The amount of alcohol consumption in the world today is about 6.4 liters per person older than 15 years.
Evaluating this and making it typical more justifiable, we can indicate it in bottles of wine. Wine contains around 12% pure alcohol per volume1 so that one liter of wine contains 0.12 liters of pure alcohol. So, a value of 6 liters of pure alcohol per person per year is equivalent to 50 bottles of wine per year.
An estimated 2.3 billion people are current drinkers. At least more than half of the population in three Wotld Health Organizations regions – the Americas, Europe and the Western Pacific consume alcohol. Europe has the highest per capita consumption in the world, despite its per capita consumption has decreased by more than 10% since 2010.
Let’s look at the brand of alcohol out of 23 in total.
We have:
AB InBev brands
Asahi brands
Bacardi brands
Beer brands
Brands of cider
Brown–Forman brands
Campari brands
Carlsberg brands
Chivas Brothers brands
Diageo brands
Edrington brands
Heaven Hill brands
Heineken brands
Irish Distillers brands
Kirin brands
La Martiniquaise brands
MGP Ingredients brands
Pernod Ricard brands
Premixed alcoholic drinks
Sazerac Company brands
Suntory brands
United Spirits brands
Wine brands
Despite the volume of alcohol consumed globally, did you know that alcohol is banned in 12 countries?
Investigation revealed that the 12 countries that strictly banned the sales and consumption of alcohol include Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Mauritania, Libya, the Maldives, Iran, Kuwait, Brunei, and Bangladesh.
These countries have outlawed alcohol to some degree and the punishment for flouting the ban almost conformed irrespective of the nation.
Meanwhile, all of these countries have a dominant Muslim population and have governments that comply with some form of Islamic law, known as Sharia. In Islam drinking alcohol is prohibited.
When was alcohol banned in these countries?
Pakistan
The populist government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto banned the sale of alcohol in Pakistan in April 1977. Alcohol consumption has become a crime punishable by 80 lashes. However, you can get away by paying 500 to 5000 rupees on the spot.
Sudan
This country has declared alcohol illegal since 1983, when the single-party Sudan Socialist Union passed the Liquor Prohibition Bill, making illegal the manufacture, sale, and consumption of any form of alcohol for the Muslim citizens of the country, If caught violating the ban, a citizen could be punished by flogging.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia banned alcohol since the early 1950s by Then-King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s founding monarch. He eradicate its sale following a 1951 incident in which one of his sons, Prince Mishari, became intoxicated and used a shotgun to kill British vice consul Cyril Ousman in Jeddah. Drinking alcohol in this country is punishable by public flogging, fines, or lengthy imprisonment, accompanied by deportation in certain cases. Trading in alcohol naturally carries a higher sentence, with harsher punishments for anyone caught selling to Saudi nationals.
Somalia
Alcohol in Somalia is banned by the country’s Muslim culture, but historically was allowed in the country and continues to exist illicitly.Drug and alcohol offences, including consumption, possession and trafficking, are treated seriously in Somalia, including Somaliland, and are punishable by law. Punishments in Somaliland were tripled in January 2021 and includes the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence without bail.
Mauritiana
The cabinet banne the import, purchase, and consumption of alcoholic drinks for Mauritanian nationals on October 2, 1986; Taya later extended the ban to foreign nationals. Meanwhile, diplomats from foreign embassies and expatriate technical assistants were exempt from the ban.
Libya
In Lybia, Law No. (89) of 1974 on banning alcohol and establishing the hudud punishment for drinking. Alcohol consumption for Muslims is illegal and punishable by 80 lashes; many Muslims have been sentenced to 80 lashes of the whip for the offence.
Iran
This country prohibited sale and consumption of alcohol since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, In Iran flouting alcohol ban attracts penalty of up to 80 lashes and fines.
Kuwait
Alcohol consumption and sales have been banned in Kuwait since 1964, including sales through international hotels. The consumption of alcohol has been a criminal offence since 1983, with potential punishment including fines and imprisonment alongside deportation for non-Kuwaitis. Also importing alcohol carries a penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment; consuming alcohol may result in a fine of up to 1,000 dinars ($3,300). It is illegal to consume alcohol publicly, which carries a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine up to 50 dinars ($163).
Brunei
This country strictly operates Sharia law, the Islamic sultanate has strict rules in line with its deeply-held reverence for religion. During the fasting month, it’s illegal in Brunei for anyone to eat, drink or smoke in public. Muslim residents could face severe reprimands for breaking fast without a convincing reason. This law also applies to non-Muslim tourists and offenders can face a fine of up to B$4,000 ($2,932 USD) or a one-year prison sentence.However, all of this comes with some harsh laws and punishments – from caning to long jail sentences.
Bangladesh
The year alcohol was banned in this country was not stated but the Ministry of Home Affairs in Bangladesh has introduced new Alcohol Control Rules in 2022 to regulate the sale, marketing, import-export, storage, production, processing, and consumption of alcohol. The rules have been set to effectively implement the Narcotics Control Law 2018, Drinking alcohol in Bangladesh, require a legal permit, almost always given to non-Muslims. Muslims will need a medical prescription to obtain an alcohol permit. The prescription must be given by an associate professor of the medical college or a civil surgeon. Legal age of applying for a permit is 21.
