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Mapped: The Legal Age to Buy Beer Around the World

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World map showing the legal minimum age to buy beer by country, with age 18 as the global norm.
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How Old Do You Have to Be to Buy Beer?

Key Takeaways:

  • Age 18 is the global norm for buying beer across the countries in the dataset.
  • Thirteen countries set the minimum at 16, while Burkina Faso has the lowest listed age at 13.
  • Some countries report no legal minimum age, while others prohibit beer sales altogether.

Around the world, the legal age for buying a beer ranges from 13 to 25, with significant differences between countries.

This graphic uses the latest available country-level data from the WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH). It specifically measures minimum ages for off-premise beer sales, such as purchases from stores, rather than drinking or being served alcohol in bars and restaurants.

18 Is the Global Norm

The table below shows the latest available WHO minimum age for purchasing beer off-premise by country.

Country (WHO name)WHO regionMinimum age to buy beer (off-premise)
🇧🇫 Burkina FasoAfrica13
🇨🇮 Cote d'IvoireAfrica14
🇦🇹 AustriaEurope16
🇧🇪 BelgiumEurope16
🇩🇰 DenmarkEurope16
🇩🇲 DominicaAmericas16
🇩🇪 GermanyEurope16
🇬🇩 GrenadaAmericas16
🇬🇾 GuyanaAmericas16
🇱🇺 LuxembourgEurope16
🇫🇲 Micronesia (Federated States of)Western Pacific16
🇱🇨 Saint LuciaAmericas16
🇸🇲 San MarinoEurope16
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and PrincipeAfrica16
🇨🇭 SwitzerlandEurope16
🇲🇹 MaltaEurope17
🇦🇱 AlbaniaEurope18
🇩🇿 AlgeriaAfrica18
🇦🇩 AndorraEurope18
🇦🇴 AngolaAfrica18
🇦🇬 Antigua and BarbudaAmericas18
🇦🇷 ArgentinaAmericas18
🇦🇲 ArmeniaEurope18
🇦🇺 AustraliaWestern Pacific18
🇦🇿 AzerbaijanEurope18
🇧🇸 BahamasAmericas18
🇧🇭 BahrainEastern Mediterranean18
🇧🇧 BarbadosAmericas18
🇧🇾 BelarusEurope18
🇧🇿 BelizeAmericas18
🇧🇹 BhutanSouth-East Asia18
🇧🇴 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)Americas18
🇧🇦 Bosnia and HerzegovinaEurope18
🇧🇼 BotswanaAfrica18
🇧🇷 BrazilAmericas18
🇧🇬 BulgariaEurope18
🇧🇮 BurundiAfrica18
🇨🇻 Cabo VerdeAfrica18
🇨🇲 CameroonAfrica18
🇹🇩 ChadAfrica18
🇨🇱 ChileAmericas18
🇨🇳 ChinaWestern Pacific18
🇨🇴 ColombiaAmericas18
🇨🇬 CongoAfrica18
🇨🇰 Cook IslandsWestern Pacific18
🇨🇷 Costa RicaAmericas18
🇭🇷 CroatiaEurope18
🇨🇺 CubaAmericas18
🇨🇾 CyprusEurope18
🇨🇿 CzechiaEurope18
🇰🇵 Democratic People's Republic of KoreaSouth-East Asia18
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the CongoAfrica18
🇩🇴 Dominican RepublicAmericas18
🇪🇨 EcuadorAmericas18
🇸🇻 El SalvadorAmericas18
🇬🇶 Equatorial GuineaAfrica18
🇪🇪 EstoniaEurope18
🇸🇿 EswatiniAfrica18
🇫🇮 FinlandEurope18
🇫🇷 FranceEurope18
🇬🇦 GabonAfrica18
🇬🇲 GambiaAfrica18
🇬🇪 GeorgiaEurope18
🇬🇭 GhanaAfrica18
🇬🇷 GreeceEurope18
🇬🇹 GuatemalaAmericas18
🇭🇳 HondurasAmericas18
🇭🇺 HungaryEurope18
🇮🇳 IndiaSouth-East Asia18
🇮🇪 IrelandEurope18
🇮🇱 IsraelEurope18
🇮🇹 ItalyEurope18
🇯🇲 JamaicaAmericas18
🇯🇴 JordanEastern Mediterranean18
🇰🇪 KenyaAfrica18
🇰🇬 KyrgyzstanEurope18
🇱🇦 Lao People's Democratic RepublicWestern Pacific18
🇱🇻 LatviaEurope18
🇱🇧 LebanonEastern Mediterranean18
🇱🇷 LiberiaAfrica18
🇲🇬 MadagascarAfrica18
🇲🇱 MaliAfrica18
🇲🇺 MauritiusAfrica18
🇲🇽 MexicoAmericas18
🇲🇨 MonacoEurope18
🇲🇪 MontenegroEurope18
🇲🇿 MozambiqueAfrica18
🇲🇲 MyanmarSouth-East Asia18
🇳🇦 NamibiaAfrica18
🇳🇵 NepalSouth-East Asia18
🇳🇱 Netherlands (Kingdom of the)Europe18
🇳🇿 New ZealandWestern Pacific18
🇳🇮 NicaraguaAmericas18
🇳🇪 NigerAfrica18
🇳🇬 NigeriaAfrica18
🇲🇰 North MacedoniaEurope18
🇳🇴 NorwayEurope18
🇵🇦 PanamaAmericas18
🇵🇬 Papua New GuineaWestern Pacific18
🇵🇪 PeruAmericas18
🇵🇭 PhilippinesWestern Pacific18
🇵🇱 PolandEurope18
🇵🇹 PortugalEurope18
🇲🇩 Republic of MoldovaEurope18
🇷🇴 RomaniaEurope18
🇷🇺 Russian FederationEurope18
🇷🇼 RwandaAfrica18
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and NevisAmericas18
🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesAmericas18
🇸🇳 SenegalAfrica18
🇷🇸 SerbiaEurope18
🇸🇨 SeychellesAfrica18
🇸🇬 SingaporeWestern Pacific18
🇸🇰 SlovakiaEurope18
🇸🇮 SloveniaEurope18
🇿🇦 South AfricaAfrica18
🇸🇸 South SudanAfrica18
🇪🇸 SpainEurope18
🇸🇷 SurinameAmericas18
🇹🇯 TajikistanEurope18
🇹🇬 TogoAfrica18
🇹🇴 TongaWestern Pacific18
🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoAmericas18
🇹🇳 TunisiaEastern Mediterranean18
🇹🇷 TürkiyeEurope18
🇺🇬 UgandaAfrica18
🇺🇦 UkraineEurope18
🇬🇧 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandEurope18
🇹🇿 United Republic of TanzaniaAfrica18
🇺🇾 UruguayAmericas18
🇻🇺 VanuatuWestern Pacific18
🇻🇪 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)Americas18
🇻🇳 Viet NamWestern Pacific18
🇿🇲 ZambiaAfrica18
🇿🇼 ZimbabweAfrica18
🇨🇦 CanadaAmericas18-19
🇰🇷 Republic of KoreaWestern Pacific19
🇮🇸 IcelandEurope20
🇯🇵 JapanWestern Pacific20
🇱🇹 LithuaniaEurope20
🇵🇾 ParaguayAmericas20
🇸🇪 SwedenEurope20
🇹🇭 ThailandSouth-East Asia20
🇺🇿 UzbekistanEurope20
🇪🇬 EgyptEastern Mediterranean21
🇪🇹 EthiopiaAfrica21
🇮🇩 IndonesiaWestern Pacific21
🇮🇶 IraqEastern Mediterranean21
🇰🇿 KazakhstanEurope21
🇰🇮 KiribatiWestern Pacific21
🇱🇸 LesothoAfrica21
🇲🇼 MalawiAfrica21
🇲🇾 MalaysiaWestern Pacific21
🇲🇭 Marshall IslandsWestern Pacific21
🇲🇳 MongoliaWestern Pacific21
🇳🇷 NaoeroWestern Pacific21
🇴🇲 OmanEastern Mediterranean21
🇶🇦 QatarEastern Mediterranean21
🇼🇸 SamoaWestern Pacific21
🇱🇰 Sri LankaSouth-East Asia21
🇹🇲 TurkmenistanEurope21
🇺🇸 United States of AmericaAmericas21
🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesEastern Mediterranean21 - with restrictions
🇪🇷 EritreaAfrica25
🇧🇩 BangladeshSouth-East AsiaNo legal minimum
🇧🇯 BeninAfricaNo legal minimum
🇰🇭 CambodiaWestern PacificNo legal minimum
🇨🇫 Central African RepublicAfricaNo legal minimum
🇩🇯 DjiboutiEastern MediterraneanNo legal minimum
🇬🇳 GuineaAfricaNo legal minimum
🇬🇼 Guinea-BissauAfricaNo legal minimum
🇲🇦 MoroccoEastern MediterraneanNo legal minimum
🇵🇰 PakistanEastern MediterraneanNo legal minimum
🇸🇱 Sierra LeoneAfricaNo legal minimum
🇸🇴 SomaliaEastern MediterraneanNo legal minimum
🇸🇾 Syrian Arab RepublicEastern MediterraneanNo legal minimum
🇹🇱 Timor-LesteSouth-East AsiaNo legal minimum
🇾🇪 YemenEastern MediterraneanNo legal minimum
🇦🇫 AfghanistanEastern MediterraneanTotal ban
🇮🇷 Iran (Islamic Republic of)Eastern MediterraneanTotal ban
🇰🇼 KuwaitEastern MediterraneanTotal ban
🇱🇾 LibyaEastern MediterraneanTotal ban
🇲🇻 MaldivesSouth-East AsiaTotal ban
🇲🇷 MauritaniaAfricaTotal ban
🇸🇩 SudanEastern MediterraneanTotal ban
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaEastern MediterraneanBanned - with restrictions
🇧🇳 Brunei DarussalamWestern PacificNo data
🇰🇲 ComorosAfricaNo data
🇫🇯 FijiWestern PacificNo data
🇭🇹 HaitiAmericasNo data
🇳🇺 NiueWestern PacificNo data
🇵🇼 PalauWestern PacificNo data
🇸🇧 Solomon IslandsWestern PacificNo data
🇹🇻 TuvaluWestern PacificNo data

Age 18 dominates the map. By comparison, 19 countries set the threshold at 21, 13 use age 16, and seven use age 20. Eritrea stands out with the highest listed minimum at 25.

Minimum-age laws are one tool governments use to limit alcohol access among young people. DrinkIQ notes that adolescence is an important period of brain and physical development, while countries balance these concerns against differing cultural attitudes toward alcohol.

Europe is particularly notable for lower purchase ages. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and several other countries set the threshold at 16. The region also has a deeply established beer culture and includes many of the world’s biggest beer-drinking countries.

From No Minimum to Complete Prohibition

The opposite ends of the spectrum require some nuance. The WHO data lists 14 countries as having no legal minimum for off-premise beer purchases. This designation does not necessarily mean alcohol is freely available, as other national or local restrictions may still apply.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, the Maldives, Mauritania, and Sudan are recorded as having total bans on beer sales. Saudi Arabia is classified separately as banned with restrictions. Alcohol rules can include exceptions based on location, residency, or other circumstances, illustrating why a simple purchase-age figure cannot capture every country’s regulatory system.

The U.S. is also unusual among major advanced economies, with a minimum purchase age of 21. The beer market itself remains highly globalized, however, with many of the largest beer brewers selling across countries with very different rules.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

For another look at the beer industry, see How Beer Logos Have Changed With the Times on the Voronoi app.

AI

Mapped: Where U.S. Jobs Are Most Exposed to AI

See which U.S. states have the highest share of AI-exposed jobs, led by Washington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Published

This visualization ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C. by the share of workers employed in occupations considered highly exposed to AI disruption.

Where AI Exposure Is Highest Across the U.S.

Key Takeaways

  • Washington has the highest share of AI-exposed jobs, at 5.7% of its workforce.
  • California has the largest number of AI-exposed positions overall, at roughly 724,000 jobs.
  • Mississippi has the lowest share of AI-exposed jobs in the study, at 1.9%.

Artificial intelligence is becoming capable of performing tasks across a growing range of white-collar and technical occupations.

This visualization maps all 50 states and Washington, D.C., by the share of workers employed in occupations considered highly exposed to AI-related disruption. It also highlights the states with the largest and smallest numbers of workers in these roles.

The data for this visualization comes from SmartAsset, using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and research from the Virginia Economic Information and Analytics Division. The analysis covers 26 occupations identified as having particularly high exposure to potential AI-related disruption.

AI exposure does not necessarily mean these jobs will disappear. Instead, it reflects how susceptible their tasks may be to changes such as automation, weaker hiring demand, wage pressure, or restructuring as AI tools become more capable.

Why Washington Tops the Map

Washington ranks first, with 5.7% of its workforce employed in highly AI-exposed occupations.

The state’s large technology sector helps explain its position, with companies such as Microsoft and Amazon supporting a significant concentration of software developers, programmers, database specialists, and other digital roles.

RankState or DistrictAI-Exposed Jobs (%)
1Washington5.7%
2Virginia4.6%
3District of Columbia4.5%
4California4.0%
5Utah4.0%
6Maryland3.9%
7Colorado3.7%
8New Hampshire3.7%
9Texas3.6%
10North Carolina3.5%
11South Dakota3.5%
12Oregon3.4%
13New Jersey3.4%
14Massachusetts3.2%
15Minnesota3.2%
16Georgia3.2%
17Arizona3.1%
18New York3.1%
19Tennessee3.1%
20Nebraska3.1%
21Florida3.0%
22Connecticut2.9%
23Michigan2.9%
24Missouri2.8%
25Illinois2.8%
26Wisconsin2.8%
27Rhode Island2.8%
28West Virginia2.7%
29Kansas2.7%
30Pennsylvania2.7%
31Iowa2.7%
32Delaware2.7%
33Vermont2.7%
34Ohio2.6%
35Alabama2.6%
36Maine2.5%
37Idaho2.5%
38Montana2.5%
39Nevada2.5%
40Alaska2.4%
41South Carolina2.4%
42North Dakota2.3%
43Kentucky2.3%
44Oklahoma2.3%
45Louisiana2.3%
46Indiana2.2%
47Arkansas2.2%
48Wyoming2.2%
49New Mexico2.1%
50Hawaii2.1%
51Mississippi1.9%

Virginia follows at 4.6%, reflecting its mix of technology firms, federal contractors, and knowledge-based employment. Washington, D.C., ranks third at 4.5%, while California and Utah round out the top five at 4.0% each.

At the other end of the ranking, Mississippi has the lowest share in the study, at 1.9%.

California Has the Most AI-Exposed Jobs

California has the largest absolute number of workers in highly exposed occupations, with approximately 724,000 positions.

Texas follows with about 500,000, while New York and Florida each have roughly 301,000.

RankStateStates With the Most AI-Exposed Jobs
1California724K
2Texas500K
3New York301K
4Florida301K
5Washington202K

At the other end of the scale, Wyoming has just 6,000 AI-exposed positions, followed by Alaska and Vermont at about 8,000 each.

Rank StateStates With the Fewest AI-Exposed Jobs
1Wyoming6K
2Alaska8K
3Vermont8K
4North Dakota10K
5Montana13K

What Types of Jobs Are Most Exposed to AI?

The 26 occupations span technology, communications, administration, finance, and other knowledge-based fields.

Mathematicians rank as the most exposed occupation, followed by proofreaders, correspondence clerks, court reporters, and media and communication workers. Computer programmers, database administrators, web developers, software developers, writers, translators, payroll clerks, and bookkeeping workers also appear on the list.

Many of these roles involve processing information, generating or reviewing text, working with structured data, or performing routine digital tasks, all areas where generative AI and other automation tools have advanced quickly.

Still, exposure should be interpreted as the potential for jobs to change rather than a direct estimate of how many positions will ultimately be eliminated.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the smartest AI models in 2026.

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United States

Mapped: Does Your State Trade More With China or the EU?

The European Union has emerged as an unexpected beneficiary of rising trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

Published

Map of the U.S. showing the states which trade more with China or more with the European Union.

Does Your State Trade More With China or the EU?

Key Takeaways

  • All but five U.S. states traded more with the European Union than China in 2025.
  • China accounted for 13% of California’s goods trade, the highest share among the five China-oriented states.
  • Alaska, Illinois, Oregon, and Wyoming shifted to trading more with the EU than China in 2025.

China and the European Union are two of America’s biggest trading partners, but their influence looks very different from state to state.

This U.S. map highlights which states trade more with China versus the European Union, using 2025 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Only goods trade is included; trade in services is excluded.

A Trade War on Two Fronts

Within months of the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, the U.S. announced sweeping tariffs on dozens of economies, including major trading partners such as China and the EU.

The U.S. initially announced a 34% reciprocal tariff on Chinese goods in April 2025, which was later raised above 100% amid retaliatory measures before being reduced. Against that backdrop, U.S.-China trade fell 29% from the previous year.

The table below lists U.S. states based on whether they traded more with China or the EU in 2025.

StateTrades More With (2025)EU-to-China Ratio
Alabama🇪🇺 EU2.6
Alaska🇪🇺 EU1.6
Arizona🇪🇺 EU3.0
Arkansas🇪🇺 EU3.1
California🇨🇳 China0.8
Colorado🇪🇺 EU2.5
Connecticut🇪🇺 EU6.0
Delaware🇪🇺 EU3.2
D.C.🇪🇺 EU27.2
Florida🇪🇺 EU3.6
Georgia🇪🇺 EU2.6
Hawaii🇪🇺 EU1.5
Idaho🇪🇺 EU2.1
Illinois🇪🇺 EU1.6
Indiana🇪🇺 EU8.6
Iowa🇪🇺 EU2.4
Kansas🇪🇺 EU2.8
Kentucky🇪🇺 EU4.3
Louisiana🇪🇺 EU7.7
Maine🇪🇺 EU5.1
Maryland🇪🇺 EU7.0
Massachusetts🇪🇺 EU3.9
Michigan🇪🇺 EU1.9
Minnesota🇪🇺 EU1.2
Mississippi🇪🇺 EU2.0
Missouri🇪🇺 EU1.6
Montana🇪🇺 EU4.0
Nebraska🇪🇺 EU1.7
Nevada🇨🇳 China0.7
New Hampshire🇪🇺 EU8.2
New Jersey🇪🇺 EU4.1
New Mexico🇨🇳 China0.3
New York🇪🇺 EU3.3
North Carolina🇪🇺 EU5.0
North Dakota🇪🇺 EU3.3
Ohio🇪🇺 EU2.4
Oklahoma🇪🇺 EU1.2
Oregon🇪🇺 EU1.1
Pennsylvania🇪🇺 EU4.4
Rhode Island🇪🇺 EU10.2
South Carolina🇪🇺 EU2.9
South Dakota🇨🇳 China0.9
Tennessee🇪🇺 EU2.2
Texas🇪🇺 EU2.7
Utah🇪🇺 EU1.4
Vermont🇪🇺 EU3.0
Virginia🇪🇺 EU2.7
Washington🇨🇳 China0.7
West Virginia🇪🇺 EU3.4
Wisconsin🇪🇺 EU2.2
Wyoming🇪🇺 EU1.8

Four states shifted to trading more with the EU than China in 2025: Alaska, Illinois, Oregon, and Wyoming. They joined 41 other states and Washington, D.C., in the EU-oriented group.

With Illinois switching sides, every state east of the Mississippi River now trades more with the EU than with China.

How EU Trade Gained Ground

The EU was also subject to the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs, initially facing a 20% reciprocal tariff. Following negotiations between the U.S. and European Commission, the two sides announced a trade deal in July 2025 that capped most U.S. tariffs on EU goods at 15%.

Over the full year, U.S.-China goods trade declined by more than a quarter, while total EU-U.S. trade increased from 2024.

The states trading the most with the EU were Texas ($114 billion), Indiana ($110 billion), and California ($67 billion). Indiana stands out in particular, with the EU accounting for about half of its goods trade, supported by the state’s large pharmaceutical industry and companies such as Eli Lilly.

The Five States Still Oriented Toward China

Only California, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Washington traded more with China than with the European Union in 2025.

California led by a wide margin, recording more than $86 billion in two-way goods trade with China.

The five states have distinct industries that help explain their trade ties with China. These include California’s port-driven electronics imports, aerospace exports from Washington, and semiconductor production in New Mexico.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To see how transatlantic trade ties are expanding, check out Revitalized U.S. Role in EU Trade since the Mid-2010s on Voronoi.

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