China vs North Korea: Share of adults who have not drunk alcohol in the last year
China
39.7%
in 2020
North Korea
40.9%
in 2020
China rank
139th
North Korea rank
136th
Share of adults who have not drunk alcohol in the last year over time
- China
- North Korea
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 40.9% against 39.7% in China, a difference of 1.2%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 21 shared years of data; in 2000 it was China ahead.
China ranks 139th and North Korea ranks 136th of 187 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and North Korea in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | North Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.4% | 43.7% | 0.8% | China |
| 2010s | 36.2% | 41.0% | 4.8% | North Korea |
| 2020s | 39.7% | 40.9% | 1.2% | North Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of adults who have not drunk alcohol in the last year, China or North Korea?
- North Korea, at 40.9% against 39.7% in China as of 2020.
- What is the difference in share of adults who have not drunk alcohol in the last year between China and North Korea?
- 1.2%, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and North Korea?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2020.
- How do China and North Korea rank globally for share of adults who have not drunk alcohol in the last year?
- China ranks 139th and North Korea ranks 136th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of adults who have not drunk alcohol in the last year. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Adults are defined as those aged 15 years and older. Shown is the share of adults who have not drunk any alcohol in the preceding 12 months.