Alcohol consumption per person in Iceland
Iceland: Alcohol consumption per person was 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
48th
of 185 countries
All-time high
8.08 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2017
All-time low
6.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2000
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Alcohol consumption per person in Iceland, 2000–2020
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Analysis
In 2020, alcohol consumption per person in Iceland stood at 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol consumption per person in Iceland peaked at 8.08 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2017 and was at its lowest, 6.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, in 2000.
That places Iceland 48th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol consumption per person in Iceland, year by year
| Year | liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | — |
| 2001 | 6.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 7.16 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 7.32 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 7.52 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 7.78 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 7.81 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 7.82 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 7.58 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 7.47 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 7.34 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 7.33 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 7.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 7.64 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 7.85 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 8.07 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 8.08 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 8.07 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 8.07 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.39 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 6.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.82 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.33 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 8.08 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 45 Argentina 8.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 46 Viet Nam 8.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 47 Thailand 7.99 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 49 Republic of Korea 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 50 Brazil 7.7 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 51 Mongolia 7.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
More economy & growth data for Iceland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1585 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 15,584 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 12.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4237 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 41,663 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 54.43 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol consumption per person in Iceland?
- Alcohol consumption per person in Iceland was 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest alcohol consumption per person recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 8.08 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2017.
- What is the lowest alcohol consumption per person recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000.
- How does Iceland rank for alcohol consumption per person?
- Iceland ranks 48th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol consumption per person rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.