Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in South Asia
South Asia: Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) was 23.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use in South Asia, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 23.6% for prevalence of current tobacco use in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.5% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use in South Asia peaked at 55.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 23.6%, in 2024.
South Asia ranks 11th of 46 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 55.6% | — |
| 2005 | 46.9% | -15.6% |
| 2007 | 43.4% | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 39.0% | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 32.3% | -17.0% |
| 2020 | 27.1% | -16.2% |
| 2022 | 25.3% | -6.5% |
| 2023 | 24.5% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | -3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 48.6% | 43.4% | 55.6% | 3 |
| 2010s | 35.6% | 32.3% | 39.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 25.1% | 23.6% | 27.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 8 Solomon Islands 38.4% compare
- 9 Kiribati 37.7% compare
- 10 Montenegro 37.2% compare
- 11 Bosnia and Herzegovina 37.1% compare
- 12 Andorra 35.5% compare
- 12 Palestine 35.5% compare
- 14 Nauru 34.8% compare
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0457 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.022 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0182 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate -0.4429 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 2.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 2.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of current tobacco use in South Asia?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use in South Asia was 23.6% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 55.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.6% in 2024.
- How does South Asia rank for prevalence of current tobacco use?
- South Asia ranks 11th out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of the population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.