Alcoholism by Country 2026

Mongolia Has the Highest Alcoholism Rate

Mongolia had the world’s highest alcoholism rate in 2021, with about 4,818 cases of alcohol use disorder per 100,000 people, or roughly 5.08% of the population. Belarus ranked second at 4,494 per 100,000, followed by Russia at 4,379, Kazakhstan at 4,100, and Greenland at 3,996.

Several Eastern European and Central Asian countries appear near the top of the rankings, including Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Kyrgyzstan, and Moldova. This shows that high alcoholism rates are not simply a matter of total alcohol consumption; broader patterns of drinking culture, social stress, healthcare access, and reporting practices can also shape how alcohol use disorder appears in the data.

Alcohol Use Disorder Is More Common Among Men

Across nearly every country in the dataset, alcohol use disorder is significantly more common among men than women. In Mongolia, for example, the male alcoholism rate reached 8.41% in 2021 compared to 1.9% among females. Similar gender gaps appear in countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and El Salvador.

In some countries, the disparity is especially large. Pakistan reported an overall alcoholism rate of 1.57%, but the male rate was 2.83% compared to just 0.3% among females. Cultural expectations, social drinking norms, occupational patterns, and differences in alcohol access all contribute to these persistent gender imbalances worldwide.

Large Countries Have the Most Total Cases

While smaller countries often record the highest alcoholism rates, the largest total numbers of people affected are found in highly populated countries. China had an estimated 19.4 million people living with alcohol use disorder in 2021, followed by India at 17.1 million and the United States at 7.8 million.

Russia and Brazil each recorded roughly 6.3 million total cases, while countries such as Pakistan, Germany, Mexico, and the United Kingdom also reported large affected populations. These totals demonstrate how even relatively moderate prevalence rates can translate into millions of cases when applied across very large populations.

Alcoholism Rates Do Not Always Match Alcohol Consumption

Countries with high alcohol consumption do not always have the highest alcoholism rates. Some nations with strong drinking cultures, such as France, Italy, and Spain, reported lower alcohol use disorder rates than countries in Eastern Europe or Central Asia despite widespread alcohol consumption.

Likewise, several countries with relatively modest overall alcohol consumption still reported notable alcoholism rates. This suggests that patterns of drinking behavior may matter as much as total alcohol intake. Factors such as binge drinking, social stress, economic instability, mental health, and access to treatment can all influence the prevalence of alcohol use disorder.