Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in South Africa
South Africa: Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) was 3.96 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
3.96
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
26th
of 188 countries
All-time high
5.07
in 1996
All-time low
0.37
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.96 for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in 2024.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in South Africa peaked at 5.07 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.37, in 1961.
That places South Africa 26th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.37 | — |
| 1962 | 0.41 | +10.8% |
| 1963 | 0.81 | +97.6% |
| 1964 | 0.67 | -17.3% |
| 1965 | 0.8 | +19.4% |
| 1966 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.71 | -11.3% |
| 1968 | 0.77 | +8.5% |
| 1969 | 0.95 | +23.4% |
| 1970 | 1.06 | +11.6% |
| 1971 | 1.05 | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 1.13 | +7.6% |
| 1973 | 1.33 | +17.7% |
| 1974 | 1.55 | +16.5% |
| 1975 | 1.69 | +9.0% |
| 1976 | 1.66 | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 1.6 | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 1.65 | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 1.89 | +14.5% |
| 1980 | 2.37 | +25.4% |
| 1981 | 2.75 | +16.0% |
| 1982 | 3 | +9.1% |
| 1983 | 3.05 | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 3.23 | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 3.15 | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 3.39 | +7.6% |
| 1987 | 3.75 | +10.6% |
| 1988 | 4.1 | +9.3% |
| 1989 | 4.18 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 4.2 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 4.19 | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 4.48 | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 4.32 | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 4.47 | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 4.33 | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 5.07 | +17.1% |
| 1997 | 4.92 | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 4.83 | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 5.02 | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 3.99 | -20.5% |
| 2001 | 3.81 | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 3.7 | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 3.71 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 3.85 | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 3.87 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 3.86 | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 3.92 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 3.83 | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 3.74 | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 3.74 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.96 | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 4 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 3.98 | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 3.93 | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 3.89 | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 3.71 | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 3.69 | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 3.83 | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 3.77 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 2.75 | -26.9% |
| 2021 | 3.42 | +24.0% |
| 2022 | 3.67 | +7.4% |
| 2023 | 3.85 | +5.0% |
| 2024 | 3.96 | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.6989 | 0.37 | 0.95 | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.46 | 1.05 | 1.89 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.3 | 2.37 | 4.18 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.58 | 4.19 | 5.07 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.83 | 3.7 | 3.99 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.85 | 3.69 | 4 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.53 | 2.75 | 3.96 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 23 Guyana 3.99 compare
- 24 Iceland 3.96 compare
- 25 Saint Lucia 3.96 compare
- 27 Lithuania 3.94 compare
- 28 Luxembourg 3.92 compare
- 29 Lao People's Democratic Republic 3.92 compare
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, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in South Africa?
- Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in South Africa was 3.96 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.07 in 1996.
- What is the lowest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.37 in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure)?
- South Africa ranks 26th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. 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, 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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