Alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa
South Africa: Alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized was 70.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa is 70.4%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is up 4.3% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa peaked at 70.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 67.5%, in 2019.
South Africa ranks 65th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 69.7% | — |
| 2001 | 69.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 70.1% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 70.3% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 70.0% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 69.8% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 69.6% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 69.1% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 69.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 69.3% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 69.1% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 68.5% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 68.3% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 68.1% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 68.0% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 67.7% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 67.9% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 68.0% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 67.5% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 70.4% | +4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 69.7% | 69.0% | 70.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.1% | 67.5% | 69.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.4% | 70.4% | 70.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa?
- Alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa was 70.4% in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 70.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.5% in 2019.
- How does South Africa rank for alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized?
- South Africa ranks 65th out of 186 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, abstainers past 12 months (%), age-standardized. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).