Introduction
The minimum legal drinking age varies significantly around the world. The majority of countries set the legal drinking age at 18 years old. However, there are notable variations in different regions.
In Europe, for instance, there is a tendency to set the legal drinking age at either 16 years old, as seen in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg, or 18 years old, in countries like France, Spain, and Italy for example. On the other hand, the legal drinking age in North America, including Canada and the United States, is set higher, at 19 and 21 years old, respectively.
In Africa, the legal drinking age is generally set at 18 years old, as seen in countries like Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Similarly, in Latin America, 18 years old is the prevailing legal drinking age in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. In contrast, the legal drinking age tends to be higher in the Middle East, with countries like Bahrain and Egypt setting it at 21 years old.
These regional patterns can be influenced by various factors, including cultural norms, historical practices, government policies, and societal attitudes towards alcohol consumption.
Drinking Age by Country
| Country | Legal Drinking Age |
|---|---|
| Eritrea | 25 Years Old |
| Bahrain | 21 Years Old |
| Cambodia | 21 Years Old |
| Cameroon | 21 Years Old |
| Egypt | 21 Years Old |
| Federated States of Micronesia | 21 Years Old |
| India | 21 Years Old |
| Indonesia | 21 Years Old |
| Iraq | 21 Years Old |
| Kazakhstan | 21 Years Old |
| Lesotho | 21 Years Old |
| Marshall Islands | 21 Years Old |
| Mauritania | 21 Years Old |
| Nauru | 21 Years Old |
| Oman | 21 Years Old |
| Palau | 21 Years Old |
| Solomon Islands | 21 Years Old |
| Sri Lanka | 21 Years Old |
| United Arab Emirates | 21 Years Old |
| United States of America | 21 Years Old |
| Benin | 20 Years Old |
| Iceland | 20 Years Old |
| Japan | 20 Years Old |
| Paraguay | 20 Years Old |
| Thailand | 20 Years Old |
| Uzbekistan | 20 Years Old |
| Canada | 19 Years Old |
| Qatar | 19 Years Old |
| South Korea | 19 Years Old |
| Albania | 18 Years Old |
| Algeria | 18 Years Old |
| Angola | 18 Years Old |
| Argentina | 18 Years Old |
| Armenia | 18 Years Old |
| Australia | 18 Years Old |
| Azerbaijan | 18 Years Old |
| Bangladesh | 18 Years Old |
| Belarus | 18 Years Old |
| Belize | 18 Years Old |
| Bhutan | 18 Years Old |
| Bolivia | 18 Years Old |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18 Years Old |
| Botswana | 18 Years Old |
| Brazil | 18 Years Old |
| Bulgaria | 18 Years Old |
| Chile | 18 Years Old |
| Colombia | 18 Years Old |
| Comoros | 18 Years Old |
| Costa Rica | 18 Years Old |
| Croatia | 18 Years Old |
| Cyprus | 18 Years Old |
| Czech Republic | 18 Years Old |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 18 Years Old |
| Dominican Republic | 18 Years Old |
| Ecuador | 18 Years Old |
| El Salvador | 18 Years Old |
| Equatorial Guinea | 18 Years Old |
| Estonia | 18 Years Old |
| Ethiopia | 18 Years Old |
| Fiji | 18 Years Old |
| Finland | 18 Years Old |
| France | 18 Years Old |
| Gabon | 18 Years Old |
| Ghana | 18 Years Old |
| Greece | 18 Years Old |
| Grenada | 18 Years Old |
| Guatemala | 18 Years Old |
| Guinea | 18 Years Old |
| Guyana | 18 Years Old |
| Honduras | 18 Years Old |
| Hong Kong | 18 Years Old |
| Hungary | 18 Years Old |
| Ireland | 18 Years Old |
| Israel | 18 Years Old |
| Italy | 18 Years Old |
| Ivory Coast | 18 Years Old |
| Jamaica | 18 Years Old |
| Jordan | 18 Years Old |
| Kenya | 18 Years Old |
| Kyrgyzstan | 18 Years Old |
| Latvia | 18 Years Old |
| Lebanon | 18 Years Old |
| Liberia | 18 Years Old |
| Lithuania | 18 Years Old |
| Madagascar | 18 Years Old |
| Malawi | 18 Years Old |
| Malaysia | 18 Years Old |
| Mauritius | 18 Years Old |
| Mexico | 18 Years Old |
| Moldova | 18 Years Old |
| Monaco | 18 Years Old |
| Mongolia | 18 Years Old |
| Montenegro | 18 Years Old |
| Morocco | 18 Years Old |
| Mozambique | 18 Years Old |
| Myanmar | 18 Years Old |
| Namibia | 18 Years Old |
| Nepal | 18 Years Old |
| Netherlands | 18 Years Old |
| New Zealand | 18 Years Old |
| Nicaragua | 18 Years Old |
| Niger | 18 Years Old |
| Nigeria | 18 Years Old |
| North Korea | 18 Years Old |
| Norway | 18 Years Old |
| Panama | 18 Years Old |
| Papua New Guinea | 18 Years Old |
| People's Republic of China | 18 Years Old |
| Peru | 18 Years Old |
| Philippines | 18 Years Old |
| Poland | 18 Years Old |
| Portugal | 18 Years Old |
| Puerto Rico | 18 Years Old |
| Republic of Macedonia | 18 Years Old |
| Republic of the Congo | 18 Years Old |
| Romania | 18 Years Old |
| Russia | 18 Years Old |
| Rwanda | 18 Years Old |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 18 Years Old |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 18 Years Old |
| Senegal | 18 Years Old |
| Serbia | 18 Years Old |
| Seychelles | 18 Years Old |
| Sierra Leone | 18 Years Old |
| Singapore | 18 Years Old |
| Slovakia | 18 Years Old |
| Slovenia | 18 Years Old |
| South Africa | 18 Years Old |
| South Sudan | 18 Years Old |
| Spain | 18 Years Old |
| Sweden | 18 Years Old |
| Syria | 18 Years Old |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 18 Years Old |
| Taiwan | 18 Years Old |
| Tajikistan | 18 Years Old |
| Tanzania | 18 Years Old |
| The Bahamas | 18 Years Old |
| The Gambia | 18 Years Old |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 18 Years Old |
| Tunisia | 18 Years Old |
| Turkey | 18 Years Old |
| Turkmenistan | 18 Years Old |
| Uganda | 18 Years Old |
| Ukraine | 18 Years Old |
| United Kingdom | 18 Years Old |
| Uruguay | 18 Years Old |
| Venezuela | 18 Years Old |
| Vietnam | 18 Years Old |
| Zambia | 18 Years Old |
| Zimbabwe | 18 Years Old |
| Eswatini | 18 Years Old |
| Malta | 17 Years Old |
| Austria | 16 Years Old |
| Barbados | 16 Years Old |
| Belgium | 16 Years Old |
| Burundi | 16 Years Old |
| Chad | 16 Years Old |
| Cuba | 16 Years Old |
| Denmark | 16 Years Old |
| Dominica | 16 Years Old |
| Georgia | 16 Years Old |
| Germany | 16 Years Old |
| Haiti | 16 Years Old |
| Luxembourg | 16 Years Old |
| Palestine | 16 Years Old |
| Saint Lucia | 16 Years Old |
| San Marino | 16 Years Old |
| Suriname | 16 Years Old |
| Switzerland | 16 Years Old |
| Central African Republic | 15 Years Old |
| Mali | 15 Years Old |
Drinking Age by Country
Albania
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Algeria
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Angola
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Argentina
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Armenia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Australia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Austria
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Azerbaijan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Bahrain
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Bangladesh
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Barbados
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Belarus
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Belgium
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Belize
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Benin
Legal Drinking Age
20 Years Old
Bhutan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Bolivia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Botswana
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Brazil
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Bulgaria
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Burundi
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Cambodia
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Cameroon
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Canada
Legal Drinking Age
19 Years Old
Central African Republic
Legal Drinking Age
15 Years Old
Chad
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Chile
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Colombia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Comoros
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Costa Rica
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Costa Rica has a legal drinking age of 18 years old. Once individuals reach this age, they are legally allowed to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Croatia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Cuba
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Cyprus
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Czech Republic
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Denmark
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Dominica
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Dominican Republic
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Ecuador
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Egypt
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
El Salvador
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
In El Salvador, the legal drinking age is 18 years old.
Equatorial Guinea
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Eritrea
Legal Drinking Age
25 Years Old
Estonia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Eswatini
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Ethiopia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Federated States of Micronesia
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Fiji
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Finland
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
France
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
The drinking age in France is 18 years old. Individuals who have reached this age are allowed to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Gabon
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Georgia
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Germany
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
The drinking age in Germany is at 16 years old for beer and wine, allowing individuals to consume these beverages. However, the minimum drinking age for spirits and other distilled alcoholic beverages is 18 years old.
Ghana
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Greece
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Grenada
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Guatemala
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Guinea
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Guyana
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Haiti
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
The legal drinking age in Haiti is 16 years old. Once individuals reach this age, they are legally allowed to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Honduras
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
In Honduras, the legal drinking age is 18 years old. Individuals who reach this age are granted the right to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Hong Kong
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Hungary
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Iceland
Legal Drinking Age
20 Years Old
The legal drinking age in Iceland is 20 years old. Individuals who reach this age are legally allowed to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
India
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Indonesia
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Iraq
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Ireland
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Israel
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Italy
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Just like in many countries in Europe, the legal drinking age in Italy is 18 years old.
Ivory Coast
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Jamaica
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
In Jamaica, the legal drinking age is 18 years old.
Japan
Legal Drinking Age
20 Years Old
Jordan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Kazakhstan
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Kenya
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Kyrgyzstan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Latvia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Lebanon
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Lesotho
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Liberia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Lithuania
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Luxembourg
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Madagascar
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Malawi
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Malaysia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Mali
Legal Drinking Age
15 Years Old
Malta
Legal Drinking Age
17 Years Old
Marshall Islands
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Mauritania
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Mauritius
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Mexico
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Moldova
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Monaco
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Mongolia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Montenegro
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Morocco
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Mozambique
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Myanmar
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Namibia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Nauru
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Nepal
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Netherlands
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
In the Netherlands, the legal drinking age is 18 years old.
New Zealand
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Nicaragua
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Niger
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Nigeria
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
North Korea
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Norway
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Oman
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Palau
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Palestine
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Panama
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Papua New Guinea
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Paraguay
Legal Drinking Age
20 Years Old
People's Republic of China
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Peru
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Philippines
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Poland
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Portugal
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Puerto Rico
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
The drinking age in Puerto Rico is 18 years old. This means that individuals who have reached this age are permitted to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages within the territory.
Qatar
Legal Drinking Age
19 Years Old
Republic of Macedonia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Republic of the Congo
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Romania
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Russia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Russia has a legal drinking age of 18 years old. Individuals who have reached this age are permitted to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Rwanda
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Saint Lucia
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
San Marino
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
São Tomé and Príncipe
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Senegal
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Serbia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Seychelles
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Sierra Leone
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Singapore
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Slovakia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Slovenia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Solomon Islands
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
South Africa
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
South Korea
Legal Drinking Age
19 Years Old
South Sudan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Spain
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
The legal drinking age in Spain is 18 years old, like many other countries in Europe. Once individuals reach this age, they are legally permitted to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Sri Lanka
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Suriname
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Sweden
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Switzerland
Legal Drinking Age
16 Years Old
Syria
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Taiwan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Tajikistan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Tanzania
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Thailand
Legal Drinking Age
20 Years Old
The Bahamas
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
The legal drinking age in the Bahamas is 18 years old. Individuals who reach this age are permitted to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages within the country.
The Gambia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Trinidad and Tobago
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Tunisia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Turkey
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Turkmenistan
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Uganda
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Ukraine
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
United Arab Emirates
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
United Kingdom
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
The legal drinking age in the UK is 18 years old.
United States of America
Legal Drinking Age
21 Years Old
Uruguay
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Uzbekistan
Legal Drinking Age
20 Years Old
Venezuela
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Vietnam
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Zambia
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
Zimbabwe
Legal Drinking Age
18 Years Old
FAQs
What country has the lowest drinking age ?
The lowest drinking age in the world can be found in two African countries, the Central African Republic and Mali, which both have a minimum drinking age set at 15 years old.
What is the drinking age in Europe ?
The drinking age in Europe generally leans towards 18 years old, but there are some European countries which have set the minimum drinking age at 16 years old, like Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland for example.
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