Namibians lead in wine consumption
Namibia has the highest wine consumption in Africa, polishing off close to 20 litres of wine per person per year.
This should come as no surprise, as Namibia has time and again been ranked as one of the countries with the highest alcohol consumption in the world.
According to the latest data available from the Wine Institute, Namibia consumed 49.8 million litres of wine in 2014, the most recent year for which comprehensive statistics are available.
With a population of about 2.5 million people, that equals about 19.8 litres, or 27 bottles, of wine per person.
Namibia was the only African country whose population consumed more than 10 litres of wine per person that year.
The country with the second highest wine consumption on the continent was Equatorial Guinea with 8.7 litres per capita, followed by Tunisia with 7 litres of wine per capita.
South Africa, which is a major wine-producing country, consumed only 360 million litres of wine in 2014.
With a population of about 54 million people this meant that 6.5 litres of wine were consumed per capita.
In other African countries such as Botswana, the consumption per capita was 4.6 litres, in Angola 4 litres and in Algeria 1.2 litres.
The country that has the highest wine consumption in the world was Andorra at 56.9 litres (76 bottles) per person. The country consumed 3.9 million litres of wine in 2014 and has a population of only 69 165.
Second on the global list is Vatican City, where 56.2 litres of wine were consumed per capita. Croatia, Portugal and France completed the top five globally.
The United States consumes more wine than any other country at 3.3 trillion litres but that is just 9.9 litres per capita, putting it 55th overall.
At the other end of the scale, Pakistan consumes the least wine at 0.00019 litres per capita. Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and Bangladesh follow. Alcohol is forbidden in Muslim countries.
Namibia was last year ranked as the 18th highest per capita consumer of alcohol in the world. Statistics indicated that Namibia consumed 11.8 litres of pure alcohol per person a year. Namibia was also the highest consumer of alcohol in Africa, tying with Uganda.
In 2016 alcohol was Namibia's third highest import by value, at US$47 million. Wine was Namibia's fifth largest import, to the value of US$40 million.
Meanwhile finance minister Calle Schlettwein on Wednesday announced an average 5% increase in sin taxes.
Tax on malt beer, sparkling wine, ciders and alcoholic fruit beverages was increased by 10%, and on fortified wine by 6%.
The minister said the price increases came into effect on 21 February as is required under the SACU agreement.
ELLANIE SMIT
This should come as no surprise, as Namibia has time and again been ranked as one of the countries with the highest alcohol consumption in the world.
According to the latest data available from the Wine Institute, Namibia consumed 49.8 million litres of wine in 2014, the most recent year for which comprehensive statistics are available.
With a population of about 2.5 million people, that equals about 19.8 litres, or 27 bottles, of wine per person.
Namibia was the only African country whose population consumed more than 10 litres of wine per person that year.
The country with the second highest wine consumption on the continent was Equatorial Guinea with 8.7 litres per capita, followed by Tunisia with 7 litres of wine per capita.
South Africa, which is a major wine-producing country, consumed only 360 million litres of wine in 2014.
With a population of about 54 million people this meant that 6.5 litres of wine were consumed per capita.
In other African countries such as Botswana, the consumption per capita was 4.6 litres, in Angola 4 litres and in Algeria 1.2 litres.
The country that has the highest wine consumption in the world was Andorra at 56.9 litres (76 bottles) per person. The country consumed 3.9 million litres of wine in 2014 and has a population of only 69 165.
Second on the global list is Vatican City, where 56.2 litres of wine were consumed per capita. Croatia, Portugal and France completed the top five globally.
The United States consumes more wine than any other country at 3.3 trillion litres but that is just 9.9 litres per capita, putting it 55th overall.
At the other end of the scale, Pakistan consumes the least wine at 0.00019 litres per capita. Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and Bangladesh follow. Alcohol is forbidden in Muslim countries.
Namibia was last year ranked as the 18th highest per capita consumer of alcohol in the world. Statistics indicated that Namibia consumed 11.8 litres of pure alcohol per person a year. Namibia was also the highest consumer of alcohol in Africa, tying with Uganda.
In 2016 alcohol was Namibia's third highest import by value, at US$47 million. Wine was Namibia's fifth largest import, to the value of US$40 million.
Meanwhile finance minister Calle Schlettwein on Wednesday announced an average 5% increase in sin taxes.
Tax on malt beer, sparkling wine, ciders and alcoholic fruit beverages was increased by 10%, and on fortified wine by 6%.
The minister said the price increases came into effect on 21 February as is required under the SACU agreement.
ELLANIE SMIT
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