Map of alcohol consumption via WHO
The report shows that Americans imbibed in an average of 7.5-9.99 liters of pure alcohol per person between 2003 and 2005. Nigerians, Argentineans and Australians drank an average of 10-12.49 liters, whereas Russian and many Europeans drank 12.5 liters and up.
Though America usually finds not winning to be tough medicine to swallow, this is one contest where not coming in first is a good thing. According to The Economist, "The WHO estimates that alcohol results in 2.5m deaths a year, more than AIDS or tuberculosis. In Russia and its former satellite states one in five male deaths is caused by drink." Yikes! (via The Economist)