Smoking Prevalence

The WHO report provides first-time estimates of worldwide smoking prevalence, based on surveys conducted in 87 countries, accounting for 85% of the world's population.

· Globally, approximately 47% of men and 12 % of women smoke.

· In developing countries, available data suggest that 48% of men smoke, as do 7% of women, while in developed countries, 42% of men and 24% of women smoke.

· Of the 87 countries for which data was available, male smoking prevalence is 50% or more in 22 countries, while female smoking prevalence is 25% or more in 26 countries.

· In countries with established market economies, male smoking prevalence averages around 37%, compared to 60% in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

· Smoking among women is most prevalent in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (28%), countries with established market economies (23%) and Latin American and Caribbean countries (21%). In all other regions, fewer than 10% of women smoke.

· About one-third of regular smokers in developed countries are women, compared with only about one in eight in the developing world.

· Three countries, the Russian Federation, Poland and Fiji rank in the top twenty for both male and female smoking prevalence.