Beer consumption per person in North Korea
North Korea: Beer consumption per person was 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
161st
of 187 countries
All-time high
1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 1963
All-time low
0.1045 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 2018
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Beer consumption per person in North Korea, 1961–2022
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for beer consumption per person in North Korea is 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, beer consumption per person in North Korea peaked at 1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0.1045 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, in 2018.
North Korea ranks 161st of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Beer consumption per person in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.99 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | — |
| 1962 | 0.95 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -4.0% |
| 1963 | 1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.3% |
| 1964 | 0.89 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -11.0% |
| 1965 | 0.79 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -11.2% |
| 1966 | 0.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -15.2% |
| 1967 | 0.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -22.4% |
| 1968 | 0.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -11.5% |
| 1969 | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.7% |
| 1970 | 0.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.4% |
| 1971 | 0.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 0.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -6.5% |
| 1973 | 0.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +16.3% |
| 1974 | 0.51 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 0.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -7.8% |
| 1976 | 0.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.5% |
| 1977 | 0.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.0% |
| 1979 | 0.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 0.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -14.6% |
| 1982 | 0.39 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -4.9% |
| 1983 | 0.36 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -7.7% |
| 1984 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.1% |
| 1990 | 0.36 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 0.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.3% |
| 1992 | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -11.8% |
| 1994 | 0.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -13.3% |
| 1995 | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +61.5% |
| 1996 | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +14.3% |
| 1997 | 0.36 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -25.0% |
| 1998 | 0.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -27.8% |
| 1999 | 0.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -30.8% |
| 2000 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -38.4% |
| 2001 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.1107 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 0.111 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.111 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 0.1095 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 0.1075 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 0.1104 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 0.1062 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 0.1045 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 0.115 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 0.1444 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +25.6% |
| 2021 | 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.3054 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 49% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.967 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 15% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Beer consumption per person in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +61.5% | 0.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
| 2000 | -38.4% | 0.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7433 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.459 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.51 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.383 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.329 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.1109 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1097 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.1045 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.115 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1471 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.1444 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 158 Oman 0.163 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 159 Senegal 0.1616 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 160 Morocco 0.1497 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 162 Malawi 0.1453 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 163 Iraq 0.0851 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 164 Mali 0.0834 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
More economy & growth data for North Korea
- Gross Domestic Product, GDP in millions constant 2021 international $ 52,947 (2027)
- Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.083 (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita 0.024 (2025)
- Imports by region of origin, per capita 3.77 current US$ per person (2024)
- Where China ranks among a country’s import partners, gaps filled 1 rank (2024)
- Where China ranks among a country’s import partners, annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Imports by region of origin, gaps filled 99.91 million current US$ (2024)
- Imports by region of origin, annual growth rate 184.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Share of imports by region of origin 99.91 million current US$ (2024)
- Where China ranks among a country’s import partners 1 rank (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beer consumption per person in North Korea?
- Beer consumption per person in North Korea was 0.1484 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest beer consumption per person recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1963.
- What is the lowest beer consumption per person recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1045 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2018.
- How does North Korea rank for beer consumption per person?
- North Korea ranks 161st out of 187 countries with data for 2022.
- Is beer consumption per person rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Beer consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Average annual per capita beer consumption, measured in liters of pure alcohol. Beer contains around 5% of pure alcohol per volume so that one liter of beer contains 0.05 liters of pure alcohol. This means that 5 liters of pure alcohol equals 100 liters of beer.