Minimum Legal Drinking Age in Other Countries

 Last updated on: 3/10/2016 | Author: ProCon.org

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Minimum Legal Drinking Age in Other Countries

The charts below contain the Minimum Legal Drinking Ages (MLDAs) and related data for 190 independent states recognized by the US State Department as of July 15, 2015. The data were taken from the World Health Organization’s 2014 “Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2014,” unless otherwise noted. No drinking age information was available for Djibouti, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, North Korea, or South Sudan, the other five countries listed by the State Department as independent states.

Of the 190 countries, 61% have a drinking age of 18 or 19 years old. The United States and 11 other countries have an MLDA of 21 years old, the highest MLDA of all the countries where it is legal to drink (although some areas of India have drinking ages as high as 25 and 30 years old). Alcohol is banned in 16 countries, all of them Muslim countries, although some have exceptions for non-Muslims.

I. Minimum Legal Drinking Ages in 190 Countries (categorized by lowest legal age minimum for any type of alcohol or purchase)

No MLDA (19 countries)

Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Kosovo, Laos, Mali, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Togo

10-15 MLDA (2 countries)

Antigua and Barbuda, Central African Republic

16-17 MLDA (20 countries)

Austria, Belgium, Congo, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland

18-19 MLDA (116 countries)

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

20 MLDA (5 countries)

Iceland, Japan, Paraguay, Thailand, Uzbekistan

21 MLDA (12 countries)

Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Kiribati, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Samoa, Sri Lanka, United States

Illegal to drink alcohol at any age (16 countries) some exceptions for non-Muslims may apply

Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

 

II. Country-by-Country Chart of Minimum Drinking Age Laws

When available, each country is linked to a PDF document from the World Health Organization (WHO) detailing its alcohol policy. On premise refers to bars, cafes, restaurants, etc. Off premise refers to liquor stores, wine shops, and supermarkets.

Country On Premise Purchase Age Off Premise Purchase Age Notes Afghanistan Total ban Total ban   Albania 18 18   Algeria 18 18   Andorra 18 18   Angola 18 18   Antigua and Barbuda 10 10   Argentina 18 18   Armenia 18 18   Australia 18 18   Austria 16/18 16/18 Alcohol laws vary by state: three states have an age minimum of 16 while six states have a minimum age of 18. Azerbaijan 18 18   Bahamas 18 18   Bahrain Illegal (18 for non-Muslims) Illegal (18 for non-Muslims) No info provided by WHO. Alcohol is illegal for Muslims, and drinking in public is forbidden. Only certain places are allowed to sell alcohol. Bangladesh Total ban Total ban Alcohol is illegal for Muslims and purchase by others is highly restricted. Non-Muslim tourists are allowed to bring two bottles of alcohol for personal use. Barbados 18 18 Sources say children ages 10-17 may drink in the presence of a parent or guardian. Belarus 18 18   Belgium 16/18 16/18 On- and off-premise age minimum is 16 for beer and wine/18 for spirits. Belize 18 18   Benin No age minimum No age minimum   Bhutan 18 18   Bolivia No age minimum No age minimum The drinking age used to be listed as 18, but the WHO no longer lists any age minimum. Bosnia and Herzegovina 18 18   Botswana 18 18   Brazil 18 18   Brunei Darussalam Total ban Total ban Non-Muslim tourists over age 17 may be allowed to import 2 bottles of liquor and 12 cans of beer for personal use. Bulgaria 18 18   Burkina Faso No age minimum No age minimum   Burundi 18 No age minimum   Cambodia No age minimum No age minimum   Cameroon No age minimum No age minimum The WHO lists no drinking age; other sources say 18 on-premise and 21 off-premise. Canada 18/19 18/19 18: Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec; 19: British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon Cape Verde 18 18   Central African Republic 21 15   Chad 18 18   Chile 18 18   China No age minimum No age minimum The WHO lists no drinking age; other sources say a 2006 ban instituted a drinking age of 18 but say it is not enforced. Colombia 18 18   Comoros 18 18   Congo 16 18 On-premise age minimum is 16 for beer and wine/18 for spirits. Costa Rica 18 18   Côte d’Ivoire 21 21   Croatia 18 18   Cuba 18 18   Cyprus 17 17   Czech Republic 18 18   Country On Premise Purchase Age Off Premise Purchase Age Notes Democratic Republic of the Congo 18 18   Denmark 18 16/18 Off-premise age minimum is 16 for beer and wine/18 for spirits. Djibouti N/A N/A No info provided by WHO. Dominica 16 16   Dominican Republic 18 18   Ecuador 18 18   Egypt 18/21 18/21 On- and off-premise age minimum is 18 for beer/21 for wine and spirits. El Salvador 18 18   Equatorial Guinea 21 21   Eritrea 18 18   Estonia 18 18   Ethiopia 18 18   Fiji 18 18   Finland 18 18/20 Off-premise age minimum is 18 for beer and wine/20 for spirits. France 18 18   Gabon 18 No age minimum   Gambia 18 18   Georgia 18 18   Germany 16/18 16/18 On- and off-premise age minimum is 16 for beer and wine/18 for spirits. Ghana 18 18   Greece 18 18   Grenada 16 16   Guatemala 18 18   Guinea 18 18   Guinea-Bissau No age minimum No age minimum   Guyana 18 16   Haiti 16 16 No info provided by WHO; other sources list drinking age as 16. Honduras 18 18   Hungary 18 18   Iceland 20 20   India 18-25 18-25 The drinking age varies by state. In New Delhi, for example, the drinking age is 25, while in Goa it is 18. Mahrashtra’s Wardha district has a drinking age of 30. Indonesia No age minimum 21   Iran Total ban Total ban The alcohol ban was instituted after the 1979 revolution. In 2012, an Iranian news organization reported that two people were sentenced to death for drinking alcohol following two previous convictions for those same people, for which each received 80 lashes. A 2004 WHO report noted that “Religious minorities can buy alcoholic beverages from very few specifically licensed shops owned by shopkeepers of the same minority.” Iraq 21 21 Sources say only Iraqi Christians are permitted to sell alcohol; alcohol sales were banned entirely from 2006-08. Ireland 18 18   Israel 18 18   Italy 18 18   Jamaica 18 18   Japan 20 20   Jordan 18 18   Kazakhstan 18 18   Kenya 18 18   Kiribati 21 21   Kosovo No age minimum No age minimum No info provided by WHO; other sources list no age minimum or say the drinking age is 18. Country On Premise Purchase Age Off Premise Purchase Age Notes Kuwait Total ban Total ban No info provided by WHO; Alcohol has been banned since 1964 and drinking has been a criminal offense since 1983. Kyrgyzstan 18 18   Laos 18/No No age minimum On-premise age minimum is 18 for beer; no age minimum listed for wine or spirits. Latvia 18 18   Lebanon N/A N/A No info provided by WHO; other sources list 16 or 18 as the drinking age Lesotho 18 18   Liberia 18 18   Libya Total ban Total ban   Liechtenstein 16/18 16/18 No info provided by WHO; other sources list 16 for beer and wine/18 for spirits. Lithuania 18 18   Luxembourg 16 16   Macedonia 18 18   Madagascar 18 18   Malawi 18 18   Malaysia 18 18   Maldives Total ban Total ban   Mali No age minimum No age minimum   Malta 17 17   Marshall Islands N/A N/A No info provided by WHO. Mauritania Total ban Total ban   Mauritius 18 18   Mexico 18 18   Micronesia 21 21   Moldova 18 18   Monaco 18 18   Mongolia 21 21   Montenegro 18 18   Morocco 16/18 16/18 No info provided by WHO; other sources list 16 or 18 as the drinking age. Mozambique 18 18   Myanmar 18 18   Namibia 18 18   Nauru 21 21 No info provided by WHO; other sources list 21 as the drinking age. Nepal 18 18   Netherlands 18 18 The WHO lists age 16 as the on- and off-premise age minimum for beer, but the Netherlands government website says that as of Jan. 2014, “It is a criminal offence for anyone under 18 to have alcohol in their possession in public and selling alcohol to minors is illegal.” New Zealand 18 18   Nicaragua 18 18   Niger 18 18   Nigeria 18 18   North Korea N/A N/A No info provided by WHO. Norway 18/20 18/20 On- and off-premise age miniumum is 18 for beer and wine/20 for spirits. Oman 21 21   Pakistan Illegal (21 for non-Muslims) Illegal (21 for non-Muslims) Alcohol is illegal for Muslims and consumption is a crime in Pakistan punishable by whipping. Non-Muslims are are provided special permits to purchase liquor but they are not allowed to use it in public. Pakistan penal code, under the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order of 1979, awards 80 lashes to those convicted of consuming alcohol. Palau 21 21   Panama 18 18   Papua New Guinea 18 18   Paraguay 20 20   Peru 18 18   Philippines 18 18   Poland 18 18   Portugal 16 16   Qatar Total ban Total ban No info provided by WHO; other sources say that alcohol is banned for Muslims. Alcohol for non-Muslims is highly restricted and may be purchased at certain hotels or with a permit to shop at a government­-owned store. The country has said it intends to find “creative” solutions for the alcohol restrictions while hosting the 2022 World Cup. Country On Premise Purchase Age Off Premise Purchase Age Notes Romania 18 18   Russia 18 18   Rwanda 18 No age minimum   Saint Kitts and Nevis 18 18   Saint Lucia 16 18   Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16 16   Samoa 21 21 No info provided by WHO; other sources list 21 San Marino 16 16   Sao Tome and Principe No age minimum No age minimum   Saudi Arabia Total ban Total ban   Senegal 18 18 WHO lists the drinking age as 18; other sources say 20 or that there is no drinking age. Serbia 18 18   Seychelles 18 18   Sierra Leone No age minimum No age minimum   Singapore 18 18   Slovakia 18 18   Slovenia 18 18   Solomon Islands No age minimum 21 No info provided by WHO; other sources say drinking age is 21 but there is no minimum age for purchase. Somalia Total ban Total ban   South Africa 18 18   South Korea 19 19   South Sudan N/A N/A No info provided by WHO. Spain 16 16 WHO lists the drinking age as 16; other sources say that the minimum age varies by region, that it is 18, or that minors may purchase alcohol if accompanied by their parents. Sri Lanka 21 21   Sudan Total ban Total ban   Suriname 18 18   Swaziland 18 18   Sweden 18 18/20 18 for beer/20 for wine and spirits Switzerland 16/18 16/18 16 for beer and wine/18 for spirits Syria 18 18   Tajikistan 18 18   Tanzania 18 18   Thailand 20 20   Timor-Leste No age minimum No age minimum   Togo No age minimum No age minimum   Tonga 18 18   Trinidad and Tobago 18 18   Tunisia 18 18   Turkey 18 18   Turkmenistan 18 18   Tuvalu 18 18   Uganda 18 18   Ukraine 18 18   United Arab Emirates Total ban Total ban No info provided by WHO; other sources say alcohol is banned in UAE, but non-Muslim tourists may apply for a drinking license. The license is apparently very difficult to obtain and may be limited to those over 18 or 21, depending on location. United Kingdom 18 18   United States 21 21 The repeal of prohibition by the 21st Amendment on Dec. 5, 1933 allowed each state to set its own alcohol consumption laws. Following the July 1, 1971 passage of the 26th Amendment, which lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18 years of age, 30 US states lowered the MLDA to 18, 19, or 20. By 1982, only 14 states still had an MLDA of 21. The enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 prompted states to raise their legal age for purchase or public possession of alcohol to 21 or risk losing millions in federal highway funds. By 1988, all 50 states had raised the MLDA to 21. Uruguay 18 18   Uzbekistan 20 20   Vanuatu 18 18 No info provided by WHO; other sources say 18. Vatican City (Holy See) 18 18 No info provided by WHO; other sources say 18. Venezuela 18 18   Vietnam 18 18   Yemen Total ban Total ban In 2012, Al Qaeda militants reportedly gave four people 80 lashes each for drinking alcohol. Zambia 18 18   Zimbabwe 18 18   Country On Premise Purchase Age Off Premise Purchase Age Notes

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