Many countries drink comparatively little alcohol, usually because of religious or cultural beliefs, but to other nations boozing is not only a recreational activity, it's a way of life. Here are the top 20 drunkest nations, according to the most recent figures from 2012 and 2013 from the World Health Organization (WHO), based on alcohol consumed per person per country.

Drinking levels in the US have remained stable since 2000, hovering around eight liters per person. Americans like their beer, drinking almost three times as much as wine, and are also the biggest consumers of spirits outside of Eastern and Central Europe.

Kiwis’ alcohol consumption has never gone over the 10 liter mark since records began in 2000, and has actually been declining since 2010. And even though New Zealand is renowned for quality wine, more beer is drunk than vino.

After 2012’s lowest-ever figure, the 2013 figure shows that Danes’ drinking is creeping back up again. Figures were highest in 2000 at 11.69 liters per person.

After hitting its highest levels in 2007 (10.45 liters per person) Finland’s drinking levels have generally declined. Finns mostly enjoy beer.

Overall the UK’s drinking levels are dropping. In 2004, Brits drank 11.73 liters per person compared to 9.65 in 2012. Though the UK is the seventh biggest consumer of wine on the list overall its people drink similar amounts of beer and wine.

Belgium is famous for beer so it’s no surprise it’s drunk more than wine, though only by a small margin.

Swiss people’s alcohol consumption has, in general, been decreasing since 2000. It’s the third biggest consumer of wine per person on the list.

Australia’s beer intake is at its lowest since WHO records started in 2000, but there has been a growth in the amount of wine drunk. However, beer is still the most popular alcoholic drink.

Poles are the biggest beer drinkers on the list, averaging 6.9 liters per person in 2012, but don’t drink much wine, preferring spirits instead, at an average of 4.18 liters per person in 2013.

After a heavy drinking year in 2007, at 12.12 liters per capita, Latvia is drinking less per person. Beer is the favored drink, then spirits.

In 2012, this Eastern European country drank 10.76 liters per person, choosing spirits over beer and wine.

Germans have been drinking less and less each year over the past decade, apart from a slight jump in 2006. Beer is the most common tipple and Germans drink the third highest amount out of all the nations on the list.

After hitting their highest levels of alcohol consumption in 2006, Hungarians have generally been imbibing less. Although beer is drunk the most, spirit and wine intake isn’t far behind.

Luxembourg is the smallest country on the list, with a population of just 555,000, yet its inhabitants drink the sixth highest amount of booze in the world, although consumption is generally dropping. Luxembourgians particularly enjoy wine, drinking the second highest amount of vino on this list.

In 2004 Ireland was drinking the most alcohol ever recorded in a Western European country at an average of 14.24 liters per person. Since then figures have generally decreased. The Irish love beer and are second in the world for beer consumption.

France’s drinking levels are lowest since records began in 2000 but the country still comes in the top five, largely because of its consumption of wine, with an average seven liters per person drunk in 2012, which is by far the highest of all the nations.

The Czech Republic’s annual alcohol levels have always hovered between the 12.5-13.5 liter mark, with beer being by far the most popular drink. Per head, the Czechs consume more beer than any other country on the list.

Russians drink very little wine (1.23 liters per person) compared to spirits (5.64 liters) – unsurprising given the country’s reputation for fine vodka.

This Eastern European country’s alcohol intake has grown incrementally since 2000 – from nine liters per head up to nearly 14.5 liters now. Spirits and then beer are the drinks of choice, with very little wine consumed.

And yes, you can visit this fountain of wine if you happen to be in Moldova...

Belarus is the only country to have hit 15 liters and over per head, though levels have dropped slightly. Not much wine or beer is drunk, instead spirits and other alcoholic beverages are imbibed. Belarusians drink more spirits than any other nation with their neighbors Russia and Lithuania coming a close second and third respectively.