Alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa
South Africa: Alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized was 29.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa is 29.6%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 8.8% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa peaked at 32.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 29.6%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 122nd out of 186 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 30.3% | — |
| 2001 | 30.2% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 29.9% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 29.7% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 30.0% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 30.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 30.4% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 30.9% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 31.0% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 30.7% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 31.5% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 31.7% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 32.0% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 32.3% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 32.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 32.0% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 32.2% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 32.5% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 29.6% | -8.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30.3% | 29.7% | 31.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.9% | 30.9% | 32.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.6% | 29.6% | 29.6% | 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, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa?
- Alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized in South Africa was 29.6% in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 32.5% in 2019.
- What is the lowest alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.6% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized?
- South Africa ranks 122nd out of 186 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, consumers past 12 months (%), age-standardized. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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