Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea
North Korea: Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days was 26.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2020, alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea stood at 26.9%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea peaked at 32.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2020.
North Korea ranks 156th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 32.0% | — |
| 2001 | 29.8% | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 30.7% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 30.5% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 30.1% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 30.0% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 29.8% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 29.2% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 29.0% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 29.1% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 29.2% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 29.1% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 29.0% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 28.9% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 28.7% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 28.4% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 28.5% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 28.1% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 27.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 27.8% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 26.9% | -3.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 26.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 43.7%, 62% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 26.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 48.7%, 55% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30.0% | 29.0% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.6% | 27.8% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.9% | 26.9% | 26.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More social development data for North Korea
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 263 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (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 263 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -7.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.024 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea?
- Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in North Korea was 26.9% in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 32.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2020.
- How does North Korea rank for alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days?
- North Korea ranks 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days (%), age-standardized. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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