Drinking Age by Country

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Interactive MapIntroductionDrinking Age by CountryDrinking Age by CountryAlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCentral African RepublicChadChileColombiaComorosCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of the CongoDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFederated States of MicronesiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIraqIrelandIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorth KoreaNorwayOmanPalauPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeople's Republic of ChinaPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRepublic of MacedoniaRepublic of the CongoRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSan MarinoSão Tomé and PríncipeSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSurinameSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandThe BahamasThe GambiaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabweFAQsWhat country has the lowest drinking age ?What is the drinking age in Europe ?

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

CountryLegal Drinking Age
Eritrea25 Years Old
Bahrain21 Years Old
Cambodia21 Years Old
Cameroon21 Years Old
Egypt21 Years Old
Federated States of Micronesia21 Years Old
India21 Years Old
Indonesia21 Years Old
Iraq21 Years Old
Kazakhstan21 Years Old
Lesotho21 Years Old
Marshall Islands21 Years Old
Mauritania21 Years Old
Nauru21 Years Old
Oman21 Years Old
Palau21 Years Old
Solomon Islands21 Years Old
Sri Lanka21 Years Old
United Arab Emirates21 Years Old
United States of America21 Years Old
Benin20 Years Old
Iceland20 Years Old
Japan20 Years Old
Paraguay20 Years Old
Thailand20 Years Old
Uzbekistan20 Years Old
Canada19 Years Old
Qatar19 Years Old
South Korea19 Years Old
Albania18 Years Old
Algeria18 Years Old
Angola18 Years Old
Argentina18 Years Old
Armenia18 Years Old
Australia18 Years Old
Azerbaijan18 Years Old
Bangladesh18 Years Old
Belarus18 Years Old
Belize18 Years Old
Bhutan18 Years Old
Bolivia18 Years Old
Bosnia and Herzegovina18 Years Old
Botswana18 Years Old
Brazil18 Years Old
Bulgaria18 Years Old
Chile18 Years Old
Colombia18 Years Old
Comoros18 Years Old
Costa Rica18 Years Old
Croatia18 Years Old
Cyprus18 Years Old
Czech Republic18 Years Old
Democratic Republic of the Congo18 Years Old
Dominican Republic18 Years Old
Ecuador18 Years Old
El Salvador18 Years Old
Equatorial Guinea18 Years Old
Estonia18 Years Old
Ethiopia18 Years Old
Fiji18 Years Old
Finland18 Years Old
France18 Years Old
Gabon18 Years Old
Ghana18 Years Old
Greece18 Years Old
Grenada18 Years Old
Guatemala18 Years Old
Guinea18 Years Old
Guyana18 Years Old
Honduras18 Years Old
Hong Kong18 Years Old
Hungary18 Years Old
Ireland18 Years Old
Israel18 Years Old
Italy18 Years Old
Ivory Coast18 Years Old
Jamaica18 Years Old
Jordan18 Years Old
Kenya18 Years Old
Kyrgyzstan18 Years Old
Latvia18 Years Old
Lebanon18 Years Old
Liberia18 Years Old
Lithuania18 Years Old
Madagascar18 Years Old
Malawi18 Years Old
Malaysia18 Years Old
Mauritius18 Years Old
Mexico18 Years Old
Moldova18 Years Old
Monaco18 Years Old
Mongolia18 Years Old
Montenegro18 Years Old
Morocco18 Years Old
Mozambique18 Years Old
Myanmar18 Years Old
Namibia18 Years Old
Nepal18 Years Old
Netherlands18 Years Old
New Zealand18 Years Old
Nicaragua18 Years Old
Niger18 Years Old
Nigeria18 Years Old
North Korea18 Years Old
Norway18 Years Old
Panama18 Years Old
Papua New Guinea18 Years Old
People's Republic of China18 Years Old
Peru18 Years Old
Philippines18 Years Old
Poland18 Years Old
Portugal18 Years Old
Puerto Rico18 Years Old
Republic of Macedonia18 Years Old
Republic of the Congo18 Years Old
Romania18 Years Old
Russia18 Years Old
Rwanda18 Years Old
Saint Kitts and Nevis18 Years Old
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines18 Years Old
Senegal18 Years Old
Serbia18 Years Old
Seychelles18 Years Old
Sierra Leone18 Years Old
Singapore18 Years Old
Slovakia18 Years Old
Slovenia18 Years Old
South Africa18 Years Old
South Sudan18 Years Old
Spain18 Years Old
Sweden18 Years Old
Syria18 Years Old
São Tomé and Príncipe18 Years Old
Taiwan18 Years Old
Tajikistan18 Years Old
Tanzania18 Years Old
The Bahamas18 Years Old
The Gambia18 Years Old
Trinidad and Tobago18 Years Old
Tunisia18 Years Old
Turkey18 Years Old
Turkmenistan18 Years Old
Uganda18 Years Old
Ukraine18 Years Old
United Kingdom18 Years Old
Uruguay18 Years Old
Venezuela18 Years Old
Vietnam18 Years Old
Zambia18 Years Old
Zimbabwe18 Years Old
Eswatini18 Years Old
Malta17 Years Old
Austria16 Years Old
Barbados16 Years Old
Belgium16 Years Old
Burundi16 Years Old
Chad16 Years Old
Cuba16 Years Old
Denmark16 Years Old
Dominica16 Years Old
Georgia16 Years Old
Germany16 Years Old
Haiti16 Years Old
Luxembourg16 Years Old
Palestine16 Years Old
Saint Lucia16 Years Old
San Marino16 Years Old
Suriname16 Years Old
Switzerland16 Years Old
Central African Republic15 Years Old
Mali15 Years Old

Drinking Age by Country

Albania

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18 Years Old

Algeria

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18 Years Old

Angola

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18 Years Old

Argentina

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18 Years Old

Armenia

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18 Years Old

Australia

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18 Years Old

Austria

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16 Years Old

Azerbaijan

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18 Years Old

Bahrain

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21 Years Old

Bangladesh

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18 Years Old

Barbados

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16 Years Old

Belarus

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18 Years Old

Belgium

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16 Years Old

Belize

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18 Years Old

Benin

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20 Years Old

Bhutan

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18 Years Old

Bolivia

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18 Years Old

Bosnia and Herzegovina

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18 Years Old

Botswana

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18 Years Old

Brazil

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18 Years Old

Bulgaria

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18 Years Old

Burundi

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16 Years Old

Cambodia

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21 Years Old

Cameroon

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21 Years Old

Canada

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19 Years Old

Central African Republic

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15 Years Old

Chad

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16 Years Old

Chile

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18 Years Old

Colombia

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18 Years Old

Comoros

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18 Years Old

Costa Rica

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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

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18 Years Old

Cuba

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16 Years Old

Cyprus

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18 Years Old

Czech Republic

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18 Years Old

Democratic Republic of the Congo

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18 Years Old

Denmark

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16 Years Old

Dominica

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16 Years Old

Dominican Republic

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18 Years Old

Ecuador

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18 Years Old

Egypt

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21 Years Old

El Salvador

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18 Years Old

In El Salvador, the legal drinking age is 18 years old.

Equatorial Guinea

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18 Years Old

Eritrea

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25 Years Old

Estonia

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18 Years Old

Eswatini

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18 Years Old

Ethiopia

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18 Years Old

Federated States of Micronesia

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21 Years Old

Fiji

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18 Years Old

Finland

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18 Years Old

France

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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

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18 Years Old

Georgia

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16 Years Old

Germany

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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

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18 Years Old

Greece

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18 Years Old

Grenada

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18 Years Old

Guatemala

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18 Years Old

Guinea

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18 Years Old

Guyana

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18 Years Old

Haiti

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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

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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

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18 Years Old

Hungary

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18 Years Old

Iceland

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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

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21 Years Old

Indonesia

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21 Years Old

Iraq

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21 Years Old

Ireland

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18 Years Old

Israel

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18 Years Old

Italy

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18 Years Old

Just like in many countries in Europe, the legal drinking age in Italy is 18 years old.

Ivory Coast

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18 Years Old

Jamaica

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18 Years Old

In Jamaica, the legal drinking age is 18 years old.

Japan

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20 Years Old

Jordan

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18 Years Old

Kazakhstan

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21 Years Old

Kenya

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18 Years Old

Kyrgyzstan

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18 Years Old

Latvia

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18 Years Old

Lebanon

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18 Years Old

Lesotho

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21 Years Old

Liberia

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18 Years Old

Lithuania

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18 Years Old

Luxembourg

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16 Years Old

Madagascar

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18 Years Old

Malawi

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18 Years Old

Malaysia

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18 Years Old

Mali

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15 Years Old

Malta

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17 Years Old

Marshall Islands

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21 Years Old

Mauritania

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21 Years Old

Mauritius

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18 Years Old

Mexico

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18 Years Old

Moldova

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18 Years Old

Monaco

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18 Years Old

Mongolia

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18 Years Old

Montenegro

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18 Years Old

Morocco

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18 Years Old

Mozambique

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18 Years Old

Myanmar

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18 Years Old

Namibia

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18 Years Old

Nauru

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21 Years Old

Nepal

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18 Years Old

Netherlands

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18 Years Old

In the Netherlands, the legal drinking age is 18 years old.

New Zealand

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18 Years Old

Nicaragua

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18 Years Old

Niger

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18 Years Old

Nigeria

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18 Years Old

North Korea

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18 Years Old

Norway

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18 Years Old

Oman

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21 Years Old

Palau

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21 Years Old

Palestine

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16 Years Old

Panama

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18 Years Old

Papua New Guinea

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18 Years Old

Paraguay

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20 Years Old

People's Republic of China

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18 Years Old

Peru

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18 Years Old

Philippines

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18 Years Old

Poland

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18 Years Old

Portugal

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18 Years Old

Puerto Rico

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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

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19 Years Old

Republic of Macedonia

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18 Years Old

Republic of the Congo

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18 Years Old

Romania

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18 Years Old

Russia

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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

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18 Years Old

Saint Kitts and Nevis

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18 Years Old

Saint Lucia

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16 Years Old

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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18 Years Old

San Marino

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16 Years Old

São Tomé and Príncipe

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18 Years Old

Senegal

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18 Years Old

Serbia

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18 Years Old

Seychelles

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18 Years Old

Sierra Leone

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18 Years Old

Singapore

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18 Years Old

Slovakia

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18 Years Old

Slovenia

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18 Years Old

Solomon Islands

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21 Years Old

South Africa

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18 Years Old

South Korea

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19 Years Old

South Sudan

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18 Years Old

Spain

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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

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21 Years Old

Suriname

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16 Years Old

Sweden

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18 Years Old

Switzerland

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16 Years Old

Syria

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18 Years Old

Taiwan

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18 Years Old

Tajikistan

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18 Years Old

Tanzania

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18 Years Old

Thailand

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20 Years Old

The Bahamas

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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

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18 Years Old

Trinidad and Tobago

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18 Years Old

Tunisia

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18 Years Old

Turkey

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18 Years Old

Turkmenistan

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18 Years Old

Uganda

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18 Years Old

Ukraine

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18 Years Old

United Arab Emirates

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21 Years Old

United Kingdom

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18 Years Old

The legal drinking age in the UK is 18 years old.

United States of America

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21 Years Old

Uruguay

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18 Years Old

Uzbekistan

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20 Years Old

Venezuela

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18 Years Old

Vietnam

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18 Years Old

Zambia

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18 Years Old

Zimbabwe

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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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