World: China is No 1 beer drinker for the third straight year

China was the world's No 1 beer-drinking nation in 2005 for the third straight year, 19.5% of worldwide consumption. The Chinese drank around 5.2% more beer in 2005 than in 2004. They consumed a combined 30.49 million kilolitres, according to Kirin Brewery�s recent statement.

The Japanese beer producer attributed China's increase in consumption to the country's economic expansion spreading inland and boosting beer consumption there.

The United States took second place, followed by Germany, Brazil and Russia. Beer drinkers in Brazil and Russia, where health-conscious consumers are turning to more low-alcohol products, drank more beer in 2005 than in 2004.

Japan retained sixth place at 6.34 million kilolitres, down 3.1 percent.

Worldwide beer consumption rose 2.8 per cent in 2005 to 155.96 million kilolitres, marking the 20th consecutive year-on-year gain. The amount would fill the Tokyo Dome baseball stadium 126 times over, the brewer said.