?Risky levels?: Australia is the drunkest country in the world, survey finds

Australians have been named the heaviest drinkers in the world after spending more time drunk in 2020 than any other nation.

An international survey has found Australians drank to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15. Almost a quarter of Australians reported feeling regret for becoming intoxicated.

The Global Drug Survey asked more than 32,000 people from 22 countries what their drug and alcohol consumption was last year.

On average, Australians drank alcohol in line with the global average of two nights a week, and became heavily drunk about once every two weeks. The French topped that metric, drinking around three times a week.

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Australian participants also tripled the global average on seeking emergency care for their drinking (3.9% compared with the global average of 1.2%).

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education chief executive, Caterina Giorgi, said the statistics were "concerning", and that a clear picture of the impact of harmful alcohol use during the pandemic was only just emerging.