Alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa
South Africa: Alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage was 52.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
52.0%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
57th
of 179 countries
All-time high
56.1%
in 2012
All-time low
50.5%
in 2021
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa is 52.0%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa peaked at 56.1% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 50.5%, in 2021.
That places South Africa 57th out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 52.9% | — |
| 2001 | 52.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 53.2% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 54.2% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 55.2% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 55.3% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 55.0% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 54.6% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 54.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 54.6% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 55.3% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 55.7% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 56.1% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 55.8% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 55.2% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 54.2% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 53.5% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 53.3% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 53.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 53.1% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 51.9% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 50.5% | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 50.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 52.0% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 52.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 54.2% | 52.9% | 55.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.6% | 53.1% | 56.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.4% | 50.5% | 52.0% | 5 |
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, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa?
- Alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage in South Africa was 52.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 56.1% in 2012.
- What is the lowest alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.5% in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage?
- South Africa ranks 57th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is alcohol, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. 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, consumption of pure alcohol by type of beverage (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).