Tajikistan Among Lowest Alcohol Consumers in Post-Soviet Space

Tajikistan ranks among the countries with the lowest alcohol consumption in the post-Soviet space, according to research by the analytical platform World Population Review.

On average, each resident of the country consumes just 0.7 liters of pure alcohol per year, one of the lowest rates in the CIS, The Caspian Post reports via Tajik media.

Central Asian countries as a whole show a much more restrained approach to alcohol compared to other regions. In Kazakhstan, average consumption is 5.4 liters per person, in Kyrgyzstan 3.9 liters, and in Uzbekistan 2.1 liters. Turkmenistan records the lowest level at 0.3 liters, making it the most teetotaling nation in the CIS.

Researchers link these low figures primarily to Islamic traditions, cultural norms, and social practices that encourage moderation in alcohol use.

By contrast, global statistics show much higher consumption in Eastern and Central Europe. Leading countries include Romania (17.1 liters), Georgia (15.5 liters), Latvia (14.7 liters), Moldova (14.1 liters), and the Czech Republic (13.7 liters). Among CIS countries, Belarus (11.4 liters) and Russia (10.5 liters per person per year) have the highest alcohol consumption rates.