Despite the gradual decrease in people consuming tobacco, there are still about 1.3 billion people worldwide who use tobacco products. Over the years, we have become well-accustomed to the statutory warning messages of tobacco consumption. Yet, there are many countries where smoking is still a prevalent habit among the masses.
We have researched various online forums and analyzed data sets to create a list of countries with the highest adult smoking rates.
Nauru
An island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, Nauru is home to a meager 12,880 people. Among them, almost half the population smokes cigarettes and other tobacco products. With a population as small as Nauru’s, the smoking rate is staggering. The Polynesian societal customs lead to a large number of people smoking in the country.
Overall smoking rate: 45% (as of 2020)
Female smoking rate: 44.6% (as of 2020)
Male smoking rate: 45.3% (as of 2020)
Papua New Guinea
The most linguistically diverse country has seen a decline in smoking in recent years. However, it remains a cause of concern for a country whose 80% of residents live in rural areas. While the majority of the male population in the country smoke, the women do not smoke as frequently, with only 1 out of every 4 women being smokers.
Overall smoking rate: 40.5% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 25.4% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 55.2% (as of 2022)
Kiribati
Made up of 33 islands, Kiribati inhabits people in 20 of them. The island country in the central Pacific Ocean has a tobacco epidemic that the government refuses to address. Not only does the high addiction to smoking affect the environment, but it also harms the country’s development and leads to rising poverty. As per 2019 data, Kiribati sees 368 out of every 100,000 people die from smoking.
Overall smoking rate: 39.7% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 27% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 53.6% (as of 2022)
Solomon Islands
Located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Islands consists largely of a rural population whose livelihood majorly depends on pig raising and fishing. Smoking has turned into a costly epidemic in the country, with 1,227 people dying each year. The government also spends hundreds of millions every year to limit the wreckage.
Overall smoking rate: 38% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 19.8% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 55.9% (as of 2022)
Serbia
Serbia recently proposed a smoking ban at bars and restaurants. While most European countries have a smoke-free mandate for bars, Serbia does not. That is one of the reasons behind the Balkan nation witnessing nearly 15,000 deaths due to smoking-related diseases every year.
Overall smoking rate: 37.6% (as of 2020)
Female smoking rate: 35.7% (as of 2020)
Male smoking rate: 39.7% (as of 2020)
Tuvalu
With only about 11,500 residents, Tuvalu is the world’s smallest sovereign country in terms of population. The island country also has one of the smallest economies in the world, with a GDP of $42.59 million. Yet, the smoking industry seems to not be backing down, as the country sees almost 38% of adults smoking daily.
Overall smoking rate: 37% (as of 2020)
Female smoking rate: 22.3% (as of 2020)
Male smoking rate: 51.4% (as of 2020)
Bosnia And Herzegovina
While the Balkan country of Bosnia And Herzegovina is one of the leading countries in coffee consumption, they do not lag in smoking, either. The government has banned smoking in enclosed public spaces, yet the smoking rate is fairly high in the country.
Overall smoking rate: 35.5% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 28% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 43.4% (as of 2022)
Jordan
Located in the Middle East, Jordan is home to Amman, one of the oldest cities on Earth. It is home to a variety of natural landscapes and beautiful cities, and even a versatile palate. Even though the country has a ban on advertising smoke, a worrying statistic shows that one-fourth of Jordanian students are smokers.
Overall smoking rate: 35.2% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 12.7% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 57.4% (as of 2022)
Bulgaria
Another Balkan country, Bulgaria, is prone to smoking as well. While they have never lost their flag in a battle, their fight against smoking leaves a lot to be desired. Partial bans on smoking have not amounted to much. Despite the bans, the country experiences over 17,000 deaths from tobacco-related diseases.
Overall smoking rate: 34.3% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 29.8% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 39.1% (as of 2022)
Cyprus
Cyrus has a rich history. Not only does it have some of the cleanest beaches in Europe, but it also features the oldest perfume and oldest wine in the world. Along with those, smoking has always been in high demand among the public.
Overall smoking rate: 34.2% (as of 2022)
Female smoking rate: 21.9% (as of 2022)
Male smoking rate: 46.6% (as of 2022)
Croatia
Despite health warnings issued by the government, the Croats remain addicted to smoking. While it is legal for you to buy vaping devices, there are certain restrictions about smoking in enclosed public spaces. Unfortunately, over 9,500 people die in Croatia every year due to smoking.
Overall smoking rate: 33.1% (as of 2024)
Female smoking rate: 30.7% (as of 2024)
Male smoking rate: 35.6% (as of 2024)
Indonesia
When it comes to smoking, Indonesia is one of the most abnormal countries. Despite a high rate of tax levied on smoking products, Indonesia still thrives in the tobacco market. In fact, according to 2019 data, 22% of all deaths in Indonesia were due to smoking.
Overall smoking rate: 32.6% (as of 2024)
Female smoking rate: 2.5% (as of 2024)
Male smoking rate: 62.7% (as of 2024)