Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in Australia
Australia: Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) was 3.07 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
3.07
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
50th
of 188 countries
All-time high
9.7
in 1974
All-time low
3.07
in 2024
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in Australia, 1961–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Australia recorded 3.07 for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in Australia peaked at 9.7 in 1974 and was at its lowest, 3.07, in 2024.
Australia ranks 50th of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.36 | — |
| 1962 | 6.44 | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 7.52 | +16.8% |
| 1964 | 7.72 | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 7.69 | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 7.84 | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 8.1 | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 8.33 | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 8.51 | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 8.64 | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 8.64 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 8.81 | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 9.57 | +8.6% |
| 1974 | 9.7 | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 9.42 | -2.9% |
| 1976 | 9.38 | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 9.35 | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 8.99 | -3.9% |
| 1979 | 9.02 | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 8.82 | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 8.76 | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 8.26 | -5.7% |
| 1983 | 7.95 | -3.8% |
| 1984 | 7.69 | -3.3% |
| 1985 | 7.73 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 7.39 | -4.4% |
| 1987 | 7.5 | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 7.62 | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 7.49 | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 7.08 | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 6.65 | -6.1% |
| 1992 | 6.35 | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 5.48 | -13.7% |
| 1994 | 5.46 | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 5.39 | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 5.32 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 5.24 | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 5.15 | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 5.06 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 5.14 | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 4.89 | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 5.05 | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 4.78 | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 4.68 | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 4.69 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 4.7 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 4.67 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 4.71 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 4.53 | -3.7% |
| 2010 | 4.31 | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 4.15 | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 4.06 | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 4.05 | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 3.8 | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 3.84 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 3.71 | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 3.72 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 3.65 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 3.49 | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 3.51 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 3.32 | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 3.29 | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 3.19 | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 3.07 | -3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.61 | 6.36 | 8.51 | 9 |
| 1970s | 9.15 | 8.64 | 9.7 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.92 | 7.39 | 8.82 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.72 | 5.06 | 7.08 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.78 | 4.53 | 5.14 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.88 | 3.49 | 4.31 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.28 | 3.07 | 3.51 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More social development data for Australia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 33,415 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 41 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 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, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in Australia?
- Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in Australia was 3.07 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7 in 1974.
- What is the lowest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.07 in 2024.
- How does Australia rank for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure)?
- Australia ranks 50th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol), by beverage type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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