Highest consumption of cigarettes (country)

The world's largest consumer of cigarettes, in terms of volume purchased, is China with 1.69 trillion cigarettes sold in 2002. With a global consumption in 2000 of 5.5 trillion this means that approximately one in every three cigarettes smoked today is smoked in China.

The 1998 list from WHO & 2002 update from The Economist (18/10/03):

1. China 1,643 billion (1998); 1.69 trillion (2002)

2. USA 451 billion (1998); 410 billion (2002)

3. Japan 328 billion (1998); 310 billion (2002)

4. Russia 258 billion (1998); 300 billion (2002)

5. Indonesia 215 billion (1998); 210 billion (2002)

For updates: WHO's Tabacco Free Initiative: http://www5.who.int/tobacco/page.cfm?sid=84

 

5,500 billion can also be represented as 5.5 trillion.