Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Botswana

Botswana: Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days was 49.8% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
49.8%
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
44th
of 187 countries
All-time high
53.0%
in 2000
All-time low
49.7%
in 2016
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Botswana, 2000–2020

02040602000201020202000: 53 %2001: 52.8 %2002: 53 %2003: 52.3 %2004: 51.9 %2005: 52.2 %2006: 52.3 %2007: 51.9 %2008: 51.9 %2009: 50.5 %2010: 50.9 %2011: 51.3 %2012: 50.8 %2013: 50.1 %2014: 50.2 %2015: 50.1 %2016: 49.7 %2017: 50.3 %2018: 50.3 %2019: 50.4 %2020: 49.8 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2020, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Botswana stood at 49.8%.

That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Botswana peaked at 53.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 49.7%, in 2016.

That places Botswana 44th out of 187 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 52.2% 50.5% 53.0% 10
2010s 50.4% 49.7% 51.3% 10
2020s 49.8% 49.8% 49.8% 1

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 41 Liberia 50.4% compare
  2. 42 Ghana 50.0% compare
  3. 43 Mongolia 49.8% compare
  4. 45 Romania 49.5% compare
  5. 46 Fiji 49.0% compare
  6. 47 Lesotho 49.0% compare

See the full ranking of 187 places →

More reference data data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Botswana?
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Botswana was 49.8% in 2020, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 53.0% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 49.7% in 2016.
How does Botswana rank for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days?
Botswana ranks 44th out of 187 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
187 places, 3,927 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

Heavy episodic drinking (drinkers only) is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers (15+ years) who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. A consumption of 60 grams of pure alcohol corresponds approximately to 6 standard alcoholic drinks.