurely from alcohol abuse.
Local government areas in Western Australia's (WA) beachside are consuming the most alcohol, with rates almost double the national average. Byron Shire Council in New South Wales (NSW) had the nation's highest rate of risky drinking, but some areas of NSW also had some of the lowest rates in the country.
Approximately 40% of the population (aged 14 years and over) drink alcohol at least once per week, including 5% of the population who drink daily. Twenty-three percent of Australians do not drink alcohol at all.
According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.
The top 10 countries that consume the least alcohol across the WHO European Region are Tajikistan (0.9 litres), Azerbaijan (1.0), Turkey (1.8), Uzbekistan (2.6), Turkmenistan (3.1), Israel (4.4), Armenia (4.7), Kazakhstan (5.0), Albania (6.8), and North Macedonia (6.4).
Heavy drinking in Australia was a cultural norm since colonisation. For a period, convicts in Australia were partially paid with rum. The distribution of rum amongst the New South Wales Corps led to the only successful armed takeover of an Australian government, which later became known as the Rum Rebellion of 1808.
Alcohol is an intrinsic part of Australian culture and it plays a central role in most people's social lives. Heavy drinking is seen as acceptable in almost all social situations, from weddings to sports matches, and even at funerals or baby showers.
Approximately 84 per cent of Australians drink alcohol at least once in a 12-month period, compared to 83.9 per cent in the UK and 68.9 per cent in the US. However, the UK leads the way with alcohol abuse problems.
Harm caused by alcohol
Harms caused by excessive alcohol consumption are not limited to alcohol dependence. For example, anywhere between 2,182 and 6,620 cases of cancer (or 1.9–5.8 per cent of all cancers) are attributable to long-term, chronic use of alcohol each year in Australia (Cancer Council Australia 2018).
Australia has a relatively high apparent annual alcohol consumption rate per capita compared with other developed countries. In the most recent year for which data are available, the range of apparent annual consumption rates among selected developed countries was 6.0–11.7 litres per capita.
While WA residents are most likely to have drunk alcohol in the last week, Queenslanders are consuming the highest average number of drinks per week overall.
Lemon, Lime, and Bitters—Australia's unofficial but widely recognized national beverage—is closer to a soft drink than a cocktail, but thanks to a tiny dose of concentrated flavor suspended in a soupçon of alcohol, it soars well outside the realm of simple sodas.
An ABC News article published in 2018 described lemon, lime, and bitters (LLB) as "Australia's national drink". Lemon, lime, and bitters is a mixed drink made with (clear) lemonade, lime cordial, and Angostura bitters.
1. Espresso Martini. Espresso martinis are the most popular cocktail in Australia, and for good reason. They are a delicious combination of espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur that can quickly energise any night out.
If the answer above is None it means there is no specific mention in the legislation, but you still need to ask local law enforcement before drinking in Russia. Penalties apply to parents of those under 16 years of age who consume alcohol beverages in public places. The legal purchase age limits are 18.
The national drink is an inseparable part of Russian social life. Vodka is drunk everywhere, with the intention of breaking down inhibitions and producing a state of conviviality Russians refer to as dusha-dushe (soul-to-soul).
While China's legal drinking-age limit of 18 is similar to other countries worldwide, there are still concerns about underage drinking and the potential negative effects that it can have on young people.
The 12-month prevalence of alcohol use was lower in the USA (56.5%) than in Australia (77.2%), although the rates of alcohol dependence were similar in both countries.