An Informative Chart: Legal Drinking Ages Around the World

What is that you look forward to more - your graduation day, or the day you are legally allowed to drink? If you've chosen the second option, then you are with the majority. With intoxication being the key issue, concerned authorities of nations across the world have issued a legal age for drinking.
WHO says...
320,000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes per year, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.
320,000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes per year, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.
What is the one thing most of us turn to in order to cope with increasing stress levels and mental tiredness? Fill my glass, will you please? Blame it on the declining alcohol rates or the easy availability, it isn't surprising to read about underage drinking problems these days. Depending on where you are, the legal drinking age varies from 16 to 25. By legal drinking age we mean the minimum age when an individual can either purchase or consume alcoholic beverages.
While most countries have a legal age for both purchasing and drinking alcohol, there are some others which impose a strict ban. Countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, and Togo do not have a legal age for either. These laws are applicable to drinking in public places, and have their own applicable terms and conditions. Like, in Burundi, though the official drinking age is set at 16, a minor can consume alcohol if accompanied by his/her parents. Then the minimum age for consuming wine or beer differs from the age of consuming spirits - like in Belgium, Germany, and Portugal. Egypt makes an exception in this case, where you have to be 18 to consume beer and 21 to have wine and spirits.
In countries like Gambia, and Pakistan, consuming any kind of spirit is not permitted, and hence is deemed illegal. The only exception to this rule is for the non-Muslim population, that can consume alcohol at the age of 18 and 21 respectively. In Brunei too, drinking is illegal, however non-Muslims who have completed 17 years of age are permitted to import 2 bottles of liquor once in 48 hours, to be consumed strictly at their residence. Libya is the only country where consuming alcohol is illegal even if you are a non-Muslim resident.
While most countries have a legal age for both purchasing and drinking alcohol, there are some others which impose a strict ban. Countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, and Togo do not have a legal age for either. These laws are applicable to drinking in public places, and have their own applicable terms and conditions. Like, in Burundi, though the official drinking age is set at 16, a minor can consume alcohol if accompanied by his/her parents. Then the minimum age for consuming wine or beer differs from the age of consuming spirits - like in Belgium, Germany, and Portugal. Egypt makes an exception in this case, where you have to be 18 to consume beer and 21 to have wine and spirits.
In countries like Gambia, and Pakistan, consuming any kind of spirit is not permitted, and hence is deemed illegal. The only exception to this rule is for the non-Muslim population, that can consume alcohol at the age of 18 and 21 respectively. In Brunei too, drinking is illegal, however non-Muslims who have completed 17 years of age are permitted to import 2 bottles of liquor once in 48 hours, to be consumed strictly at their residence. Libya is the only country where consuming alcohol is illegal even if you are a non-Muslim resident.
Legal Drinking Age
Albania
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Algeria
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Argentina
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Armenia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Australia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Austria
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Azerbaijan
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Bahamas
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Bangladesh
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Belarus
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Belgium
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Belize
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Bolivia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Botswana
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Brazil
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Brunei
Drinking Age: Illegal1
Drinking Age: Illegal1
Bulgaria
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Burundi
Drinking Age: 16
Drinking Age: 16
Cambodia
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Cameroon
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Canada
Drinking Age: 18/19*
Drinking Age: 18/19*
Cape Verde
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
CAR†
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Chile
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
China
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Colombia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Comoros
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Costa Rica
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Croatia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Cyprus
Drinking Age: 17
Drinking Age: 17
Czech Republic
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Denmark
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Dominican Republic
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Ecuador
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Egypt
Drinking Age: 18 /21*
Drinking Age: 18 /21*
El Salvador
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Equatorial Guinea
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Eritrea
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Estonia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Ethiopia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Fiji
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Finland
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
France
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Gabon
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Gambia
Drinking Age: Illegal2
Drinking Age: Illegal2
Georgia
Drinking Age: 16
Drinking Age: 16
Germany
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Ghana
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Greece
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Guam
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Guatemala
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Guinea-Bissau
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Guyana
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Hungary
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Iceland
Drinking Age: 20
Drinking Age: 20
India
Drinking Age: 18-25
Drinking Age: 18-25
Indonesia
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Ireland
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Israel
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Italy
Drinking Age: 16
Drinking Age: 16
Jamaica
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Japan
Drinking Age: 20
Drinking Age: 20
Kazakhstan
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Kenya
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Kyrgyzstan
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Lao PDR
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Latvia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Lesotho
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Libya
Drinking Age: Illegal
Drinking Age: Illegal
Lithuania
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Luxembourg
Drinking Age: 17/18*
Drinking Age: 17/18*
Malawi
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Malta
Drinking Age: 17
Drinking Age: 17
Mauritius
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Mexico
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Micronesia
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Moldova
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Morocco
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Mozambique
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Namibia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Netherlands
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Drinking Age: 16/18*
New Zealand
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Nicaragua
Drinking Age: 19
Drinking Age: 19
Niger
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Nigeria
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Norway
Drinking Age: 18/20*
Drinking Age: 18/20*
Pakistan
Drinking Age: Illegal3
Drinking Age: Illegal3
Palau
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Panama
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Papua New Guinea
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Paraguay
Drinking Age: 20
Drinking Age: 20
Peru
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Philippines
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Portugal
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Republic of Congo
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Russia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Samoa
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Seychelles
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Singapore
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Slovenia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Solomon Islands
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
South Africa
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
South Korea
Drinking Age: 19
Drinking Age: 19
Spain
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Sri Lanka
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Swaziland
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Sweden
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Switzerland
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Drinking Age: 16/18*
Thailand
Drinking Age: 20
Drinking Age: 20
Togo
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Tonga
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Trinidad & Tobago
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Turkey
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Turkmenistan
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Uganda
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Ukraine
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
United Kingdom
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
United States
Drinking Age: 21
Drinking Age: 21
Uruguay
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Uzbekistan
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Vanuatu
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Venezuela
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Vietnam
Drinking Age: None
Drinking Age: None
Zambia
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
Zimbabwe
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking Age: 18
*Legal age for Hard Liquor | 1Legal for Non-Muslims above 17 years. | 2Legal for Non-Muslims above 18 years. | 3Legal for Non-Muslims above 21 years. | †Central African Republic
United Kingdom is the only country that has a legal drinking age to be followed when drinking at home. The age for the same is set at 6. Always remember the fact that alcohol goes directly to the bloodstream, which is why we experience a noticeable change. Last but not the least, be responsible about drinking.