In 2013, the World Health Organization recorded that approximately 2.5 million people worldwide die from alcohol abuse or related illnesses. Which nation contributes the most to these statistics, and can Russians truly be the most drinking nation?
Per capita alcohol consumption statistics
An abbreviated version of the WHO report for 2013 on the volumes of ethanol consumed per capita by country, taking into account persons over 15 years of age:
1. Moldova - 18, 22 liters per capita; preference for different drinks is approximately the same: beer (4.57), wine (4.67) and spirits (4.42)
2. Czech Republic - 16, 45 liters per capita; Czechs give the greatest preference to beer (8.51), followed by spirits (3, 60), and the rest is beer (2.33)
3. Hungary - 16, 27 liters per capita; approximately the same volume of consumption of the three main types of alcohol: beer (4.42), wine (4.94) and spirits (3.02)
Russia is not even in the top ten, occupying 16th place in the list with a volume of alcohol consumption per capita equal to 13, 50 liters per year, of which almost 7 are spirits.
Even if we take into account the volume of consumed strong alcoholic beverages, then even here Russia is only in sixth place, behind the Republic of Korea, Estonia, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Why does the world think that all Russians drink?
The tradition of drinking in Russia and Russia has been developing for a long time, but it filled literally every area of life. Dostoevsky wrote: "In Russia, the drunken people we have are the kindest. The kindest people we have and the most drunk."
In the 17-19 centuries, foreign travelers visiting Russia called Russians one of the most drinking nations, along with Germans, British, Czechs and Poles. Petr Petrej de Erlezunda, envoy of the Swedish king, wrote: "You have no place among the Russians if you don't drink. 'You don't drink, so you don't respect me!' That's what they say."
Russian traditions to drink to health or drink and eat everything on the table, so that the owners of the house do not leave "evil" going far into mythology. Even the heroes of Old Slavic epics, who could drink the most, enjoyed the honor and respect of the rest …
Even in Russia, the strengthening of foreign policy ties took place precisely at a feast, and often at a little booze. Some of our future leaders also supported this tradition - another reason for the formation of a stereotype …
Considering all of the above, one of the main factors of the established stereotype about "Russian drunkards" is the fact that we ourselves are strengthening this stereotype: in conversations, in jokes, in literature, in various "Irony of Fate", which is watched by the whole country, and even those who find alcohol disgusting are touched by the sight of the drunk protagonist.
